Blazing bluegrass and roots at Monroe’s with Rackhouse Pilfer

Rackhouse Pilfer return to Monroe’s Live on Friday, November 13 with their signature blend of blazing bluegrass and Americana. The six-piece band came together at the weekly Fireside Session in McGarrigle’s pub in Sligo, which was led by Leon (guitar/vocals) and Les (mandolin/vocals). Fiddle player Fiachra sat in, and the band began to find their sound.

“I joined the band at the stage when it was still a session,” says Fiachra of the Rackhouse Pilfer history. “We brought in a PA one day and said ‘let’s plug this thing in and see what we have’. It grew from that.”

They six perform their own unique take on songs from Bruce Springsteen, Ryan Adams, Gillian Welch, Steve Earl and John Hiatt as well as traditional bluegrass songs and originals.

Since their formation, the band have toured all over Ireland and made a trip to the La Roche Bluegrass festival in the south of France.

Can Fiachra explain the appetite for American roots music?

“I reckon it’s something to with how computerised and virtualised the world is these days,” he says. “We’re all cybered up to the gills. This kind of music is something that’s really pure and true and honest; the songs have been around for a few hundred years.”

The band begin at midnight on the main stage. Tickets €10/€7 online