Erie Times-News

The Mad-Accent Band
Celtic folk-rock band Tempest has an international lineup. It brings its 15th-anniversary tour to Forward Hall.
 

by Dave Richards
Staff writer

Before "Titanic," Riverdance, Frank McCourt, the Corrs, and others ushered in an Irish-culture boom, Tempest built 
a fervent following with its stirring, fiery brand of Celtic folk-rock.

The Irish fad has faded. But Tempest blazes onward, celebrating its 15th anniversary with a yearlong tour that 
includes a don't-miss stop at Forward Hall Concert Club on Tuesday. Fans of such bands as Jethro Tull, Steeleye Span, 
Fairport Convention, and the Corrs will appreciate their dynamic, driving tunes.

"We don't get affected that much by fads," said Lief Sorbye, Tempest's longtime leader in a phone interview. "We've 
sort of been finding our own place in the world and having our own grass-roots following that's expanding. We keep 
working hard to bring our music in front of people. Whenever there's a fad, it helps. But fads come and go. Tempest 
has been around awhile."

Since 1988, to be precise, when Sorbye left Golden Bough, his successful, acoustic Celt band, to go electric. He 
aimed to fuse the power and energy of rock with Celtic tradition and his own Norwegian heritage.

"From day one, I always wanted to inject a different perspective into the traditional music format by using people 
who might be skilled in jazz or metal or the singer-songwriter genre or whatever," Sorbye said.

"Even if the musical policy is rooted in traditional folk music, we have our own take on it, and our sound incorporates 
a big spectrum. It's not just the rock energy, but all our individual members, who put their stamps on the arrangements. 
That's what makes it interesting and different than just a folk band that's plugging in."


TEMPEST'S MEMBERS HAIL FROM nearly every corner of the globe, which also spices their sound. Sorbye grew up in Oslo, 
though he's lived in the U.S. the past 20 years. Drummer Adolfo Lazo is from Cuba, and guitarist Ronan Carroll comes 
from Dublin. Bassist Ariane Cap hails from Innsbruck, Austria, while fiddler Michael Mullen, who recently returned to 
the band, is the only American, a native of Fresno, Calif.

"So it's truly an international lineup," Sorbye said. "We incorporate those backgrounds into our sound. When we travel 
across the country, it's the mad-accent band. It's quite something."

So is their exuberant stage show. Tempest inspires fans to dance, no matter what type of festival they play, and they 
play them all — Celtic ones, rock events, jam-band gatherings, and progressive-rock affairs. Their swirling sound so 
appeals to prog-rockers that they record for Magna Carta. They got Keith Emerson to play keyboards on 1996's "Turn of 
the Wheel," and also covered "Locomotive Breath" for a Tull tribute album.

"The chemistry in the band is really good, and everyone's a top-notch performer. So it's very energetic, very entertaining, 
and sometimes a little goofy," said Sorbye, who's a sight himself, playing a double-necked mandolin. "We don't take o
urselves seriously, but we take the music seriously. We do all sorts of quirky and goofy choreography. But we're not in 
clogging shoes."

"Shapeshifter," their 2003 release, showcases their robust blend of tradition and mad-eyed energy on contagious songs such 
as "Natural Law" and "Tamosher." In July, Tempest will issue a three-CD box set with rarities, live cuts, and other 
obscurities. It's a treat for fans who've been with them the entire journey.

"We're doing our 15th anniversary tour, and we've still got three of the original members," Sorbye said. "Which is a 
pretty good stat in rock and roll."