The Rogues are not the type of band that I normally review here. I like to talk about the 22 year old hitching down Route 101 with a guitar on his back, looking for another open mic and at unknown coffee shop. That’s not The Rogues.

There website proclaims:

VOTED #1 OUT OF BANDS FROM AROUND THE WORLD THE ROGUES HAVE PERFORMED GLOBALLY FOR OVER 1 MILLION PEOPLE. 9 ALBUMS; 7 COMBINED WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS; 2 ASCAP AWARDS; APPEARANCES IN LAS VEGAS, CHICAGO, MIAMI, A HOLLYWOOD FILM, AND WITH THE U.S. AIR FORCE ORCHESTRA... THE NUMBERS SHOW THE ROGUES ARE READY TO TAKE ON THE WORLDS OF CELTIC, ROCK, FOLK, AND CLASSICAL MUSIC.

Okay, then. My little review won’t have the same sort of impact as it would for the kid on the highway. But they submitted their electronic press kit (EPK) on Orient Lodge Music Review’s Sonicbids page, and I just couldn’t skip them because they’re already pretty big. After all, there is a reason they are so successful, even though I suspect that a lot of my readers probably haven’t listened to them before.

The first song in their EPK is “The Gael”. Here is the second reason I normally wouldn’t review them. I’m focused on words. This piece is an instrumental. I can’t quote a line of lyrics that I found inspirational and pontificate on it. Yet the whole piece is inspirational. As I prepared to write this review on Sunday afternoon, I listened to “The Gael” as I looked out of my office window. It was a cold rainy blustery day. A gale was blowing outside and I could imagine the gael standing in the breeze, cold, soaking wet and reeking of the tune coming out of my speakers. The one thing that was missing was a really good sound system. Sure, they sounded good coming from the small Sony PC speakers that I have next to my computer, but I would really like to hear them cranked all the way up on a good sound system, or even better catch them live.

Looking at there schedule I noted one interesting gig they have. U.S. Naval Station, Guantanamo Bay Cuba, March 19. 2011. I don’t think I’ll make it to that show. They also have a show towards the end of next year, Deakstock - Wounded Vets Fundraiser at the American Legion Hall in Crownsville, MD. $10 to get in. Well worth it. They do a lot of fundraising for vets and you’ve got to love them for it.

Their other big circuit is the Renfaire’s and Scottish Festivals. Oklahoma, West Virginia, and yes, Connecticut. They will be playing four weekends at the Robin Hood Springtime Festival in Guilford, CT. So, check out their webpage and get one of their CDs. Find a show where they are playing and check them out.

As I like to do with my Music Monday posts, let me leave you with a video: