That's it for us in 2009!

We just finished our last show of 2009 last night. Now we get about 10 days off for the holidays and we are back at it in the new year. We've got lots of new things coming your way for 2010, but I wasn't to look back and thank everyone who helped us along in 2009. Especially PaddyRock.com, Celtophilia, IrishPunk.com, Shite 'n' Onions, Celtic-Rock.de, Marc Gunn, KC Irish Music, 67 Music, Celt in a Twist, Highlander Radio, Salty Dog Radio, Radio Rebel Gael, Celtic Roots Radio, and so many others. Your support has helped so much to make 2009 a great year for The Langer's Ball, and it has inspired us to bring you so much more next year.

So have a safe and happy holiday everyone, we'll be back with lots of surprises and lots more music for Y2K10!

A Great Review from www.IrishPunk.com

If you haven't searched whats what & who is who in Irish Music lately, you might not of heard about www.IrishPunk.com yet. But Jeff, the web master, is building another great site dedicated to Celtic rock, Punk and all that is happening in the scene. He was kind enough to agree to review our album, and gracious enough to give it a Great F-ing review! Thanks Jeff. Click over to http://www.irishpunk.com/ and read it on the page. Here is what says about our latest CD:

"Ship's Are Sailing is the second album from The Langer's Ball fallowing 2008's "As I Roved Out." This time we are treated with a great diversity of instruments, such as the snare drum in The McGrath set. And it does not stop there, you get everything and the Kitchen sink in this one, and I'm sure Hannah could make it rock. Whenever I form an opinion on music, I need to listen to it multiple times from start to finish to really appreciate it. Rarely can I just pop in something and just be taken in by it. So I took a listen to Ship's Are Sailing once, nearly an hour of music. Holy hot damn, this is good. There is nothing redundant about this album (a big pet peeve of mine band's tend to do.) The musicianship is some of the best I've ever heard, and really is the highlight of the album for me. This one is going on my ipod and phone which for me means something is getting deleted, yeah its really that good. Let's just take a look at some of the tracks here:Patriot Game. This is by far the best version I've heard, no question. You'll get chills from the soft ghostly sound of the steel lap guitar. Michael Strum's voice is on this track is outstanding. Not only can he pull off the rugged sound on other tracks, but he has a sublime singing voice.The Sailors Return. I'm a big fan of this one because one of my favorite things about this album stands out, the instrumentals, and I'm a big fan of the bodhran! The Titanic A great storytelling song. The clarinet in this one really set's the mood well. A Rainy Night In Soho. I tend to get a bit apprehensive when trying to review a Pogues cover, I tend to set my standers on that through the roof, but when upon hearing this I was not disappointed. Whiskey from The Still. Right here we are getting a bit into a country music feel almost. I'm not talking the water down pop you hear now, I mean it has a real nice country feel to it. It's a really fun song and well done. We also have a Rock Road To Dublin cover, and I'm A Man You Don't Meet Every Day with backing vocals from Karie Oberg.both of which are good covers.In conclusion this is one of the best Cd's I've heard in 2009. It's worth every penny and I highly recommend it. Christmas 2009 is right around the corner, these will make great stocking stuffer's. So for once why not get a gift someone will not want to take back! "

We are featured on IMDA Compilation CD

The Irish Music & Dance Association is releasing a compilation of Minnesota Irish Music called "Hooley in the Heartland" as a fundraiser for the IMDA. We are proud to have one of our songs featured on the album. You can pick up the CD at our shows very soon, and it is a double disc featuring tons of great Minnesota Irish Music.

The CD's will be $18.00, and they are sure to please! So check out one of our shows coming up, or look for it at many fine Irish retailers around Minnesota.

P.S. be sure to check www.irishpunk.com later this week, rumor has it, there is a review coming out on our latest CD!

The Amazing E-X-P-A-N-D-I-N-G Band!

