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Leprechaunapalooza

The Sods host revamped destival at Come2Go

By Jim Fester

Fort Wayne Reader

2007-03-07

Jonah Sod, lead singer of local band The Sods, describes his group’s sound as “traditional Irish music with a little bit of punk attitude.”

And if that description puts you in mind of The Pogues, Jonah says you’re right on track. His fellow band mate and high school pal Bart Sod lent him a copy of If I Should Fall From Grace With God back in 1999, and Jonah was hooked. “They’re probably one of the only bands where I’ve listened to them almost everyday since I first heard them,” Jonah says. “I hear something new in every single song.”

Jonah and Bart formed The Sods in 2002. For several years the band served as hosts and organizers of an annual St. Patrick’s Day music fest at the Art Factory called Leprechaunapalooza. After a two-year hiatus, Leprechaunapalooza is back, this year at Come2Go ministries on March 16.

When they hit the stage with the latest line-up, The Sods will be playing their rev’ed up, danceable takes on a lot of traditional Irish songs like “Home Boys Home” and “The Wild Rover,” as well as a lot of their original material. With their own tunes, the “Irish” part of the music comes more from instrumentation than lyrical content. “It’s really the instruments that make it Celtic,” Jonah says. “We play almost all the instruments in the traditional way. But really, all of our original songs lyric-wise are about growing up in Fort Wayne.”

“We’ll adapt traditional songs sometimes and sing about a different subject rather than some mutiny on a ship in the 1700s or something,” Jonah adds.

In addition to Jonah on vocals and Bart on guitar, mandolin, and banjo, the current line-up includes features Doug on drums, Lyndsie on bass, Tom on guitar and Eric on fiddle. Last names? Jonah says just stick with “Sod.” “We all have really weird last names. It just makes things easier.”

It’s been a few years since The Sods’ debut album Boxing and Grand Old Tea was released. The follow-up, The Maumee River Pirates, was left in limbo after record label Burning Trash ran in to financial problems. Jonah says they’re eager to get back in the studio and rework some of that material, this time making it sound a little more like The Sods do live. “We really thrive on an energetic live show,” he says. “We’d like to make an album that just has a live feel to it.”

Leprechaunapalooza
The Sods, The Mimi Burns Band, The Outhouse Boys

Come2Go Ministries
323 W Baker St,
Friday, 16 Mar 2007, 7:00 PM
$5 All Ages Show