Great Scots

Northern Nevadans can’t seem to get enough of Celtic music. Whether it’s St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in March or the Reno Celtic Celebration in July, locals swarm to hear jaunty Irish jigs and reels, majestic Scottish bagpipes or melancholy folk ballads. Celtic music fans have another reason to celebrate when acclaimed Scottish quartet Battlefield Band comes to town. The band has gone through several personnel changes in its 35-year history, but its current lineup includes founding member Alan Reid (vocals, keyboards, guitar), Mike Katz (highland pipes, whistles and other instruments), Alasdair White (fiddle, bodhran, pipes) and returning member Pat Kilbride (vocals, guitar, cittern). Reid is credited as the first musician to introduce electronic keyboards into traditional Celtic music. While purists may have scoffed at such a notion decades ago, the instrument has become an integral part of the band’s sound. Their latest album is Out for the Night. BBC Scotland’s first annual Scot Trad Music Awards named the group the “Best Live Act” last year so audience members should expect a rousing performance. Battlefield Band plays 7 p.m. Sept. 26 at Hawkins Amphitheater at Bartley Ranch Regional Park, 6000 Bartley Ranch Road. Tickets are $25. Call 355-1832 or visit www.activitytickets.com.—Kelley Lang