Gaelic Storm comes to Newton Theatre on June 7
For several reasons, Gaelic Storm is not your da’s — sorry, your father’s — Celtic band.
For one, the group formed in the mid-1990s not on the shores of the Emerald Isle but in sunny Southern California – Santa Monica, to be exact.
For another, not many Celtic groups feature a percussionist who tries to incorporate funk and African rhythms into the mix.
Ryan Lacey, the aforementioned percussionist, says the changing line-up of Gaelic Storm over the years has proven to be one of the band’s strengths.
“Everybody has his own take on the music,” says Lacey, who officially joined the band in 2002. “We each put our own flavor to the music. We do all that, but we still manage to stay in the groove.”
That groove is in evidence in “Full Irish,” a compilation CD from the past decade of Gaelic Storm’s career. Many of those songs will form the basis of the band’s set list when it appears at the Newton Theatre on Sunday.
“Full Irish” includes new tracks from the band, including a reworking of the traditional song “Whiskey in the Jar.”
The original line-up of Gaelic Storm coalesced at O’Brien’s Irish Pub and Restaurant in Santa Monica. The seven members included Patrick Murphy of vocals and accordion and Steve Twigger on guitar; both remain with the band.
The group started playing in 1996. “They were doing a gig playing every Sunday night,” Lacey says. “It was just to have fun.”
Those weekly jam sessions developed a following. Gaelic Storm’s profile increased even further when it tapped to appear as the band in steerage in the 1997 movie “Titanic.”
“At the time they were taking $300 a gig, split (among) the seven of them,” Lacey says. “But for the movie, they made $500 each. (Murphy) says he felt like they were stealing from the producers, to get paid so much.”
As it turned out, “Titanic” became a blockbuster and boosted interest in Gaelic Storm thanks to its contribution to the soundtrack, “An Irish Party in Third Class.” The band’s current members re-recorded the instrumental for the “Full Irish” CD.
Besides Murphy, Twigger, and Lacey, Gaelic Storm also features Peter Purvis on pipes and whistles and Kiara Weber on fiddle and vocals.
Lacey points out that the group does not tour with a bass player. “Steve (Twigger) adds a full-force guitar. He and I are the rhythm section.”
“The true difference between us and other Celtic bands is Pat Murphy,” Lacey says. “He, for me, is every entertainer mashed into one. He’s a great story-teller, and he knows how to get the audience involved in the show.”
Gaelic Storm is wrapping up production of its next studio CD, “Matching Sweaters,” a collection of original songs that will be released in August.
New songs are generally written by Twigger and Murphy. “They bring them into the studio. That gives us a skeleton, and then we work out the instrumentation,” Lacey says.
Lacey – who is American-born but who lived in Ireland for a number of years – observes that Gaelic Storm’s approach to Celtic music has been well-received by audiences of all ethnicities.
“We go to Europe, and we play festivals of Celtic music in Spain and France. Irish music is a very big thing everywhere. There’s a party in the sound,” Lacey says.
“A lot of it comes down to emotional stimulation,” Lacey says. “This is music that makes you feel something. We’re trying to continue that tradition.”
GAELIC STORM
WHAT: This Celtic band, which also draws on other musical genres for inspiration, will perform songs from its 20-year career. The concentration will be on songs from “Full Irish,” a 2014 collection of songs from the previous decade.
WHEN: 8 p.m. Sunday, June 7
WHERE: Newton Theatre, 234 Spring St., Newton
TICKETS: $29 to $39
INFORMATION: 973-383-3700 or www.thenewtontheatre.com.