Hey everyone, just a quick note, we've decided to pull the trigger on something that has been in the works for a while, we will be appearing at the Dubliner Pub in St. Paul tonight (Friday, Oct 2nd) with an expanded band. We are proud to feature Mutt O'Matic on Guitar, Banjo and Vocals, and Charlie Beekman on Bass and Vocals! Stop down for this special free show tonight starting at 9:30pm!

CD Review From Shite 'n' Onions

Here is the review of "Ships Are Sailing" from our new friends over at Shite 'n' Onions. You can get our CD from their WebStore, along with a bunch of other great CD's too, If you haven't visited Shite 'n' Onions before, click over and see what they are all about! Without any further Ado...The Review:

The Langer’s Ball: Ships Are Sailing
Mustard Finnegan @ 9:18 pm September 25, 2009
"I used to have a roommate from Cork city at one point who’s favorite term of endearment/insult was to call a person a “Langer” - not being a Cork man, I’m still not exactly sure what a langer is, but I think it’s a guys third leg. That been said then “Langer’s Ball” is a really great name for a band! Our friends here on “Ships are Sailing” are a 2 piece - with some help from their friends - from deepest MN playing Irish folk standards with an growl, a scowl and tattoos to match. If you’re looking for straight ahead no frills Irish ballads with just a hint of razor blades and safety pins and American rock n roll this is for you."

Steel-Toed Sundays play The Langer's Ball

We just found out that Steel-Toed Sundays, part of the Punk & Beans Radio Network featured songs off of the New CD "Ships Are Sailing" on their Latest Podcast (Episode #22)! Punk Rock DJ's Leigh Ann and Lizzy tear it up every Sunday from 6-8pm (cst) on Punk and Beans Radio spinning only the finest Punk Rock, Oi!, Rockabilly, Reggae, Soul, Ska, Metal and all other sub-genres that lurk in between. Check out their website, all their past podcasts are cataloged and can be downloaded. Thanks so much to both of them for contacting us and playing our music!

German review from Celtic-Rock.de

Guten Tag Mein Langers! Our new CD, "Ships Are Sailing" was just just reviewed by our pals in Germany over at http://www.celtic-rock.de/ You can click over and read it Auf Deutsch, or here is a translation (let me know if I got anything really wrong!)

"The White Stripes "of the American Irish folk scene are back with a
full-length album called “Ships are sailing“. The Irish folk duo, The Langer's
Ball, come from St. Paul, MN, USA, with Michael Sturm on guitar, mandolin,
banjo, harmonica & vocals, and Hannah Rediske on accordion, pennywhistle and
the oboe. A number of traditional songs, a Pogues tune (A Rainy Night in
Soho) and original compositions cover this work. It is striking that the duo has
developed significantly from their last release, which was somewhat risk averse.
The music starts soft but firmly with the classic "Galway Races," which was
recorded with just guitar, whistle, mandolin, Bouzouki and vocals.
It
continues with "The Shores Of Botany Bay ', a Traditional song about the
deportation of Irish convicts to Australia, which stands out from the Wolf Tones
version by very well arranged instrumental interludes. "The McGrath set" is very
much alive and enriched with the typical Irish Marching Snare. The album is fun
and good humor, and their version of the song "Patriot Game" has a gentle slide
guitar, I get the urge to authorize me a whiskey. The catchy "The Tinker's
Fiddle" and the Country Ramble "Whiskey From The Still" are original
compositions that blend seamlessly with the traditionals, all complete with
drums and bass that give the songs the necessary intensity.With the instrumental
"The Sailor's Return" show, once again, the versatility and mastery of folk
instruments from The Langer's Ball. Their gypsy-interpreted song “The Titanic"
has the classic clarinet, weaving in and out of the background, and then takes a
solo and prevails in the foreground with the other instruments. "Ships are
sailing" is a success, an album for the dark days of autumn in the pub, at home
or away."

Marc Gunn's Irish & Celtic Music Podcast

Hey, I just noticed our old friend Marc Gunn has included us in his Irish and Celtic Music Podcast! You can check out his podcast by clicking on the link, and when you are there, please help us out and vote for our Song, Sam Hall! The #1 song from that podcast gets played again in the next one.

