The Langer's Blog

St. Practice Day - Full Band Show at Lee's in MPLS on Feb. 17th

2012-02-08T16:12:00.000-08:00

Come one, come all! Feb 17th is St. Practice Day (1 month before St. Patrick's day) AND

We're celebrating Hannah & Trevor's Birthdays!

Come out and rock out to Sweet Mamma J. and The Langer's Ball Full Band on Feb 17th at Lee's Liquor Lounge
$5.00 get you in the door for a great night of music, dancing and a whole lot of Irish Punk Rock Fun! Sweet Mamma J. will satisfy your rockabilly soul, and we'll kick your liver into high gear getting you warmed up for St. Patrick's day!

If you missed The Full band Debut last month, don't miss this show. The new band is better than ever with new original material and great new arrangements! So mark off Feb 17th on your calendar, and plan on getting out to Lee's for some great music!

Review from Celtic-Folk-Punk for "Drunk, Sick, Tired"

2012-02-02T17:05:00.000-08:00

We are honored with a really nice review from Celtic-Folk-Punk , a great blog & zine about Irish Punk Rock music. Based in Spain, they've been writing about our genre of music since at least 2009, and they really know their stuff, which is why we're proud to share their review of our new Live CD with you.

"As a rule, I am not typically one for live records. But Wait! Hang on, hear me out!

I have always seen an artist’s release, (or “album,” as we used to call them,) as an collective statement: a work of art. Some hits that are well-received and popular tracks are great, but B-sides and deep cuts, to me, provide each work of recorded material with a personality. I love that. A full-length recording SHOULD be assembled with thought going to the order of the tracks, the mood of the songs and how they flow into each other.

Also, the bands that recorded them, the authors that wrote them, the mixing and production process, that whole gamut, this was all done to realize an idea of each song, and the recording as a whole. It gives a sense of flow, a cohesiveness that can make a collection of songs into much more.

But wait! I also love live shows! The energy and passion that a band can produce from sheer enthusiasm, synergy between performers and audience, the camaraderie amidst the revelry amongst the crowd. It is a great experience.

However, a lot of the things that I love about live shows, and a lot of the things I love about studio releases are typically missing from your average "live CD," (this usually also applies to “Greatest Hits” and various artist compilations.)

Now, this may just be my own personal perspective, but I felt it necessary to mention where my head was at as I listened to the new live CD from The Langer’s Ball.
Minnesota’s The Langer’s Ball have released a new recorded-live-on-St.-Patrick's-day CD, Drunk, Sick and Tired. Originally a duo, Hannah Rediske and Michael Sturm have been banging out the Irish Punk sound since 2007, playing major gigs all over the midwestern U.S. and have released two very well received releases, 2008’s As I Roved Out and 2009’s Ships Are Sailing.

Along with Sturm and Rediske’s guitar, mandolin, vocals, accordion, and penny whistle, Drunk, Sick and Tired sees the addition of bass guitar, electric guitar, drums & additional backing vocals seeing the Ball take on the form of a quintet.

The result is a very enthusiastic live collection of songs, versions of well known numbers, mostly tradition ones, all punked up and blasted through with a special kick on the keister.

As I said, I am not typically a fan of live recordings, but listening to Drunk, Sick, and Tired DOES make me wish I was at this show. It sounds like it was a blast!

So, if you like live recordings and look for CDs that capture a band’s performance highlights, AND like hearing amped up versions of some classic songs, then The Langer’s Ball’s Drunk Sick and Tired would probably scratch you right where you itch!

It should also be mentioned that Drunk, Sick and Tired was included in both Shite ‘N’ Onions AND PaddyRock.com’s top 10 of 2011 lists! So there!"

WOW! Thanks for showing up, what a great show!

2012-01-28T15:15:00.000-08:00

Thanks to everyone who showed up last night. We had over 130 people at the start of our show, and the bar said there were over 200 through the door last night! And, what did I tell you, aren't we lucky to be joined up with such great musicians! We had a blast last night, and I hope you did too. The Ne'er Do Well's warmed the crowd up with ease and The Broken Bicycles finished off the night perfectly. We'll be posting pictures and video as soon as we can get through the stuff, so stay tuned. And if you missed last night, we've got another show scheduled at Lee's Liquor Lounge in Minneapolis of Feb 17th with Sweet Mamma J.! We are celebrating Hannah & Trevor's birthdays that night, and it is 1 month from St. Patrick's day, so we are calling it "St. Practice Day" so c'mon out!

