So play A on a D, B, A, Gb or E
and play F on a Bb, G, F, D or C
Assuming you can play in a,c,d,f,and g, on your d whistle. Of course the tune has to fit nicely into the two plus a bit octaves on whatever whistle you pick up.
Brian
It is just music PUH-LEEEEEEZE! As long as they do not try to promote themselves as something they are not, then what the heck does it matter WHAT they play as long as someone likes it.
The ITrad or Die sydrome is sickening.
I’m certainly not an Itrad or Die fanatic, but they ARE billed as a purely Celtic band - or at least have been every time I’ve seen or heard anything about them being promoted vor the last five or so years. Have you had a listen to their stuff? It struggles to even be considered Irish really, let alone Celtic. They do take some trad. tunes/songs and try to do some new things with them, but for my money, there are plenty out there who do it MUCH better with nowhere near the publicity that GS seems to garner all over the place.
They came to my neck of the woods, so I saw them.
They did a good job. And you know, there were quite a few Irish folks in the audience, and they seemed to like it well enough. See, we have several hospitals in this area that are in part staffed by Irish nurses who brought their families with them, and there are also some of the Sisters here.
Nobody else bothers coming to my neck of the woods, or we’d watch them too.
–James
I didn’t know they had woods on the Arkansas/Texas border.
It’s a long border.
Isn’t that what happens in most small towns? If someone you don’t know shows up you all watch them? Especially them strange travelling musician types? 
(I know the mindset - even back in my old hometown my wife and I can get lots of stares by walking hand-in-hand. Since I haven’t lived there in over 20 years only my family and a couple of friends recognize me - and they find my wife - HK Chinese - really exotic.)
Moving back on-topic: I’d be happy to see them, too. But our local paper is surprisingly parochial about entertainment listings - too many times to count I find out, long after they’ve left, that a group I’d like to see was in the area. But the SJ Mercury News seems to regard anything outside the San Jose - San Francisco axis unworthy of mention. Even if they’re playing within an hour’s drive, even groups like the Chieftains . . .
I like Gaelic Storm, too, but I like them for what they really are - a folk/rock band.
I watched a Celine Dion concert video (shame on me), and on the Titanic theme, it showed the whistle player playing something black with a little gold ring around the end. At that point, the song was in the key of E, and I could tell it was an A whistle by the fingerings being used, so I’m guessing it was a Dixon A.
Remind me, what was it that abominable performance in the movie tried to portray?
Well, we saw them and enjoyed them for what they are, without any worries about what they are not.
I am leaving this discussion at this point–I don’t enjoy dissing other artists’ music, and I don’t find these kinds of discussions either uplifting or enlightening.
–James
Oirish. Poor but happy, dancing their problems away! 
That’s interesting …
The movie themesong website I mentioned earlier in this thread had two MIDI’s of the themesong, in two different keys. One was in F/A; I believe the other was a half step lower, in E/G#.
Best wishes,
Jerry
What does that even mean? For most Irish traditionalists that I know, saying something is “Celtic” music generally implies that it is a modernized version of any British Isles (or even trad continental European) music. So, in that case, they are exactly what they say they are. The word “Celtic music” didn’t even exist until recent mainstreamization of traditional music.
Of course, I really like fusion celtic bands (Baka Beyond, Tempest), so maybe I am biased. But I, for one, didn’t care about their noteriety or Irishness during thier concert. Too busy dancing in my seat.
And, in fact, at their concert I attended (back when Kathleen Kenny was still with them) they played some very traditional Irish sets (with an incredible amount of energy, I might add).
Is it against C & F community law to have enjoyed both the movie and the music therein? Or Riverdance? Is this some sort of stupid religion that seeks to squeeze out all but those who hew to the most Spartanly rigid rules of what constitutes smart and cultured preferences?
(rant rant rant rant… 
)
all done ranting. 
Woohoo! Me too.
backing away sloooowly - trying not to make any sudden movements
I guess I should say that when I saw Tempest in Elko last summer, I was so pissed off because I would never get those two hours of my life back that they stole…what a horrid concert it was! I really really REALLY tried to like them, it just wasn’t humanly possible! Their stage antics and musicianship were both appaling and disturbing!
As for GS, the only “Irish” tune I heard them attempt in ther concert was drowsy maggie and then it was played at a leisurely 800,000 beats per minute. I didn’t even recognize the tune at first it was played so blinking fast. The boys can certainly sing and harmonize very well, but it’s not my cup of tea at all. And if you want to include Tempest in the bunch, then you truly DO stretch the limits of the “Celtic” genre!
(Just to verify, this is the same Tempest, “celtic-fusion-we-wanted-to-be-metallica-with-a-fiddle-and-double-necked mandolin-thingie-but-couldn-t-quite-pull-it-off” group from California right? http://www.tempestmusic.com/
run away! run away!
The very same. I admit that I haven’t seen them in concert, but I don’t think I’d like it either. I only have one of their CDs, and only like about half of it (mostly the instrumentals, the guy’s voice is pretty rough). I like them because they bring some Norse tunes in with a Celtic feel, and present new ways of thinking musically about some old tunes. And, as far as I’m concerned, there really is nothing wrong with that. I like Djembes and Bazoukis and Digeridoos and electric guitars stuck into Irish tunes I know. Sometimes people do it badly, but at least they’re being creative… (sometimes Eileen Ivers runs her fiddle through a Wah-wah pedal, but what can you do?)
Don’t get me wrong, I still like a good tune played with traditional instruments.
But an open mind can bring you much joy.
Eileen Ivers is probably the quintessential fiddle rocker. Of course, honorable mention should go to Natalie MacMaster, Leahy, Robbie Steinhardt (Kansas), Peter Knight (Steeleye Span), and Mik Kaminski (E.L.O.). And I almost forgot Tears for Beers with their thickly-overdriven electric fiddle!
…and, of course, our ol’ buddy Charlie Daniels! 
I see what you’re saying fearfaoin. I haven’t heard any of their CDs but after that concert/spectacle, I wasn’t about to buy any either. 
They [Tempest] are certainly an ahem interesting bunch to see live. 