The story of SEVEN NATIONS is that of a truly original and determined band that began in New York City, with members now hailing from California, to Toronto, to Florida. They have for years booked their own tours,and have had their own PBS and CNN specials. Throw away any preconceived notions you may have about Celtic music...this is a band that has invented its own sound and attracted a prodigious national and international following.
Seven Nations is not your father’s Celtic band. With a passionate, tender, and rollicking style that winningly veers from roots and folk to dance and fusion-rock, Seven Nations has earned a growing reputation as an adventurous band with a charismatic stage presence.
“Seven Nations — the name refers to the seven original Celtic nations of Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Cornwall, Galecia, Isle of Man, and Brittany — officially began in 1993 in New York City with a standard line-up of drums, guitars, and bass,” notes lead singer and guitarist Kirk McLeod. “We soon introduced bagpipes into the show, and over time the number of songs utilizing bagpipes grew until it became obvious that they were integral to our emerging sound,” says McLeod. “Most of the band members grew up playing Celtic music, and we’ve been performing original compositions since we began. Our instrumentation, and bagpipes and fiddle mostly, give us a distinctive sound and that’s what makes us different.”
Seven Nations has been touring full-time since 1994 with successful stops in Europe, Canada, Puerto Rico, and virtually every state in the US. The band has recorded a number of albums with over a quarter million units in sales. The band’s latest album, Tales from the Eighth Nations, has been praised for “having the appeal of the original albums, yet a mature songwriting style. The lyrics are relatable, surprising, and the pipe/fiddle hooks stir a desire to listen to the album over and over.”
Its versatile and dynamic style has stamped Seven Nations as a highly book-able band, with an ever increasing and loyal fan base. The group has performed at a variety of venues, from nightclubs and pubs to festivals and street fairs. They’ve done it all. Recently, garnering the attention of the Orchestra world by including dates with several American orchestras, most notably the multi-Grammy-winning Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, the Jacksonville Symphony, and the South Carolina Philharmonic. They also became the first Celtic rock band to bring this exhilarating collaboration to the stage at an outdoor Irish festival, when they performed an entire show with the Columbus Symphony Orchestra at the Dublin Irish Festival.
In addition, Seven Nations has played the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, a New Year’s Eve performance at Scotland’s Royal Mile for some 40,000 people, and at the New York City Marathon. Seven Nations has been the subject of a multi-million dollar advertising campaign and appeared in over 20 major publications including Rolling Stone, Billboard, Playboy, Maxim, GQ, Stuff, and FHM.
It’s been two decades and over a million miles logged on the road for Seven Nations since their inception and they’re just getting started. With a highly anticipated return to their roots of festivals, touring and recording, this indie band is poised for another amazing decade.