New Full Band debut, Jan 27th at The Wild Tymes

2012-01-10T17:10:00.000-08:00

Here we go again! Hey folks, you may have heard the rumors, and, Yes, they are true! We have a great new Full Band, and we think you're gonna love them like we do! Introducing Derek Jaimes, a former drummer of fellow Celtic rockers, The Wild Colonial Bhoys, Drew Miller, Bassist & leader of the legendary Rock'n'Reel band Boiled in Lead, and Punk Rock & Rockabilly Guitarist, Trevor Jurgens who has played with countless bands including A-Bomb Nation, The Spent .50's, Hot Rod Hearse and Code 13!
Well, come see for yourself, we've got our debut show on Friday, Jan 27th at The Wild Tymes in Downtown St. Paul. There is no cover for the show and we'll be joined by our friends The Ne'er Do Well's and The Broken Bicycles! Come hang out with us and check out what we've been up to!

"Drunk, Sick, Tired" gets names a best of 2011 by Shite'n'Onions!

2012-01-01T13:17:00.000-08:00

Wow! We made Shite'nOnions best of 2011 list too! 1st PaddyRock.com gave us this honor, now Shite'n'Onions too! If you don't know Shite'n'Onion, they have been bringing us killer Irish Punk music from around the world, practically since the internet began! I love these guys, and I really respect them too, so it's a great honor to be included in the best of 2011 list for our new Lice CD "Drunk, Sick, Tired"! We were hopeful because they've been spinning our CD in their latest podcasts, and we really can't thank them enough!

Drunk, Sick Tired makes PaddyRock.com's Best of 2011 list!

2011-12-09T13:08:00.000-08:00

Woot! our 3rd CD has made it onto PaddyRock.com's Best Celtic Rock/Punk of 2011 List! Our last two CD's also have made the list, we love and appreciate all the Support that Paddy Rock & DJ John Bowles have show us. If you don't know PaddyRock.com, you should - John does reviews, streaming music and great podcasts all for free. but he is supported by donations, so if you got a few extra buck, hook a brother up and keep his show on the web! Thanks DJ John, we're honored to be included on your list, we think you've got remarkable taste and thanks again for the support!

"Drunk, Sick, Tired" The New Live CD from The Langer's Ball

2011-07-01T12:53:00.000-07:00

Well, after almost 2 years since the last release from The Langer's Ball, and after many months of having the recordings from out St. Patrick's Day show with a full backing band, we are releasing a Live CD with 11 punk-rocking Irish track, plus the CD is enhanced with 2 Music Videos as well! It's available on our On-line Store or you can buy the CD or download tracks, or the whole album at CD Baby. We're very excited about this new release, we hope you enjoy it!

Marc Gunn calls The Langer's Ball "One of the Best Celtic Folk Bands of 2010"

2011-01-16T16:22:00.000-08:00

The "Celtfather" himself has named our band as one of the best of 2010! Thanks so much Marc! He put our a podcast featuring us as well ad the other bands he named (Rising Gael, Boston Blackthorn, Vicki Swan & Jonny Dyer, Pandora Celtica, & Maidens IV) Check out this post and the podcast in question right here! http://pubsong.com/2011/01/78-best-celtic-folk-bands-of-2010/

New Ears Eve! Our last show...for 6 weeks

2011-01-03T20:39:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone, please come out to The Dubliner Pub in St. Paul on Tuesday, Jan 4th at 9:30 for our last show for 6 week. If you haven't heard, Hannah has been diagnosed with a condition called Otosclerosis, It is reversable but has already caused more than a 40dB loss of hearing in her left ear. She'll be on lifting restrictions (10-15lbs) for 6 weeks so that pretty well excludes accordion and she can't put pressure on her head (like playing the whistle). So... we'll be taking some time off to arrange some songs and get some rest. BUT we are celebrating her condition, because it's not permanent and she is getting the proper help! So come out to The Dubliner for our New Ears Eve party. Please come out, show your support and wish her well. We'll be back in actionbefore you know it, and 2011 has some fun things in store for The Langer's Ball, including a new ear for Hannah! See you on Tuesday!

