STORYTELLERS
Celtic folk-rock band The Elders to play at zoo
Life has been hectic of late for Steve Phillips. Aside from working a full-time job, he’s been busy in the studio with his band, The Elders, preparing its next album.
“We should have a new record coming out by the end of June,” he says in a recent phone interview. “We’ve been working on the record for a couple years now. We don’t have the same work ethic that we once did about 19 years ago.”
The Elders formed in 1998, rooted in Americana and Celtic folk-rock.
Phillips says the band has always been able to tell a story through music.
The Elders have headlined major Celtic festivals in North America and Europe. For the past 12 years,
they have sponsored a tour of Ireland in which fans are invited to join in an extraordinary 13-day excursion visiting historical and geographical sights during the day and gathering at pubs or ballrooms at night for pints and performances by the band.
“It’s a special tour,” Phillips says. “The trip opens the doors of Celtic music to the fans.”
Phillips is joined in The Elders by Ian Byrne, Diana Ladio, Bent Hoad, Norm Dahlor and Kian Byrne.
Kian Byrne, on drums, is the most recent addition to the band.
Phillips says that with the addition of Kian Byrne, there are now five songwriters in the band.
“The writing process has changed in that sense,” he says. “It’s great to have so many different points of view. The hardest part is getting everyone on the same page. But it works out.”
Phillips is enjoying seeing all the diverse backgrounds coming together as one.
And he says the band has slowed down its touring in recent years.
“We don’t tour like most bands. We’re a working man’s band,” he says. “We all have day jobs. We’re business owners and have that on our plates. It’s pretty cool how we handle it all.”