Viper Central displays virtuosic chops on fiddle, mandolin, guitar, banjo and dobro, ripping through classic and original bluegrass pieces at barn-burning tempos.
But perhaps the thing that makes this band the most unique and exciting is how far they’re able to wander from their home as a bluegrass band, turning the genre on its ear, while remaining true to their roots.
As a group of young friends who joined forces in their 20s to shake up the British Columbia bluegrass scene, Viper Central gained a reputation as an excellent bluegrass band at festivals throughout western Canada. They quickly took to the road, regularly touring the west coast of the United States, the UK, and continental Europe. In 2008, they released their debut album The Devil Sure Is Hard To Pleasewhich received numerous excellent reviews.
Their second album Thump and Howl released in 2012, saw the beginnings of a departure from their bluegrass roots and while banjo and fiddle remained central to their sound, pedal steel can be heard on several tracks and many of the melodies drew upon a wide spectrum of influences, ranging from Métis fiddle to Klezmer to western swing.
A decade later, the group has found a maturity and confidence in their sound and new album The Spirit of God & Madness, is their boldest endeavour to date. As lead songwriter, Kathleen Nisbet has refined her storytelling skills to a new level of mastery; on one track taking on the persona of her ancestor, Louis Riel, in another, that of a Saskatchewan farmer-turned-musician, in still another, that of Katherine O’Hare – a woman who crossed the Rockies on foot in the 19th century. The spirit that emerges from the album is as strong, unusual, original, and self-assured as the figures it celebrates in its songs. This spirit is reflected as much in the brilliant performances by band members, guests (John Reischman, Miles Black, John Raham, CR Avery), instrumentation, arrangements, and vocal harmonies, as it is in the songwriting itself.
Viper Central can rip it up bluegrass style with sweet n’ crunchy harmonies and tight melodic breaks that’ll make your heart soar, your feet shuffle and your blood curdle! Canadian roots and the traditions of American bluegrass, Métis, country, rockabilly and old-time have influenced their ever evolving style.
Their songs reflect Canadian landscape and experiences and the result is natural, effortless and delightfully original. Viper Central is Kathleen Nisbet (fiddle, vocals), Steve Charles (guitar, banjo, Vocals), Tim Tweedale (steel guitars, vocals), Mark Vaughan (mandolin) and Patrick Metzger(bass). Viper Central is a five-piece acoustic string-band that takes that “high lonesome sound” to new places. All five band members contribute original songs, but won’t hesitate to deliver up their take on an ages-old mournful waltz or bring the house down with a barn-burning bluegrass standard.
Viper Central · UK & Ireland Tour · August-September 2017
Kathleen Nisbet (vocals & fiddle), Steve Charles (vocals, guitars & banjo), Patrick Metzger (vocals & bass),
Tim Tweedale* (vocals & steel guitars) & Chris Suen* (banjo & vocals) *select dates only
Wed 2-Sat 5 Belladrum, nr. Inverness Tartan Heart Festival
Sun 6 Strathpeffer, Highlands House Concert
Wed 9 Cookstown, Co. Tyrone The Red Room
Thu 10 Cookstown The Red Room
Fri 11 Naul, nr. Dublin Seamus Ennis Arts Centre with Ulaid & Duke Special
Sat 12 Rathfriland, Co. Down Bronte Music Club
Sun 13 Comber, Co. Down Enler Delta Blues Club, Comber Rec F.C.
Tue 15 Richhill, Co. Armagh Groucho’s
Wed 16 Omagh, Co. Tyrone The Weigh Inn
Thu 17 Bangor, Co. Down Ballyholme Yacht Club, Open House Festival Bangor
Fri 18 Ballincollig, Co. Cork The White Horse
Sun 20 Ballydehob, Co. Cork Levis Corner House
Tues 22-Wed 23 Carlingford, Co. Louth Thomas D’Arcy McGee Summer School
Fri 25 Carrig-on-Bannow, Co. Wexford Colfer’s Pub
Sat 26-Sun 27 Dunmore East, Co. Waterford Dunmore East Bluegrass Festival
Wed 30 Ballybofey, Co. Donegal Balor Arts Centre
Thu 31-Sun 3 Castletown, nr. Omagh Bluegrass Music Festival, Ulster American Folk Park