HArp & Shamrock Benefit in KCMO Next Month

2010-10-09T08:00:00.000-07:00

Well hello again, it's been a while. If you are one of our local friends, we hope to see you out & about at our shows this Month, you can check our schedule at www.TheLangersBall.com/gigs.html but we'll also be heading back to the Kansas City Area at the beginning of November for a great cause. We'll be performing at The Harp & Shamrock Benefit called "Shamrockfest" raising money to help kids hear! Hope you can make it out if you live in the area. For more info you can visit www.harpandshamrockclub.org

"Ships Are Sailing" in TRFT DC Showcase TONIGHT!

2010-08-02T07:05:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! Please check out IRFT Celtic Radio Tonight! Their CD showcase is featuring 3 CD, The Sligo Rags CD "the night before the morning after", Iona "A Celebration of 20" and our new disk "Ships Are Sailing". IRFT has been a great supporter of The Langer's Ball and we can't thank them enough for that! So click over & check out this showcase tonight and hear all 3 CD's in their entirety!

Buy our CD at The Celtic Croft!

2010-07-10T09:46:00.000-07:00

We were just included in the Celtic Croft Catalog. These guys have a great catalog of Kilts and kilt accessories, and Celtic themed items, including lots of housewares and musical instruments. They also are getting into Celtic Music, and we are happy that they choose us as one of their bands they'd like to carry. Here is what they had to say about our latest release "Ships Are Sailing":

"If you like your Celtic tunes served up with plenty of energy and heart this is the place to start. Mixing acoustic guitar, penny whistle, banjo, and accordion with drums and electric bass, Langer's Ball creates music that will get you singing along and your toes tapping. Ships Are Sailing, their second CD covers a lot of ground, from old school pub sing-alongs to a nice cover of The Pogues "Rainy Night In Soho. Give them a listen. We think you will agree."

Thanks to the Celtic Croft, be sure to check out their website at http://www.kilts-n-stuff.com/

We Did It! You Did It!

2010-03-22T21:33:00.000-07:00

Thanks to everyone who voted in the SLBC Battle Of The Bands first round! You put us in the top! We finished in 5th, and that's all we needed to do to get into the final round. We need you now more than ever. so stay tuned for a new video, and a new barage of emails and myspace & face book shouts from us. But for tonight - THANK YOU!!!
Stay tuned, the next round is right around the corner.

We Need Your Help!

2010-03-15T08:38:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone, we are entered in an Online Battle Of The Bands sponsored by the Strangford Lough Brewing Company, we entered out video for the song "The Shores Of Botany Bay". The winner recieves an all-expense paid trip to Ireland to perform in a Music Festival in Belfast, N. Ireland this July! The stakes are high, and we're up against some stiff competition, so every vote counts! Please go to their webpage and cast your vote for The Langer's Ball (listed as "Langers Ball"), you can only vote once, so please help us out! Voting ends at Midnight EST on 22nd March 2010, so don't wait!

Thanks for Coming to the Music Video Shoot

2010-02-16T16:38:00.000-08:00

A Big thanks to everyone who came out last Thursday to Shamrocks in St. Paul, we had an amazing time! We got some great photos and video footage, even more than we had planned, which we'll be sharing with you real soon. Thanks to Finnegan's Irish Amber and The North Star Roller Girls for helping with the event, and thats to Mike & Ted at Shamrocks for letting us take over the club and rock out some fun Celtic Rock, Langer's style, for a few hours! Now we are back to the grind playing all of our favorite pubs, and gearing up for St. Patrick's Day.
Be sure to join us on St. Paddy's at Shamrocks again, where we'll be recording the show, who knows, maybe we'll get our 3rd CD out of the deal... but more on that later.
As for now, we just want to extend a big thanks to the gang of friends, fans and family that helped us make the event a big success, we hope to keep seeing you out at all our shows!

Celtic MP3 Magazine reviews "Ships Are Sailing"

2010-02-09T08:21:00.000-08:00

Review: "Ships Are Sailing" by The Langer’s Ball
Written by Marc Gunn on 28 January 2010
Artist: The Langer’s Ball
Album: Ships Are Sailing
Year produced: 2009

"The penny whistle plays out in my memory as I write this review. Hannah Rediske’s mad whistlin’ and accordion skills blend in perfect union with the vocals of Michael Sturm. Since their start in 2007, The Langer’s Ball has been steadily gaining the attention deserved of a pub band sensation. This second offering from the duo, Ships are Sailing, is not a track list of sea shanties, but a compilation where Ireland goes a little Old Country, a little folk…and more. The work is a seamless progression of contemporary, Trad and original Celtic tunes that extends beyond Rediske’s customary penny whistle, recorders and accordion and Sturm’s guitar, mandolin and harmonica. Drums, bass, electric guitar make guest appearances with the guest musicians to play them.

