Brotherly love in Celtic rock
Banshee’s Wail is set to sail off the scale
Laura Blakley Staff
“There’s someone right in your face. You’ve got people bumping the mic stand.” Brendan Jowett’s description is interrupted by Murray’s emphatic, “Yeah, someone reached out and touched my face . . . caressed it. When you’re in the basement, and there’s 150 people in your house [going crazy/ rocking out/ jumping all over], you feel like you’ve freakin’ made it.”
Who knows how many times they finished each other’s sentences. While growing up together in Southwest Winnipeg. When describing a great Celtic rock show, their energy levels jump, their words tumble out and overlap as they try to describe what they love about their music.
Banshee’s Wail is comprised of four guys: two brothers, Brendan and Murray Jowett, their cousin Steve Jowett and their brother from a different mother, Brendan Thompson. The four of them have been together as bands and as friends long enough that they’re not even able to say when exactly Banshee’s Wail was founded.
“We’ll say it’s nine months, like we’ve carried this band to term,” said Thompson.
His observation could be a metaphor for the band itself, given the chance it’s had to mature and grow over the lives of the bandmates. All of them started playing music at a young age, with Brendan Thompson and Steve Jowett playing piano, and Murray and Brendan Jowett on violin.
Classically trained and tested, Murray describes his growing restlessness with his violin, and a rejuvenated love of music when he found he could play the fiddle and the music he wanted.
“I just don’t feel nervous getting up there. This is so strong, the rhythm and the feel. It’s just so pervasive, and you can’t help but dance to it,” said Murray.
With the evolution of the bandmates and their musical style came the exchange of their primary instruments. Today’s playlist finds Brendan Thompson on drums and Steve Jowett as the bassist. Murray Jowett plays fiddle and sings, while Brendan Jowett plays guitar and sings.
“We’re young guys, so [our shows are] geared towards a university-age audience, but I mean, there are always people there of all ages,” Steve Jowett said, recalling one audience member in particular. “I mean, this is music that my grandfather knows the words to, but it’s not boring.”
If you’d like to stand around and describe the difference between a violin and a fiddle, chances are you’ll find some people who know about it at this show. If you want to dance a jig, kick up your heels or just raise a glass, there will be plenty of other people doing that at their concerts, too. It will be an intimate experience with music that’s as friendly and fun as the people playing it, and it should prove interesting if someone else feels the need to reach out and touch the music . . . or Murray’s face.
Banshee’s Wail performs at Hooligan’s on Jan. 28.
