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In aug 2006 Empty Hats
really went "live" with their 4th CD "Released", with all the
music and banter intact, as if you were in the front row.
And NOW...in 2008, hot off the press, their 5th CD creatively
entitled "5" is ready for your dancing and listening pleasure. A
bonus video track of "The Coachman" has been added by popular
demand!
Empty Hats is a dynamic group of performers that surprises and
delights their audiences both visually and aurally.
"Enthusiastic", "charming", and "passionate" are just 3 words to
describe this acoustic blend of traditional and original Celtic
music.
Their first CD "The Hat Came Back" was released December 2000 and
less than 6 months later, the title track was voted one of MP3's
Top 40 Irish Pub Songs. Fall 2002 they released a "Greatest
Hits" CD eagerly awaited for by fans along the east coast.
In July 2004 Empty
Hats released their 3rd CD "Captured". Once again peppering
original songs in with the salty traditional tunes, the band
tried to give this CD a "recorded live" feeling.
This fresh, energetic and polished band can bring a crowd to its
feet whether at a Renaissance Faire, Music Festival, Pub, or
Concert Hall. From King Henry VIII to Katie, Matt & Al of NBC's
TODAY SHOW, Empty Hats has covered centuries! They are ready to
show you why Kalika says "You guys are the coolest band to a 14
year old!" and Gary Combs says "…their music brings a smile to my
face, a tear to my eye, and twists my heart into a Celtic Knot!"
Carl Asch - Lead
Vocals, Penny Whistle, Guitar, Mandolin
Lynda Kavy - Bodhran, Percussion, Vocals
Gary Mazzu -Guitar, Vocals
Victoria Scuteri - Fiddle, Vocals
Empty Hats
"Captured"
Independent 2004
I spent a lot
of time at the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire when I was a
younger -- and less married -- man. Despite my fondness for
swordplay and Shakespeare, much of the stagecraft grew old over
the course of a season, as the actors settled into routine and
the "improv" became less inspired. But the thing that would
always draw me near was the music, and the band that always
captured my ear was Double Indemity, an energetic quartet (or
sometimes quintet) led by singer Carl Asch. Alas, that band's
members parted some time ago under less than amicable
circumstances, and their fans grieved in the aftermath.
Fortunately,
Asch (who also plays whistle, guitar and a handful of other
instruments) and singer/percussionist Lynda Kavy partnered up
with sometimes bandmate Gary Mazzu (guitar, whistle, mandolin
and vocals) and singer/fiddler George Klepac to form Empty Hats.
Anyone
familiar with Double Indemnity will recognize this new
incarnation, particularly because of Asch's aggressive, growly
lead vocals. The enthusiasm and the tight arrangements are still
there and, since the band seems eager to experiment a little
more with new sounds and guest musicians (there are nine of them
on this recording), I might be persuaded to say the breakup of
Double Indemnity wasn't such a bad move after all.
It's a good
album overall, but there are a few standout tracks -- beginning
with the first one, a forceful rendition of "The Night Visitor's
Song." Kavy takes things down a bawdy road with "The Widow & the
Devil" before Asch leads a few punchy rounds with the "Blind
Fiddler" and "Dunnenkirk & the Gypsy." On the quieter side, Asch
sings a tender version of Andy M. Stewart's "Fisherman's Wife."
There is only
a handful of instrumental sets here, but each is top-notch. The
finest among them is a rollicking "Temperance Reel/Tam Lyn."
Maybe I've
been living too long with the ghosts of a defunct band. It's
been a long time coming, but Captured has convinced me
that change ain't always so bad after all.
Special Events
Opening For
BLACKMORE'S NIGHT - Pittsburgh, Pa, Philadelphia, Pa,
Lakewood, New Jersey
NBC Promotions
for “Merlin” miniseries – Rockefeller Center, NY
Election Night –
2000 Democratic Headquarters – Jacksonville, FL
Donald Trump’s
Birthday Party – Atlantic City, NJ
Dicken’s Fest –
Medford, NJ
CasinoCruz,
Cruise Ship – Largo, FL
Music Festivals
Sunburst Music
Festival - Clearwater, Florida
Celtic Fling-Mt Hope, P.A
St. Petersburg
International Folk Festival – St. Petersburg, FL
Lake Eden Arts
Festival – Black Mountain, NC
Philadelphia
Ceili Festival – Philadelphia, PA
Edinboro
Scottish Festival – Erie, PA
National Folk
Alliance Conference Showcase – Alburquerque, NM
Concerts
Benefit Concert
- Ashville, North Carolina
Philadelphia Art
Museum – Philadelphia, PA
IBM Corporate
Party-Amelia Island, FL
Music of the
Rivers-Jacksonville, FL
Levitt Pavillion
– Fairfield, CT
Concert Under
the Stars – Nunda, NY
Acoustic Journey
– Ridgewood, NJ
Allen Theatre –
Annville, PA
The Hurdy Gurdy
– Paramus, NJ
Theatre in the Mansion Series – Cornwall, PA
The Casino –
Gulfport, FL
TheatreWalk –
Gulfport, FL
Natural History
Museum – Marathon, FL
Television/Radio
“Today Show”
with Katie Couric – NYC, NY
“Live at Five”
with Al Rocker – NYC, NY
WXPN, Gene Shay,
Host – Philadelphia, PA
WMNF, Bill
Dudley, Host – Tampa, FL
Morning Shows –
Buffalo, NY; Syracuse, NY; York, PA
City Point to
Point – Key West, FL
Resorts/Hotels
Trump’s Castle –
Atlantic City, NJ
Tropicana –
Atlantic City, NJ
Sands - Atlantic
City, NJ
Hawk’s Cay –
Grassy Key, FL
Buccaneer –
Marathon, FL
Banana Bay – Key
West, FL
Colleges
Franklin and
Marshall – Lancaster, PA
Bryn Mawer
College – Bryn Mawr, PA
Cayuga College –
Cayuga, NY
Pubs
Green Parrot –
Key West, FL
Finnegan’s Wake
– Key West, FL
Cockney Rebel – St. Petersburg, FL
Four Green
Fields – Tampa, FL
Club More –
Clearwater, FL
Fin McCool’s –
Philadelphia, PA
Renaissance
Festivals
Poconos Cherry
Hill Renaissance Festival – Cherry Hill, NJ
Colorado
Renaissance Festival – Larkspur, CO
Florida Keys
Renaissance Festival – Marathon, FL
Florida
Renaissance Festival – Ft. Lauderdale, FL
West Palm Beach
Renaissance Festival – West Palm Beach, FL
Ringling
Brothers Medieval Faire – Sarasota, FL
Maryland
Renaissance Festival – Baltimore, MD
Bay Area
Renaissance Festival – Largo, FL
Sterling
Renaissance – Sterling, NY
Pennsylvania
Renaissance Faire – Manheim, PA
Ft. Meyers
Renaissance Festival – Ft. Meyers, FL
Lake Como
Renaissance Festival – Lutz, FL
Hoggetown
Medieval Festival – Gainesville, FL
Borders/Barnes & Nobles
Paramus, NJ
Lancaster, PA
York, PA
Syracuse, NY
St. Petersburg,
FL
Clearwater, FL
Denver, CO
Tampa, FL
Rochester, NY
Little Rock, AR
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