Bio
Folkadelic!
Celtic power-folk meets Americana: driving fiddle, deep dance grooves, and rousing songs of hard times and hope.
The Nettles propel contra dances with fiery fiddle tunes and groove-driven improvisation. Fiddle, guitar, bass, and drums forge a bold sound rooted in tradition.
The Nettles play progressive Celtic Americana music rooted in tradition and driven by deep dance grooves. They ignite audiences with thrilling fiddle tunes and adventurous improvisation that pushes traditional music into fresh territory. For over 30 years, The Nettles have brought their genre-bending performances to festivals, dances, bars, and private events on the West and East Coasts. Their playing channels the raw momentum of folk music through bold arrangements, electric interplay, and spontaneous reinvention onstage.
Reviews
“This progressive Celtic group takes traditional Irish and American music and sets it ablaze with wild improvisation and driving rhythm. Their music has delighted audiences from Ashland to Seattle at festivals, dances, bars, coffeehouses and live radio shows ”
“The music is mutually inspiring for the musicians themselves, who...have a mission to improvise using traditional music, something many might expect to encounter more often in the realm of jazz. [With] global influences as far-flung as Eastern Europe and as diverse as James Brown and Thelonious Monk, the group maintains that they never play the same tune once...” - Pat Amacher
“ The best time I've had at Folklife in the 20 years I've been coming!... Definitely on my list of top 10 dances ever!... This is what I came to Folklife for... Folklife just started!”
“ The Nettles are well-known on the West Coast for their original approach to contra dance music. Playing traditional music from all over the world, The Nettles create a strong rhythmic groove under soaring improvisations. Rhythmic drive and melodic fluidity allow The Nettles to propel contra dances into the stratosphere.”
“An always popular Corvallis band, The Nettles play improvisational music based on traditional Celtic and American tunes. From hard-driving jam music to lyrical folk jazz, this versatile group extends the boundaries of traditional music.”
