Geoffrey Castle
Saturday, March 15
Watching someone play the violin might not strike you as the most exciting thing. But hold on a minute—you probably haven’t seen Geoffrey Castle, an artist who continues to push the boundaries of “classical” music through his experimentation on the six-string electric violin.
Born in Virginia, the acclaimed musician has called the Northwest home for 15 years, but he’s been playing the violin for nearly twice that long. The experience, and Castle’s knack for thinking outside the box, has earned him a reputation as an energetic performer who fuses elements of Celtic, blues, jazz and rock into his genre-bending music.
On any given week, you’ll find Castle at the Wild Rover in Kirkland, where he and his band have become the main feature at the watering hole’s weekly Celtic night. Yet his most popular tradition is probably Kirkland Performance Center’s annual St. Patrick’s Day Celebration, now in its ninth year.
Castle was inspired to create a St. Patrick’s Day show because of the passion and celebratory nature of Celtic music. It’s since evolved into an opportunity for local music lovers and families to learn a little about Gaelic heritage while showcasing his band’s unique spin on traditional and original songs. In addition to his usual antics, this year Castle is debuting a single, “Sword and Shield,” from his new project, Fractal Music Works, set to be released this week by London Tone Music.
The new 11-track album, The Other Side, will showcase an original dubstep style, Irish Electronica, that Castle and his band have been developing for the past year. And the show, which benefits the Pipe and Drum Eastside Firefighter Band, will also feature bagpipers and Irish dancers. St. Patrick’s Day being the unofficial drinking holiday it is, the event does include a full bar, so there will be no shortage of Guinness and Jameson on hand. Slainte!
With T.J. Morris, Brooke Lizotte, Steve Boyce, Connor Dunworley. Kirkland Performance Center, 350 Kirkland Ave., Kirkland, 425-893-9900, kpcenter.org. 8 p.m. $15–$25. All ages.
