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Celtic sounds "We don't stop moving on stage," says Erin Searson, lead singer of the Ontario-based, family-spirited Celtic band Searson. "And because most of the bands are predominantly male, it's kind of neat when people get to see four girls and a guy on stage." Searson - which features the three Searson sisters and their father -- will appear Sunday at the 28th annual Capital District Scottish Games. The two-day party will begin Saturday at the Altamont Fairgrounds, also featuring music by The McKrells, the Brigadoons, Rathkeltair and Colin Grant-Adams. Historian Rob Roy McGregor will also appear. Scots will bring their pipe bands, athletes and dancers to the proceedings. The Northeastern U.S. Highland Athletics Championships will be held Saturday, with amateur athletic events on Sunday. The Beers and Cheers Pipe Band and Drum Corps competition and a performance by the Braemar Highland Dancers will take place Sunday. Children's events, a dog show, exhibits by Scottish clans and societies, vendors with kilts, sweaters and Scottish jewelry and Scottish and American foods are other attractions on the schedule.
Searson - the band also features Jamie
Gardner - will be making its second Capital Region appearance in two
months; the INDIVIDUAL SOUND For people who missed that gig, Erin Searson offers a recap on the Searson sound, which features two lead fiddlers in Gardner and Colleen Searson. "It's a mixture of Celtic, folk music; it has some pop influence as well," she said. "We're just not a Celtic rock band, because we have the singing and dancing as well. Some people describe us like the Cranberries; some people say we sound like the Corrs from Ireland." Erin Searson, 26, also plays piano and mandolin. Heather Searson, 24, plays bass and bodhran; Colleen Searson, 21, helps with vocals in addition to her bow work. Mike Searson, 50, handles acoustic and electric guitars; Gardner also plays mandolin. The elder Searson always knew music would be part of his daughters' futures. "The girls started playing at a very young age, and I wasn't going to let them sit at home and play like so many people do," he said in a telephone interview from his home in the Ottawa Valley. "I just made them get out there and help out wherever they could," Searson continued. "They did a lot of volunteer work with young kids, going to old folks' homes, playing in church, all those types of things. They'd get out and perform as much as possible." While the Searson sisters and their friend Gardner grew up singing and playing, they didn't know their musical experiences would lead to full-time jobs. "I was always hoping that it would work, but I didn't get my hopes up too much because it is very tough to make a living in the music business," Erin Searson said. "When we all went to university, we all studied something besides music." Erin learned sign language. Heather and Colleen studied history and culinary arts; Garner became a student of kinesiology. Searson the band played part time during the late 1990s into the early 2000s, appearing at festivals such as the Montreal Highland Games, Windsor Celtic Festival and New Hampshire Highland Games. The musicians decided to tour full time in 2004. EXPANDING HORIZONS Mike Searson said the Celtic-style festivals represent the market that best knows the band. He'd like to break into other markets. "Our business plan over the next year is to develop [the band] into a more mainstream market and not be pigeonholed into the Celtic market," he said. "I think that's very strongly reflected in our last CD ["Follow"] that came out this February. We've got some straight traditional stuff on there, but a lot of the songs we've definitely tried to aim toward a more mainstream market." Erin Searson likes the tours, meeting and entertaining friends of Scotland and Ireland. "We've met so many great bands," she said. "That's what makes the Celtic festivals a lot of fun." She also says both Celtic and mainstream audiences go for songs like "Footstomp" and "Don't You Follow." "One favorite is 'Footstomp,' " she said. "It's just an upbeat tune, we have people requesting it who have never even seen us before." Mike Searson also said the band does not stress the fact that a father and his three daughters perform together. "The band has developed to the point where it's almost becoming a non- ssue," he said. "It's more the band and the music now than anything else." Erin Searson agrees. But she hears some funny things. "So many people come up to us, we're on the road, and say, 'I can't believe you work with your dad. I could never work with my dad,' " she said. Valerie Searson, wife and mother, stays home in Ontario when the rest of the family is on tour. Erin Searson said her mother has been involved since the beginning, driving her girls to lessons and performances. "We're gone a lot, and I know she gets lonely for us," Erin said. "But she's so happy it's going so well. She has seen how much work it's been, right from the start." Capital District Scottish Games
WHERE: Altamont Fairgrounds, Route 146,
Altamont.
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