There is an ease to the strength in Sturm’s voice, so much so that his singing often evokes a spoken quality. With the presence to be deemed a patriarch of ballads, Sturm can take on the persona of IRA folk hero Fergal O’Hanlon in a modified version of “Patriot Game” or morph into a chimney sweep with questionable intentions in “Sam Hall”.

The song selection is diverse. Langer’s “Titanic” could liven up the gypsy vardo of any given Renaissance Faire. The music has such a Romani melodic cantor, patrons wouldn’t bat an eye. The tragic story is told with that great Sturm quality of song-spake, but the star of this song is the piano accordion played masterfully by Rediske.

From the hauntingly beautiful feminine vocal echo in “I’m a Man You Don’t Meet Everyday” to the ease-out-of-your-chair and tap-your-boot pickup in “The Tinker’s Fiddle”, Ships Are Sailing is worthy of a listen, and you may just find that you miss the music, especially that gorgeous penny whistle, once the songs play through."

Want to be in a Video with The Langer's Ball?

2010-01-24T11:23:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone, we are shooting a music video on February 11th, 2010 at Shamrocks in St. Paul. C'mon down to check out the show, get some great drink specials, maybe get some giveaways and be in our music video! Hannah, Charley & I will play our regular Shamrocks show from 6-9pm then we will bring out the full band for some St. Paul Style Celtic Rock from 9:00-10:00! At around 10:00pm we'll start shooting the video, and maybe play a few more songs to break up the shoot. It should be a fun night, Finnegans Irish Amber will be at the event, and we'll be gining away T-shirts, CD's and other stuff! It's also Charleys 40th Birthday Too! So come down and have a ball!

Special Mention from Shite 'N' Onions for best of '09

2010-01-02T16:28:00.000-08:00

What a great day! Shite 'n' Onions just came out with their best of 2009 top 10, and although we weren't in the top 10, we were given a special mention, which is a huge honor for us. Thanks again to them, and Paddy Rock and everyone this year!

We made PaddyRock.com's "Best Of" list again!

2010-01-02T12:52:00.000-08:00

Great news, we just got word that our new CD, "Ships Are Sailing" got #11 on the PaddyRock.com "Best CD's of 2009" top 20! Last year we were honored to get a special mention for our debut "As I Roved Out" but this year we have actually placed, and we are among great bands and good friends! Congrats to The Wild Colonial Bhoys, another great band from The Twin Cities, and our good friends Enter The Haggis, who made the #1 spot! A big thanks to PaddyRock and thanks to all of you for your suport and help.

That's it for us in 2009!

2009-12-20T15:56:00.001-08:00

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

2009-12-11T16:41:00.000-08:00

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

2009-12-05T13:44:00.001-08:00

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!

2009-10-01T22:17:00.000-07:00

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

2009-09-30T13:24:00.000-07:00

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

2009-09-28T15:40:00.000-07:00

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

2009-09-21T14:40:00.000-07:00

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

2009-09-14T12:20:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-17T07:45:00.000-07:00

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!

2009-08-17T07:36:00.000-07:00

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!

2009-08-13T11:48:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-05T10:41:00.000-07:00

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"

2009-07-31T08:22:00.000-07:00

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

2009-07-27T09:47:00.000-07:00

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

2009-07-24T12:13:00.000-07:00

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!

2009-07-09T21:03:00.000-07:00

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

2009-07-03T12:03:00.000-07:00

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...

2009-06-19T08:42:00.000-07:00

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

2009-06-08T07:15:00.001-07:00

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

2009-05-31T10:54:00.001-07:00

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

2009-05-20T12:10:00.001-07:00

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

2009-04-22T08:08:00.001-07:00

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

2009-04-15T20:42:00.000-07:00

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

2009-04-14T17:28:00.000-07:00

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

2009-04-06T19:07:00.000-07:00

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

2009-04-06T18:52:00.000-07:00

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!

2009-04-06T18:50:00.000-07:00

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!

