Aran : An Irish Band  from Rural Western Pennsylvania
Click here to hear a selection from our new demo CD "Aran in Concert: 7/16/05"

 Playing at the Sports Rock Cafe in Pittsburgh, March 17, 2007 after the St. Patrick's Day Parade

 L to R: Ron Hamilton, Carl Rahkonen, Gary Noll, Jim Brett, Jim Kupchella, Jerry Clark, (Matt Willen)

The “Aran Band” is a group of seven good friends who enjoy performing Irish, Scottish and other Celtic music.  The name Aran comes from the Aran Islands, located near Galway Bay off the west coast of Ireland, and the last Irish land seen by most emigrants who sailed to America.  We enjoy playing fast instrumental numbers, slow aires, and singing traditional ballads, drinking songs and shanties.  We have members from a wide area, but are centered around Johnstown, in Western Pennsylvania.   The band’s roots go back more than twenty-five years, when Ron Hamilton (pennywhistles, button boxes, bouzouki, percussion) began performing with Gary Noll (lead singer, guitar, bodhran, pennywhistle).   Next came the two “Seamuses,” Jim Brett (lead singer, guitar, bouzouki), and “Banjo” Jim Kupchella, (lead singer, banjo, guitar).   Joining soon thereafter were Jerry Clark (mandolin, bouzouki, pennywhistles, low pennywhistles), Carl Rahkonen (fiddle, bass, bodhran), and Matt Willen (mandolin, bouzouki, guitar, uilleann pipes).    We gather for a dozen or so public performances every year, and many more private get-togethers to enjoy the music we all love.

Performances in 2008:
February 15   The Great Guinness Toast at the Catholic War Veterans, Johnstown  7:30 pm-
March 14  Johnstown  Elks Lodge  7:30 pm-
March 15  Pittsburgh (after the St. Patrick's parade)  Sports Rock Cafe 12:30 pm-
March 17  Johnstown   Murphy’s Pub St. Patrick's Day Celebration  7:30 pm-
May 17     Altoona Curve Stadium   "Pint for Pets" Event  7:00 pm-
June 21     Allegheny Portage Railroad Concert Series 8:00pm-
June 28     Pittsburgh (Croatian Center, Schitzen Park Rd.) Ancient Order of Hibernians Day of Irish Entertainment
Summer ?  Dillweed Bed and Breakfast, Dilltown, PA
August 31 Johnstown Folk Fest   1:00 pm--3:00 pm  
other performances TBA

To see our Photo Gallery  click here.

Web-site created and maintained by Carl Rahkonen.  © 2000-  Last modified 7/1/08
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