Haggis Brothers

Back in March of 1997 Joe Ross put a group together as a one-off joke band, originally dubbed the Irish Posers, for St. Patrick's Day at the Back Door Lounge never dreaming it would blossom into the full time outfit. They got together again the next year for St. Patrick's Day, this time calling themselves Merle Haggis and the Drifting Highlanders, they all wore kilts. An annual tradition was born. Early in 2001 the band began a Monday night residency at the Lava Lounge and they evolved into the Haggis Brothers. They aquired a steady line-up of Ross, Lou Alexander, Sean Wheatly, and were soon joined by regulars Matt O'Toole on mandolin and Mike Collins on drums. Through constant gigging their playlist expanded beyond traditional Irish pub songs into American hoe-down music, honky-tonk, swing and whatever else they feel like playing. These days the band usually play as a [fiddle, guitar, bass] trio.