DENVER, CO - October 10, 2024 – Celtic duo Rakish is bringing its innovative blend of traditional instrumentation and contemporary songwriting to Colorado this weekend, culminating a tour supporting their latest album, Now O, Now. The album marks a departure for the group, featuring a collection of original compositions, including instrumental pieces – a first for Rakish.
Formed by fiddler and vocalist Liz Scanlin and guitarist/vocalist kevin Hearn, Rakish draws on Scanlin’s extensive background in traditional music. Scanlin is a two-time U.S.National Scottish Fiddle Champion and a winner of Scotland’s Glenfiddich Fiddle Competition. Now O, Now reflects a shift towards ”through-composed instrumental music,” expanding on single tunes rather than traditional medleys. “Instead of just having more of a traditional context for the tunes we were playing, like traditional irish music strings together three or four tunes in a medley, we were taking one tune and expanding it and almost taking it to an end and breaking it apart of using those pieces from some of are other musical influences or more improvised music,” Scanlin explained.
Lyrically, the album explores themes of nature, inspired by Scanlin’s trip to Prince Edward Island, and the experiences of a touring musician, including feelings of homesickness. Songs like “Lonely Hotel Room” and “Island in the Sea” notably capture this sentiment. “All of them have a little bit of that melancholy about thinking about music and community and musical community and how all those things are a part of this lifestyle that we’re leading,” Scanlin said. “The beauty and sometimes the more sorrowful elements that comes with that.”
Rakish will perform at Swallow Hill in Denver on Sunday, October 12, with support from Salomé Songbird. They will then play a free house show in Fort collins on Monday, October 13, and conclude their Colorado run at eTown Hall in Boulder on Tuesday, October 14.
The duo emphasizes the importance of the live music experience, aiming to provide a unique set each night and contextualize their music for audiences. “there’s something special about sitting down for an hour and just taking in music all at once, opposed to hearing just one track on streaming. It’s a different energy arch,” Scanlin stated. Hearn, who also works as a stand-up comedian, added, “Context can give you a bigger emotional range sometimes.”
Tickets for the Swallow Hill show are $32 and available at https://swallowhillmusic.org/event/salome-songbird-and-rakish/.