When the words “Irish Punk” are used to describe a band, it’s not easy to picture what that genre might sound like, but if you have ever seen The Mahones play live, you would immediately understand.
The tin whistle-blasting, accordion-flexing and loud chorus-belting band has been rocking watering holes all over the world, with a brash Celtic flair, for over two decades and they show no signs of slowing down.
Having traveled the world over, the renowned and revelry-filled five-piece will perform at Wild Bill’s Saloon in Banff, Oct. 13-14.
The songs of the Kingston, Ontario-born act have been featured in several different Hollywood films, including the final fight sequence of Oscar-winning, Mark Wahlberg movie The Fighter.
Their latest album, entitled Angels & Devils, has been dubbed the best Celtic punk album of all time by several music ‘zines, and features lofty guest appearances from Greg Keelor of Blue Rodeo, Ken Casey of The Dropkick Murphys and Jake Burns of Stiff Little Fingers.
Born in Dublin, Ireland, and later growing up in Kingston after his parents emigrated, front man Finny McConnell has appreciated the little and large successes the band has experienced.
“To be honest with you, I never thought our music would be in a huge movie,” the raspy, chuckling McConnell said.
“It’s fantastic that it has all happened in that way, and to put our song in the final fight scene was also fantastic. But they also gave us a shout-out during the movie, as someone mentions the title of our song in the film, so that was amazing.”
Starting back in Kingston in 1990, McConnell’s family friend Barry Williams, who was the owner of the well-known Toucan pub, gave the Mahones their start.
The high-energy, Irish rocker put a band together for St Patrick’s Day at the pub, and performed songs out of a Dubliner songbook.
“It went over so well that we just kept doing it and never looked back,” he added.
“What started as one gig became a weekend gig, and then to a touring act and then an international touring act, and the next thing you knew, we had put 12 albums out. It really took on a life of its own.”
McConnell began his musical pilgrimage in two Irish pubs in the 1980s, within the hotels that his parents opened in Kingston, but he didn’t want anything to do with the traditional music that he heard.
It was during this time that he started a rock band called The Filters with his two good friends, Gord Downie and Bobby Baker, who both later went on to form The Tragically Hip.
The short-lived band disbanded when high school ended, and while Downie and Baker went to Queen’s University, McConnell moved to London, England to begin his own rock and roll education.
“One of the first guys I met in London was Joe Strummer at the Piccadilly Circus, and I met a lot of rock stars while I was there,” he added.
“I met Lemmy, too, and they all lived there and you could see them all over town each day, and that’s where I also discovered The Pogues. And so I started listening to The Pogues and The Clash and it all sort of started from there.”
Having recorded different sessions for Angels & Devils in Belfast, McConnell ended up finding a studio in Montreal where the overall album sound just clicked.
McConnell and his wife Katie, who plays accordion in the band and is the niece of Greg Keelor, have always been big believers in having guest musicians on their records.
“We’ve been putting guests on every album because we had met so many musicians on the road and it’s more of a fun thing to have our friends play with us,” McConnell said.
“It’s an opportunity to jam with some great people and something that hip-hop artists have been doing since the beginning of time and it’s basically a lot of fun. And I mean, it also makes for an interesting story to talk about with the press and the media, too.”
After enjoying the creation process of Angels & Devils, McConnell is already thinking about their new double album, titled The Hunger And The Fight, which is set to start production this coming winter.
“We’re going to do it this winter and we have a lot of special guests coming on for that one,” he added.
“I can’t really say who they are – I have to keep it under the lid until the job is done, you know? But we have some bigger guests on this one.”
Enjoying the wild pace of touring and the energy that comes from playing live, McConnell and his acclaimed band have a sentimental spot for Alberta, and are thrilled to hit the stage at Wild Bill’s.
“It’s a good time and the gigs are always great out there,” he said.
“Alberta is a wonderful place and I’ve always loved playing there because it was one of the first places to really take to The Mahones. So we’ve always loved it out west. It’s beautiful.”
