WeBanjo3 go to Milwaukee

description

We're a band from Galway called We Banjo 3. The members of the band are brothers Martin and David Howley, and Enda Scahill. We are all National Champion musicians and we love the banjo! We also play a range of other stringed instruments. Through music and song we explore the fascinating journey of the banjo from the Cottonfields of the West Indies to Black-Faced Minstrel bands to the Vaudeville Era in 1920's New York to Old-Time and Appalachian music through to contemporary Irish and Bluegrass music. We are close to launching our debut album "Roots of the Banjo Tree". We have been together since 2009 as a band but know each other for years as Enda used to teach both Martin and David! We have toured in Ireland and played several festivals in Europe but we are really excited about the prospect of bringing our Irish version of banjo music back to its spiritual home - America.

To this end we have been hugely lucky to have been offered a chance to perform at the biggest Celtic Music Festival in America - Milwaukee Irish Fest, an event which draws over 120000 each year. For a band that has not yet played in the US it is almost unheard of that we would be given this opportunity. As this year the festival features a Bluegrass showcase the timing is perfect for us to launch our band in front of huge crowds and also some of the most influential agents and promoters in North America. The majority of large American festivals won't even consider hiring a band unless they have seen them live at some other festival so this is an opportunity that we cannot afford to miss. A band that goes down well at Milwaukee is on an upward curve for sure! We have been offered 7 performances over 4 days and are thrilled at the prospect of playing at this prestigious festival.

However, our costs to attend this event far outweigh the fee that we can command at this stage of our careers. Our flight costs are €3500, visas €1500 and in order to really make a big impact on such a big stage we are bringing the hugely talented Fergal Scahill as a guest artist on fiddle and guitar at an additional cost of €750. We are very happy to travel and perform without taking a fee ourselves but we would rather not return to a huge debt; it's hard enough make a living as a musician!!

We graciously look for your assistance in attending this event. The opportunity it will afford us to launch our band in the US cannot be overstated.

We are really good. We are hugely committed. Most importantly, we're lots of fun too!!