Longtime Celtic band Haggis is making its comeback.
Set to play The George Traditional House for St. Patrick's Day on March 17, the performance will mark a return for the Okotoks mainstay.
The trio cover a wide variety of Irish and maritime favourites.
“I am super excited, it’s been way too long,” said band member Mike Deurbrouck. “The world is craving for live music and live shows and we cannot wait to bring in St. Paddy’s Day 2022 in style.”
Their last performance took the form of a live-streamed performance from Deurbrouck's home for St. Patrick's Day in 2020 as the pandemic began to take hold.
The trio will be rounded out by Jeff Graham and returning member Todd Martin.
“It feels really good to be here. I mean we started this thing 23 years ago,” Martin said. “There’s been some ebbs and some flows and some pause for the cause, but it felt pretty natural getting back together.
“The idea of getting the band back together came together over camping, some campfire singalongs this summer, so we’re like, ‘Maybe we could.’”
For Graham, a music teacher at the Alberta High School of Fine Arts, it’s a relief to be coming out from under the cloud of the pandemic.
“The kids are starting to open up and starting to work real hard, which took a while,” Graham said. “And I’m excited to just get to spread some joy. That’s the thing I miss the most.
“We have a laugh while we’re doing it, we don’t take ourselves too seriously, we just have a good time.”
The band in its current form began in 2002, Martin said, with a few breaks over the years.
“But all roads lead back to Okotoks,” Martin said.
He agreed with his bandmates there’s a need for their brand of Celtic kick coming off the pandemic.
“As we’re coming out of COVID it feels like there’s a need for a collective sigh of relief,” Martin said. “And what better way to kick that off than a St. Paddy’s Day party with Haggis.”
The George's St. Patrick's Day concert takes place March 17 from 7-9:30 p.m.
There are no tickets, covers or reservations and the event will be first come, first serve.
For more information about Haggis and upcoming shows, visit facebook.com/musicbyhaggis.
