Kansas City, Meet Gráda.

Looking over the fantastic line up of music for the 2006 Kansas City Irish Fest, you see a lot of familiar names. The Elders, of course. Last year's favorites, Enter The Haggis. Veterans of past festivals here like Black 47 and 7 Nations. Then you see Gráda.

Who are Gráda?

Andrew Laking, Alan Doherty, Nicola (just Nicola), Brendan O'Sullivan and Gerry Paul, that's who. Formed in Dublin in 2001, their debut album "Endevour" was called "eyepopping" by the Irish Times, which I bet is a good thing to be if you're a debut album. The Event Guide in Dublin said "Gráda is a band with star quality. (Their) work ethic would put a lot of so-called 'touring trad bands' to shame. Not content with composing most of their own tunes and then lashing them out for all they are worth, Gráda, on the contrary, prefer to fine tune their compositions, breathing ever more life into them, until they become stand alone pieces of exquisite beauty." Event Guide also called them "the hottest young Irish traditional group around".

And loads of people had loads more raves about this young trad band, and you can read them here. They also happen to be touring in the states right now, so you may be able to catch a preview. If you do, let me know about it. And if not, you only have to wait a few short months to see them at KCIF.