"Best CD's of '08" says Paddy Rock

2008-12-30T19:45:00.000-08:00

We've just been informed that Paddy Rock Radio came out with their yearly "Best CD's" and we got a special mention for our Debut CD "As I Roved Out". This is huge news for us, we are so honored to even be considered being included with all of our favorite bands. Thanks Paddy Rock, you guys are the best!!!

"As I Roved Out" review from The Irish Gazette

2008-11-01T19:29:00.000-07:00

We just found out that our CD, "As I Roved Out" was reviewed by Jim Tarbox in the October issue of The Irish Gazette, read for yourselves:
The Langer’s Ball
“As I Roved Out”
Own Label
"My luck – and yours-continues to hold out, as the Twin Cities continues to boast a vital base of Irish musicians who continue to percolate just under the radar. Add this relatively new duet to that invaluable resource now. Formed just a year ago, Langer’s Ball is really just a duet – Michael Sturm on guitar, mando, and vocals and Hannah Rediske on piano accordion and the penny whistle. But you’ll likely be fooled when you hear this album – released in July – as in fact the pair plays a full lineup of instruments that will have you wondering if there isn’t really an entire band working behind them. Opening with Steve Earle’s “Galway Girl,” the duo sets off on an assured set of both traditional and more contemporary songs that is a treasure from beginning to end. “Raglan Road” especially features Sturm’s appealing baritone on Patrick Kavanaugh’s poem set to the pipe band favorite “Dawning of the Day”; the title tune – yet another lament on frustrated passions features singer Jennifer Ordalen – Shows off the pair’s assured instrumental prowess; and their version of “Star of the County Down” might now be my favorite – they offer just exactly the right amount of urgent longing, and Sturm sounds like he just might really have a chance to win the winsome Rosie. And their take on Eric Bogle’s “And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda,” a newly timely anti-war song, strikes the perfect ironic tone of hero worship, warrior bravado and chagrin. They’re playing all over the region this fall – The Dubliner, Paddy’s, Kips, Charlie’s – try to catch them while you can still get a seat close to the stage.

Radio Rebel Gael

2008-10-25T19:32:00.000-07:00

We've just been informed that another one of our songs has been included in yet another Podcast. This time you can hear "Crooked Jack" on Radio Rebel Gael. RRG plays great Irish rock and punk, this podcast is #7 "The Paddy Prole Musical Molotov", a tribute to the working class, seems fitting that they picked Crooked Jack, and we're glad they did! Thanks Rory, and all the folks at Radio Rebel Gael, keep up the great work!

Celtophila reviews "As I Roved Out"

2008-10-20T19:36:00.000-07:00

Well, Celtophilia just reviewed our CD, and all we can say is "Thank you" to them, they were very kind indeed. Just read for yourself.

