Fans of the lively Celtic dance music the 1998 blockbuster “Titanic” are in for a special treat when Gaelic Storm comes to Eugene.
Gaelic Storm, the band that helped spur the Oscar-winning movie’s second soundtrack release, “Back to Titanic,” will perform Jan. 28 at the Wild Duck Music Hall.
“It’s shit you can’t not move to,” concert promoter Dan Steinberg said.
Steinberg said although he had never seen Gaelic Storm live, he had seen some videos of their concerts. He said the band performed fast-paced, high-energy concerts that had audiences dancing to their Celtic/Gaelic rhythms.
He added that Eugene is off the band’s beaten path, and though the band usually performs at art centers, he chose the Wild Duck to better entice University students to come check out the concert.
Brendan Relaford, general manager for Big Green Music Events at the Wild Duck, predicted that Monday’s performance would draw more of a “listening audience” than a dance crowd.
“The crowd will be there out of curiosity,” he said, because the show is “all based on publicity and hype.”
Relaford added he thought the band would draw an older crowd that would be more interested in “music appreciation.”
Band members for Gaelic Storm include Steve Wehmeyer on vocals and the bodhran (an Irish drum), Patrick Murphy on vocals, spoons, harmonica and accordion, Steve Twigger on guitar, mandolin and vocals, Shep Lonsdale on the djembe (a West African drum) and Kathleen Keane on fiddle, tin whistle and button accordion.
In the mid-1990s, the band members met over pints at a seaside pub in Santa Monica, Calif., according to Gaelic Storm’s Web site, and they soon began performing together. They released their first self-titled CD in 1998 and then released their following albums “Herding Cats” in 1999 and “Tree” in 2001.
Local folk singer/songwriter Elise Coakley will open the show. Though she has not yet produced a CD, Steinberg said she has performed in Eugene, Portland and Seattle, opening for bands such as Crash Test Dummies and Trisha Yearwood.
“She’s got a great voice,” Steinberg said. “If Ani DiFranco and Sheryl Crow had an offspring, it would be (Coakley).”
Coakley, who is also a University student, described her music as mellow and laid back.
“Most of my songs are pretty personal songs,” she said.
Though her music is a different style than that of Gaelic Storm, she said their music will mesh well.
“I’m a big fan of Celtic music,” she said.
Coakley said she enjoys playing in Eugene and is excited to hear Gaelic Storm as well.
The concert begins at 8 p.m. and is open to all ages.
Tickets are available for $14 the day of the show and $12 in advance at the Wild Duck and www.fastixx.com.