Off the Wall

“The crowds in Syracuse are always great,” Emberg says from his home
in Vanleek Hill, Ontario. “For me, Syracuse is like a local gig at 3½
hours away.”

Emberg says he is happy to partake in the new Celtic Festival because
he loves the music fans here. “The people in Central New York—and the
Celtic and Irish communities in particular—are committed to helping out
in their community. It’s like a small town where you know everybody. I
have a real passion for the city.”

The band, formed in 1996 and inspired by the traditional Scottish
music still common in the Glengarry County neighborhoods the members
grew up in, swells to as many as seven members on occasion. But Emberg
explains it will be a three-person version of Hadrian’s Wall in Sterling
next weekend. Flutist-guitarist Dave Gossage and fiddler Ashley MacLeod
join him. 

“Things have really changed for touring musicians over the past
couple of years,” Emberg explains. “With the economy the way it is, we
do what we have to do. We make a big sound for just three people.”

The upside is that Emberg has found a way to keep bringing the band’s
joyous Celtic tunes to the people that most want to hear them. “We’ve
toured all over, more than 30 different states and foreign countries.
But I’ve found that it really is better to build a solid fan base.”

The band’s latest release, Live: Tonight’s Lineup (independent),
offers an energetic sampling of the Hadrian’s Wall live experience.
“That’s exactly what fans can expect at next week’s festival. “We’re
basically a Celtic jam band,” Emberg notes. “I like to see people on
their feet. I’m of the mindset that we should get rid of the chairs. If
you can get people dancing, that’s all you need.”