Lots of new YouTube videos up

If you haven't visited http://www.kcirishmusic.com/, you are missing out, don't be fooled by the name KC Irish Music, this isn't just for residents of Kansas City. Brian Greenstreet has put tireless hours into creating a resource for all things Irish. He has photos, music, videos, pub listings and band listings. He recently travelled up to Waterloo, Iowa for The Iowa Irish Fest, and we finally got a chance to meet in person! Brian took some great footage of our 1st show on Friday at the fest, and he's just put up 14 videos of us from that show! Plus he was all over that weekend, there are videos of The Elders, Our Friends from Madison, Rising Gael, our new friends from Milwaukee, The Sandcarvers, Gaelic Storm and more! Click over to KC Irish Music and give yourself some time to explore, it's a great website.

Had fun with SkOt on 67 Music!

Many thanks again to SkOt from 67 Music, we did a live interview with him last Saturday, if you missed it, don't worry, you can still podcast it from his webpage or iTunes, so it lives on! We talked about our plans for the future, our new album, "Ships Are Sailing", and about where we got out name. SkOt was also good enough to play us in with one of our favorite songs, The Tinker's Fiddle, and played us out with 3 more of our songs from both albums. He really knows how to make a band feel welcome! So many many thanks to him, now click over & listen to his great show. This week also had music from Ronny Drew, The Rumjacks, Ashley MacIssac, The Saw Doctors and lots more!

World Beat Canada has picked us up!

We've just been included in the Celt In A Twist podcast from World Beat Canada! This is another great podcast, Host Patricia Fraser plays the best in contemporary Celtic music from all around the world, “What I love about Celtic music is its cheekiness, its irreverence, and its embrace of other cultures … just like the Celts themselves. We want the program to reflect that, with a strictly tongue in cheek attitude. And the music … it’s a mix of Celtic fare unlike any listeners may expect to hear on national, public or campus radio” says Fraser. She backs up her claims by putting out some great tunes.

Their show is also broadcast weekly on AM 1470, CJVB in Vancouver Canada at 4:00pm Pacific every Sunday!

Another tidbit, I'll be doing an interview with Patricia very soon, so stay tuned. Don't forget about our LIVE interview this Saturday on the 67 music broadcast at 1:00pm Pacific Standard Time!

Live on 67 Music's Celtic Radio Broadcast Aug 15th

Just a quick note, be sure to tune in to the 67 Music Broadcast on August 15th to hear us live on the air. SkOt has asked us to do a live interview and he'll be playing a bit of our music too. So tune in live at 1:00pm Pacific or podcast it after the fact. SkOt has made himself into a force to be reckoned with in the Celtic podcast community, having thousands of live listeners and tens of thousands of folks downloading his podcasts. His show is based out of Portland, OR, but he's playing Celtic music from around the world. We're very happy to oblige his request, this will be our 1st live on-air interview, so tune in it should be loads of fun!

Paddy Rock reviews "Ships Are Sailing"

Here is the review from John B at PaddyRock. What a great way for us to start off The Iowa Irish Fest. Be sure to go to Paddy Rock to read the reivew and we also had an interview you can read that right here! Also, if you're looking for reading material, read our article in the Waverly Democrat , but first here is what Paddy Rock says about "Ships Are Sailing"

"Where their previous release “As I Roved Out” may have caused a ripple in the water… “Ships Are Sailing” will be the release sending waves crashing into the rocks and leaving it’s mark on the Celtic/Folk music scene. Michael and Hannah have taken their diverse musical talents to the next level on this release with Melodic vocals that intertwine to perfection as heard on “I’m A Man You Don’t Meet Every Day”… a gritty country ramble with “Whiskey From The Still” & “The Tinker’s Fiddler”… a cool little gypsy mix on “The Titanic” & “The Sailor’s Return”… and even a Pogues track done very well with “Rainy Night in Soho”. This is a really solid release that will have you tapping your foot, singing along, and is just great listening here. Pick this one up… and even put it in your jukebox at the pub."

