CEILÍ MOSS is an acoustic folk-rock band from Belgium founded in 1996. We describe ourselves as « acoustic folk-rock with guts and melodies, with a Northern European edge (from Ireland to Romania via Flanders, Sweden, Brittany and Poland), not afraid of colouring a bit outside of the lines ». Perhaps it is Genevieve Williams from Widdershins who described us best : « They are not as punk as The Pogues, but they have a bit of that attitude and it gives them an edge many folk groups lack ». Other recurring comparisons are The Waterboys, Ambrozijn, Tri Yann, Jaune Toujours, Les Ogres de Barback, the old Clannad …
If, like many, we started with (and still enjoy playing) the “Spanish drunken Danny rover of the County Down in the jar”, we have nevertheless constantly broadened our musical spectrum: Celtic, Flanders, Scandinavia, klezmer, medieval music, French chanson, Eastern Europe, ska, Balkanbeat, kleinkunst, singer-songwriter, blues, we take whatever we like, put it in our cauldron and whoever says it’s not bloody “orthodox” or poxy “as it should be” gets a smack bottom… We play an approximately 2/3-1/3 mix of our own tunes sung in English, French or Dutch, and of mistreated traditionals.
Ceilí, I guess most of you know, is an Irish word for a party with traditional dance music. Moss was the nickname of Alain Mossiat, boss of the pub “L”Eblouissant”, in Namur, where we first learned to deal with stage fright, back in the early 90s.
Our fourth album "La Vie Sent Quoi?" ("Life Smells What?") has just been digitally released in september 2010, and will also be available as a good old CD in the beginning of october.
See you at one of our coming gigs? (All in Belgium, unless specified)
-sep.17: Poperinge, The Old Fiddler
-sep.25: Namur, Cabaret de Gelbressee
-oct.13: Brussels, Musik-Alma Festival
-oct.15: Estaimpuis, la Ferme de l'Ancienne Cure
-dec.2: Brussels, la Porte Noire
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