True to their name, Beyond The Pale delivers a wild musical ride outside the boundaries of convention. Delighting audiences for over twelve years, the band is grounded in the traditional roots music of America, Northern Europe and Ireland with imaginative ventures across musical borders. Where else can you experience fiery reels, haunting ballads, outrageously humorous songs and music from around the world including Mexican polkas and Texas swing?
Expect the unexpected as fiddle, flute, hammered dulcimer, accordion, guitar, saxophone whistles concertina, mandolin and percussion hold you in a melodic spell and whisk you around the dance floor. And, the entire band sings, from well-crafted original songs to “celticized” versions of contemporary songs ranging from 1930s music hall songs to stunning a capella pieces to Grand Ole Opry favorites and classics form the British Pop invasion. Are we having fun yet?–You bet!
Beyond The Pales’ eclectic and diverse mix of traditional celtic and contemporary styles and is the key to their popularity. They have developed their unique sound by blending their own original songs and compositions with an array of traditional dance tunes and folk songs of Ireland, America Scotland and Europe using a wide range of instruments including fiddle, flute, accordion, guitar, hammered dulcimer, tin whistle, saxophone, harmonica, concertina, mandolin, clarinet, bodhran, percussion and of course the voices of band members.
Beyond The Pale have been featured performers at some of the largest music festivals in the USA including in The North Texas Irish Festival ( Dallas) and The Texas Scottish Festival and Highland Games (Arlington). They have shared billing at these events with the top Celtic groups in the world including Altan, Tim O’Brien, Eileen Ivers, Solas, Danu, Lunasa, Dervish, Silabh Notes, Teada, to name just a few. In addition to these large events, BTP give frequent concert and festival performances throughout Texas and the South Central US and occasionally as far afield as Ireland and France. They have appeared live on National Public Radio’s “The Glenn Mitchell Show” and “ No Cover” and on RTE, Ireland “ Live From Miltown”. Beyond The Pale’s members have performed throughout the USA and in Europe.
Beyond the Pale’s popular recordings include their new CD, The Music Plays Me as well as Queen of Skye, (2004) Strange Turns (2002) Angel On The 7th Stair (1999) and Life Is All Chequered (1997). It has been said that their latest CD The Music Plays Me is like Tim O’Brien meeting The Chieftains. Beyond The Pale’s recordings feature a diverse blend of traditional, original and contemporary songs and folk dance tunes from the Irish and Scottish to American and Canadian and Europe ranging from fiery Irish reels to plaintive Scottish folk songs and even include a Mexican Polka, and covers of songs by Elton John, Janis Ian, Laurie Lewis, The Red Clay Ramblers, Todd Rundgren, Dolly Parton and Hank Williams. Their original songs are humorous, stirring, haunting, and always true to the band’s heritage.
Gordon McLeod plays fiddle, guitar, bodhran, mandolin, bass, sings lead and backing vocals and composes original tunes and songs. Gordon has been performing and composing music all of his life as a solo artist, a member of several bands and as a recording session artist. He has performed over much of the United States as well as in Ireland and France. BTPs latest CD The Music Plays Me, feature Gordon’s original songs as do their earlier releases , “Queen of Skye”, “Strange Turns” and “Angel on the 7th Stair.” He also works as a producer, specializing in acoustic, roots oriented music. His original songs, including the award-winning “Hester”, have been featured on several releases aside from Beyond The Pale’s recordings including Pinnacles Record Company’s new release, “Celtic Energy”.
Betsy Cummings plays piano accordion and bodhran and sings a wonderful array of traditional and contemporary songs. Betsy has been performing Celtic music for many years and is also and currently President of the Southwest Celtic Music Association. Formerly with the renowned group Lost Tribe, Betsy’s wonderful voice combined with her sensitive feeling for the music and skillful fingers on the accordion keys, along with her knack for picking the most captivating songs add a rich dimension to Beyond The Pale’s sound.
Christy McLeod’s natural soulfulness shows not only in her beautiful singing and guitar playing but in her wit and instant rapport with her audiences as well. Christy began performing in her early teens. She plays guitar, harmonica, bodhran and percussion and sings lead and backing vocals. Christy has performed over much of the United States and in Ireland and France as well. She is also a gifted and witty songwriter. For example, her composition “The Music Plays Me” is the title track of Beyond The Pale’s latest CD ” The Music Plays Me”.
John Delaney brings a wealth of talent to Beyond The Pale. John plays flute, hammered dulcimer, tin whistle, concertina and saxophone and adds his dulcet baritone to the band’s vocal performances as both a lead and backing vocalist. John has been performing Irish, Scottish and other traditional music for many years with several well known groups including Lost Tribe, Rakish Paddy and Slim Richey. He is well known as a talented multi-instrumentalist and his vocal talents are often the highlight of the band’s shows.
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