back on 67 Music with the new CD

We just had our 1st song off the new CD featured on a podcast. 67 Music out of Portland, OR played The Patriot Game on their podcast last Saturday. This brand new show has, in just 13 episodes, been upgraded from a 1 hour to a 2-hour show, their shows have been downloaded over 60,000 times, and we are happy to have been featured multiple times. Head over to their website and send Skot an email thanking him for playing The Langer's Ball, and then download #13 to your MP3 player!

New Stickers

First & foremost, I must commend Sticker Giant on fantastic service, I got both of my stickers designs printed, shipped & on my front door step in less than 48 hours from ordering them! But I digress, WE'VE GOT NEW STICKERS! We have these up & available on the website for $2.00 each or all 3 designs for just $4.00. AND If you got to the web store and buy our newest CD "Ships Are Sailing" I'll throw in all 3 stickers FREE!

WOW! First review out, it's a good one!

Thanks again & again to Mike and Bonnie at Celtophilia! They were good enough to review our CD in advance of it's release on July 25th. You can read it here, or why not click over to http://www.celtophilia.com/ and subscribe to their blog, they have great reviews and insights on modern Celtic music! Thanks guys, glad you liked the CD!

Bonnie exclaims: The problem with really loving a band, and especially with being nuts over the members personally, is that when they send us a CD to listen to, I’m terrified. What if I can’t stand it? What if it’s awful, and I feel ethically obligated to tear it apart? Thanks to everything holy, The Langer’s Ball did not put me in that position. We really adore Hannah Rediske and Michael Sturm here at Celtophilia, and they keep giving us more reasons to do it. The duo’s second album is called Ships Are Sailing, and I’m tempted to have it surgically implanted into my forehead. Okay, not really, because that’s pointless and gross and vaguely impossible, but you get the idea. It’s good stuff people.
Despite what the name suggests, Ships are Sailing is not solely a collection of seafaring tunes. The content ranges from songs about being transported, to the sinking of the Titanic, to sailing songs, a drinking song, and even a rainy night love song. It sounds like it ought to be chaotic and fragmented,but somehow it’s a cohesive and compelling whole.
My two favorite things about The Langer’s Ball are Michael’s vocals and Hannah’s ability to make the piano accordion awesome, so when they are combined on the performance of one of my all time favorite rebel songs, I am ecstatic. Despite my one little issue with their arrangement of Patriot Game (where’d the verse about De Valera go? Why does everyone let that guy off the hook?) It’s a tragically beautiful version of a powerful song.
The Sailor’s Return is one of the best instrumental songs by a Celtic band that I have ever listened to over and over. I am easily bored by many instrumentals and it’s rare that one will pique my interest, particularly if it’s nestled in amongst songs with actual words. This track is also a rarity in that it employs some environmental sounds that don’t annoy the daylights out of me - in this case some unobtrusive thunderstorms placed at the beginning and end of the tune that add to the overall appeal of the songwithout being distracting.
The Titanic is a charmingly strange, throw-the-kitchen-sink-in-there-might-as-well, kind of song. It’s nautical, it’s sort of Celtic, it’s dark and morbid, yet it’s upbeat. I can’t explain it, I can only love it with a great and terrible passion. I certainly didn’t think that it would turn out to be one of the best songs on the CD, but it is.
I have been looking forward to this album pretty much since the moment I listened to the last song on The Langer’s Ball’s first album, and that is no lie. I fell hard for this band at first listen, and after hearing Ships are Sailing, I remain smitten.
Mike proclaims: It’s no secret that Celtophilia loves, The Langer’s Ball. We have featured them here multiple times, reviewing their debut album which was arguably the best CD to be released last year, interviewing, and posting news of Michael and Hannah whenever we can get it. So obviously, we couldn’t have been happier to hear news of a new album on the way.
Ships Are Sailing continues on all the good things that were started in last year’s As I Roved Out, and builds on that formidable foundation to present a CD that will be a standout in everyone’s collection for years to come. I can tell you honestly, I’ll be listening to Ships Are Sailing exclusively for the next few weeks. There’s just nothing here not to love.
Since I do love trad songs, all my favorites from Ships Are Sailing trend in that direction. Botany Bay is a perennial favorite, and every one I hear is my new favorite version. The one presented here puts all others to shame, though. Upbeat, with Michael’s somewhat rough vocals, make this a full-on Celtic Rock song, which is a bit of a departure from the last CD. I’ll offer as my sole criticism for the entire CD, though, several liberties were taken with the traditional lyrics. It’s weak tea as criticisms go, though, because I love the song anyway.
Sam Hall, another trad piece which is more than a little reminiscent of Ye Jacobites By Name, or Captain Kidd, I like for its martial sound, despite being another “I’m going off to die now” song at its heart, with the added twist that Sam seems quite angry at the arrangement, rather than mournful. It’s angry, defiant, and fierce.
The song that totally blows me away, though, is at the very end of the CD, and highlights what I’ve come to love the most about The Langer’s Ball. I’ve heard I’m A Man You Don’t Meet Every Day at least a dozen ways, but I’ve never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever… ever, ever, heard it done this well. This song is always quaintly pretty, but with the male and female vocals intertwining, it becomes magical.
If I leave you with no other impression, let it be this. You are not going to want to miss this CD. The Langer’s Ball has done the impossible, and made a CD better than their first. It releases on July 25th, but is available for pre-order at their website at www.thelangersball.com Go order it, or you will be missing out on some of the best Celtic music that will be released this year.

