Published 2:15 AM PST Friday, Jan. 23, 2004 Tempest through the years in Davis celebration By Chris Macias -- Bee Pop Music Writer Celtic-rock band Tempest includes, from left, Michael Mullen, Lief Sorbye, Adolfo Lazo, Ronan Carroll and Ariane Cap. Tempest This time, the luck of the Irish wasn't smiling on Lief Sorbye. It was the spring of 2003, and Sorbye was touring the East Coast with his Celtic-rock band, Tempest. The group's van kept breaking down, making it seem like the trip just wasn't meant to be. There was Sorbye, stuck in New Jersey and waiting for yet another mechanic to get Tempest back to speed. Sorbye started thinking about the members who'd come and gone in Tempest, the countless tours and dancing crowds, and the 10 albums that have marked the group's career. Tempest's 15-year anniversary was nearing, and in a moment of lifting spirits, Sorbye figured, "Why not throw one heck of a party?" Saturday, Tempest will celebrate its 15th anniversary with a special show at the Veterans Memorial Theater in Davis. To chronicle Tempest's myriad lineups, Sorbye has invited band members past and present to perform. For the finale, everyone will join forces on stage. "For me, it's been a pet project," Sorbye said. "It's a very ambitious show, and a lot has gone into making this a big party. I want to give the fans the show they always wanted but never thought they'd ever get. We'll do the songs they didn't expect us to do again live, and we've got other surprises." Tempest is certainly familiar to followers of Northern California's outdoor music festivals, such as Sacramento's Heritage Festival. Tempest also is a staple at Scottish games and Celtic festivals around the country. The band has a particular affinity with the city of Davis. Tempest has played plenty of gigs at UC Davis' Whole Earth Festival, plus countless shows at the Palms Playhouse's former location in South Davis. The Veterans Memorial Theater in downtown Davis is another favorite venue for the band. "We have a history with Davis, but more importantly, we have a history with this particular venue," Sorbye said. "I have a long relationship with the guys who are producing the show with me. I know the theater really well. We know every nook and cranny, so it's easy to do the production in there." Although Tempest is based in the Bay Area, its members' hometowns are all over the map. Sorbye, who sings lead and plays the electric mandolin, is a native of Oslo, Norway. Drummer Adolfo Lazo hails from Havana, Cuba. Bassist Ariane Cap is from Innsbruck, Austria, and guitarist Ronan Carroll is originally from Dublin, Ireland. Fiddler Michael Mullen, from Fresno, is the only American-born band member. Musically, Tempest taps into the sounds of Northern Europe, such as Scottish and Scandinavian music, but with an emphasis on all things Irish. Its repertoire is a mix of original tunes, which harken to Jethro Tull and Fairport Convention, and pumped-up versions of traditional Celtic songs. Overall, Sorbye's electric mandolin and an omnipresent electric guitar add edge to the folksy elements of Tempest's sound. "I got into traditional music the first time I realized that I tapped my toe to a fiddle tune and not to a guitar solo," Sorbye said. "Celtic music and Northern European music has a lot of substance to me. It echoes the past and tells a story. I like timeless music, and that idea of combining folk music with rock 'n' roll, combining ethnic music with a backbeat. "Fifteen years ago, there was a lot of debate, and purists were saying that we were breaking the rules," he said. "These days, it's old hat. There's a whole world-music movement that's about mixing styles. I love the way traditional music was played 200 years ago, but I'm not looking for museum pieces. Folk music should be alive." Despite a few glitches, Tempest has enjoyed many highlights as well. Keith Emerson, the famed keyboardist from Emerson, Lake and Palmer, cameoed on 1996's "Turn of the Wheel." In 1989, Tempest performed at the Woodstock 25th anniversary concert. The band also has enjoyed a prolific recording output. The group's next project is to compile a box set featuring radio spots, outtakes and acoustic material. Meanwhile, Tempest will keep gigging. The upcoming summer season will be especially busy with outdoor festivals, and the band's overall goal is as always: To produce a joyful storm of dancing bodies. "I think the strength of the band is that we appeal to more than one age group or market," Sorbye said. "If you're into folk music, or into rock music, it doesn't matter. We're into uniting people behind music. That's why we're out here." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tempest 15th anniversary celebrationWHEN: 8 p.m. Saturday WHERE: Veterans Memorial Theater, 203 E. 14th St., Davis TICKETS: $18 INFORMATION: (916) 446-4402 (The Beat) or (530) 758-9417 (De Colores) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About the Writer --------------------------- The Bee's Chris Macias can be reached at (916) 321-1253 or cmacias@sacbee.com.