"Bonnie asserts: I love Celtic music, which I’m sure everyone who is reading this can easily tell. All sorts of styles, traditional, original, bagpipes, or punk and rock influenced, I love it. However, sometimes when I listen to an album I just feel completely privileged to have the opportunity to fall in love with a new band and share that feeling with anyone who stops by here. This is undoubtedly the case when it comes to The Langer’s Ball. This dynamic duo (cue Batman and Robin theme song) blew me away right from the first track to the last one. Michael Sturm and Hannah Rediske have been performing together since July 2007, and their album As I Roved Out was released in July 2008. Michael provides lead vocals, and plays guitar and mandolin. Hannah plays penny whistle and plays the hell out of the piano accordion. If you think you don’t like the accordion, do yourself a favor and let her change your mind, you won’t regret it. Somehow I had never heard The Galway Girl before, and I’m glad that this is the first version that I was exposed to. Michael Sturm has got amazing pipes - the vocal kind, not the bagpipe or the smoking sort. His voice is so expressive and smoother than silk to boot. Every note and word sounds effortless, and emotionally invested. He sings as if he’s sitting right next to you telling you a story. Jigs is a lively instrumental arrangement featuring guitar and penny whistle. You’re likely to involuntarily smile, close your eyes, tap your foot, and sway in time with the music. I don’t know much about playing the guitar, and less about the penny whistle, but this has to be a difficult piece to perform - and they make it sound easy. And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda is a damn near perfect balance of vocals and accordion. This already poignant song hits me harder these days, with young men and women coming home from the wars scarred in body and mind, or not coming home at all. This track is almost nine minutes long, and I sat completely enthralled through three consecutive plays, trying unsuccessfully not to bawl my eyes out. It’s lovely and eerie and heartbreaking, I don’t know how anyone could play it better. I didn’t note a favorite track on this album, pretty much because I was so awed by several of the songs that I couldn’t choose only one. The Galway Girl, Ragland Road, As I Roved Out, and And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda are definitely on the list. Also, for the first time in a while, I am pleased to be able to compliment a CD’s production. As I Roved Out sounds fairly close to as good as the last major record label CD I bought … you know, before I discovered online music stores. [Couple Photo] I’d hate to be known as the girl who cried, well, not wolf. I guess the girl the cried “Woo Hoo! Awesome Band!” Okay, I changed my mind. I’m kind of alright with that. Seriously, I feel justified in telling you to check out The Langer’s Ball post haste, with alacrity, right freaking now. If my shouting doesn’t convince you then check out their photos. Drastically adorable, the pair of them. See that? They sound just as good as they look don’t th … hey where’d you go? THE LANGER'S BALL: As I Roved OutMike puts forth: Astute readers will note something about The Langer’s Ball. You’ve seen them on Celtophilia before. Indeed, we did an interview with The Langer’s Ball back at the end of July. Then, the idea was that this review would be released shortly afterward. People, sometimes things just don’t go the way I plan them. Here’s the bad part. I forgot. We posted the interview, and if you had asked me, I would have sworn we posted the review as well. Then, a week or two ago I got an email from Michael, who gave me the very polite and eloquent equivalent of “WTF, mate?” Words can barely express how bad I feel, because truly, our readers deserve to know that this is an amazing album. Michael Sturm and Hannah Rediske are incredibly gifted instrumentalists, and although they have only been playing together for a little more than a year, they exhibit the kind of skill and polish that I would expect out of a band with much more time under their belts. As I Roved Out is a tremendous example of their hard work and dedication to the craft, and I stand amazed. Okay, I sit amazed. You get what I’m saying, anyway. Everything is wonderful, but one thing that I will point out as particularly wonderful from a technical standpoint is the way that the flute was recorded. Most of the time, there is a tendency to get a really rough, airy sound from wind instruments, but here it is beautiful, full, and extremely clean sounding. Now, I’ll say a word or two about particular songs. And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda is a hidden gem of a song. At eight and a half minutes, it’s really like sitting and listening to an old soldier tell his story, and it never gets boring. It’s a beautiful, heart-breaking tale, and yes, I know it’s hard to reconcile those two things. If you’ve never heard it, START WITH THIS ONE. Michael’s voice really does amazing things with this song. It is easily my favorite track on the CD. The title track of the CD, As I Roved Out, really captures the spirit of both the band and the CD. It showcases both band member’s voices, Michael’s guitar, and Hannah’s accordion to fantastic effect. The Galway Girl, too, is a fantastic representation of these guys at their best. It is gorgeously arranged, and is one of the songs I would really like to hear them perform live. (Note to Bonnie: Road Trip?) Because I like to pretend that all my reviews are completely objective, I’ll tell you one thing negative about the CD. The tracks “Slides” and “Polkas” were very hard for me to get into. They’re quality stuff, but really nearing the outside range of stuff that I can listen to for hours on end. If you want more info about this stellar band, check out their website at www.thelangersball.com, and of course, you can Buy the CD at CDBaby. I am also including their reverbnation widget below, so check that out and get a sampling of what The Langer’s Ball is all about. You won’t regret it."

Paddy Rock Radio reviewed our New CD, "As I Roved Out"

2008-07-24T19:41:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Paddy Rock for reviewing our CD and including us in their Podcast. If you don't know Paddy Rock, you are missing out!

Just when you couldn’t get enough of the duo’s in Rock with the White Stripes… we now have a great young Celtic Trad. duo within Hannah Rediske (Accordion, Recorders, & Penny Whistles) and Michael Sturm (Guitar, Mandolin, Harmonica & Vocals) putting down some really good tunes. “As I Roved Out” is a stripped down CD to the roots with both strong vocals and skillful instrumentation. This is great pub music… when you want to wind down with friends to sing along with some songs, dance with the one you’re with, or even just have some good music to make the pints go down. Cheers to Langer’s Ball for sending me their disc. It was very refreshing.