The New CD, "Ships Are Sailing" Is available for Pre-Order

It's finally here...almost. Pre-sale for the new album, "Ships Are Sailing", is available at our webstore right now! Just check out OUR WEB STORE and click the secure "Add To Cart" button from Paypal. While your at the web store, check out some of the other great merch available! The CD is due out on July 25th, 2009.

O'Malley's Pub and other updates...

We had an amazing trip out to Weston, MO to O'Malley's Pub! I think (no offense to every other bar we play) that O'Malley's has got to be in my to 10, maybe 5 of favorite bars world wide, including the 60 or so we drank in in Ireland! If you are ever in Kansas City, or Weston, get up to O'Malley's in Weston, the beer is great (It's a micro-brewery), the staff is warm and friendly, and the bar is 55 ft. below ground! Yes you read that right, the bar is in the cooling cellar of the 1842 brewery in a brick cellar 55 ft below ground, how cool is that!

Anyway, other than that, we've been confirmed for times at the Minnesota Irish Fair, we have 2 shows on Saturday, and 1 on Sunday, so I hope to see everyone out.

We have finished recording the CD, now it's up to our mastering engineer and graphic designer to finish up, then off to the presses, we are thinking 3-4 weeks until we have it in our hands, but it could be even sooner.

We've just been working and playing very hard, it feels like the summer is passing by too quickly, but that's life for ye'.

Anyway, I'll leave you with a video from O'Malley's, it doesn't do the bar, the crowd or the experience justice, but it's still pretty cool!

Another great online station

We've just been picked up by The Celtic Radio Network online, they have several online radio stations that can be streamed live, 24 hours a day. We are currently being played on the Highlander Radio, but they've also got Celtic-Rock-Radio, Salty Dog Radio, playing sea songs, and Celtic Moon, for a lighter side of Celtic music. The great thing about Highlander Radio is that you can go to the Celtic Radio page and REQUEST THE LANGER'S BALL, Just search for us (it helps if you click the "Exact Match" box) this will put us into more regular rotation.

Speaking of the online radio market, on Celtic Roots Radio, we are still at #1 for Raglan Road, and Little Beggarman has move up to #3! So log on & keep voting!

On another exciting note, we have finished tracking the new album. We go in today to start mixing it, we are very close!

That's all for now.

New podcasts, and success

Hey all, just a quick update. Thanks for voting for us on the Celtic Roots Radio, our song "Raglan Road" is number one in it's 1st week on the station! Keep voting, keep listening. We also were included on Radio Rebel Gael, Thanks to our old friend Rory for keeping us in mind and in rotation. We just had our album "As I Roved Out" reviewed in Germany by Celtic-Rock.de.
My German isn't what is should be, but I think they called us "Folk Purists" And they mentioned that the album "Was free of electric guitar and angry bass & drums". Either way, they are now playing The Galway Girl & The Jigs, so much thanks to Daniel & all the staff at Celtic-rock.de.

The CD is almost done, then it all goes to production, and we should be pretty close to on schedule, look for it to drop in July.

on some new podcasts & radio stations

It's been a very encouraging few weeks. We were included in the brand new PodCast at 67 music, they have a new show every Saturday. Thanks to Skot Cranmore, he's doing a bang up job in Portland and the entire Pacific North West, promoting Celtic music and now, podcasting.

We just had 2 songs selected to be in rotation on Celtic Roots Radio out of Belfast, Northern Ireland. Since we were selected, I've been listening for 2 days straight, in addition to our music, Raymond McCullough plays a great selection of Irish and Celtic music from around the world. Check out his show, as far as I can tell, it is always streaming, and you can vote for your favorite songs (hint, hint, vote for s if you hear a song by us.) He's even got a show from our old friend & podcaster Marc Gunn. Thanks to Raymond, we'll keep listening!

And of course, our biggest & best thanks to our friends at PaddyRockRadio, We sent them some pictures and they have put it up as their profile picture on their myspace page. And John promises that there is going to be some cool stuff on their new show this Friday 5/22/09, so tune in this, and every Friday for the very best in Celtic Rock & Punk.

Lot's of great shows coming, including Weston, MO

We've got lots of great shows coming up at some of our favorite pubs! We just got booked in Weston, MO at O'Malley's 1842 Pub, if you live in or around Weston, MO, be sure to come out & see us June 12th & 13th!

All the merch is up and available online

Hey, we're very excited, we just got a bunch of new stuff. Zipper Hoodies, Work Shirts, A New T-Shirt Design and youth shirts, plus we got XL shirts back too! You can find it all in our ONLINE SHOP and feel secure with a PayPal order.

Be just like Patrick Murphy from Gaelic Storm and sport your Langer's Ball T-Shirt wherever you go!

New Langer's Ball apparel

We just got our order in for new shirts, we have a new design printed on Brown and we have hoodies! All our sizes are back, and we've added youth T-Shirts too. Links to view and buy wil be up very soon, but you can come out to a live show before then(tonight at The Dubliner or Thursday at Shamrocks) and get a sneak preview!

T-Shirts are still $15.00, The zipper hoodies are $30.00, work shirts will be coming...hopefully within the week!

YouTube Video Contest

Hey everyone! We've decided to have a contest, we want to see your videos of us. We see you out there taking cell phone video and the like, we'll we want to see what you've got! Post your best video of one song from our performance with "The Langer's Ball" and the song name in the title, and then send us a link to it at info@thelangersball.com. Do this by May 31st, and if we choose your video, we'll put it up on our webpage, and give you a free T-Shirt or CD. It's just that easy.We are not limiting winners, we'll pick what ever videos are good, and anybody can win, even multiple times!Good luck!

In The Studio

Well, we're at it again. Plugging away at album #2, Hannah is hitting the accordion hard, I just finished an octave mandolin solo, and we are getting ready for some friends to come in soon and add their stuff too! Fun fun, stay tuned

It Works!

Here is our new, REAL Blog! Now you can keep track of all the latest, and there is a lot of new stuff coming up, I can announce the CD, and it will be out by July,that is almost a promise. But we have lots of secrets too, and we'll be happy to share them with you when the time is right and things become official. Anyway, enjoy our blog, and stay tuned!