SPECIAL RESERVE is a "best-of" collection that features favorites from Gaelic Storm's previous OmTown releases, GAELIC STORM ("The Leaving of Liverpool," "Johnny Jump Up/Morrison's Jig," "Tell Me Ma"); HERDING CATS ("Drink the Night Away," "After Hours at McCann's," "She Was the Prize," "Titanic Set"); and TREE ("Johnny Tarr," "Swimmin' in the Sea," "Beggarman") as well as 3 exciting new tracks.

On St. Patrick's Day, 1996, co-founders Patrick Murphy of Cork City, Ireland (vocals, piano, accordion, spoons, harmonica) and New Yorker Steve Wehmeyer (bodhran, vocals, digeridoo) officially joined forces with Steve Twigger of Coventry, England (guitar, mandolin, bouzouki, vocals), at O'Brien's pub in Santa Monica, California. Feeling that traditional Celtic music did not have to be stayed and banal, the trio focused on the rowdy hand-clapping character of a traditional pub party. They wanted to create a sound that would remain true to traditional Celtic music while adding an original twist of a dizzying whirlwind of live energy - hence the name "Gaelic Storm". Their first performance was such a hit that the crowd refused to let them off the stage for the next act. Adding additional players, the band has fine-tuned their line-up to this day. Currently, Gaelic Storm also includes: Tom Brown on highland Bagpipes (an open grade Highland Piper from Ottawa, Canada), Ryan Lacey on drums and world percussion (graduated twice from the Los Angeles Music Academy, once for hands and once for sticks), and Ellery Klein on fiddle (who holds a MA degree in Traditional Irish Music from the University of Limerick).

Their dynamic stage show features rousing, upbeat vocals, wild energetic dance tunes, haunting ballads and infectious madcap humor. Playing over 100 shows per year, Gaelic Storm has drawn record-breaking crowds at Milwaukee's famed Irish-Fest (in '98, '99, ‘01 and ‘02), Celtic-Fest Chicago, the Dublin Ohio Irish Festival and the Pittsburgh Irish Festival, as well as Festival Interceltique in Lorient, France (the largest Celtic festival in the world). Most recently Gaelic Storm broke the attendance record in June of 2003 at the Albuquerque BioPark, the record was previously held by Alan Jackson. The band has likewise played to capacity crowds at countless clubs, theaters and performing arts centers across the country.

Gaelic Storm never fail to leave audiences on their feet: reeling, dancing and screaming for more! Routinely, devoted fans drive for miles to catch a Gaelic Storm show. As a result, the audience frequently sings along word-for-word in classic pub fashion throughout the band's set. Nominated as "performers of the year" in 1999 and 2000 by the National Association of Campus Activities, Gaelic Storm has garnered a huge following among college students from Hawaii to New Hampshire.

In 1997, Gaelic Storm was catapulted out of their formative pub haunts by an appearance in the blockbuster film Titanic. Cast as the "party band" in the steerage scene, they landed the part while still drinking pints and playing weekly at O'Brien's, a pub in their adopted home-town of Santa Monica, CA.

On their first tour after the film's release, the band was met by huge crowds. Initially shocked by the large audiences, Gaelic Storm remains as accessible as ever, signing autographs after every show and visiting personally with their fans. Personal connection with the audience remains at the heart of every performance. "At the performing arts centers, we invite the audience out for a beer at the local bar across the street or the best Irish pub", Murphy says. "It's another way to meet and greet and get to know them better."

A mini-documentary about Gaelic Storm airs regularly on Cinemax, and the band has appeared numerous times on national and international TV. Gaelic Storm was also featured in two episodes on the award-winning prime time drama "Providence" in October 2001. Perhaps the best indication of Gaelic Storm's newfound international success came when Michael Flatley (of Lord of the Dance fame) met Gaelic Storm vocalist and songwriter Patrick Murphy in Murphy's hometown, Cork City, Ireland.

"I told him he did a superb job of advancing Irish culture throughout the world, like the Chieftains have for years," Murphy says, "and he said, 'In fairness to you, you've probably introduced Irish music to five minutes of fame with that little film clip.'"

Gaelic Storm's eponymous first release is a lively collection of traditional Irish sing-alongs, Celtic dance music and festive, rollicking pub songs. Their endless capacity for up-tempo, high energy music featured on the first release represents why Gaelic Storm was cast as the "Steerage Band" in the Titanic.

With their first album remaining on the charts for over 30 weeks, Gaelic Storm's second album (HERDING CATS, 1999) received even more enthusiastic reviews from both alternative and mainstream music `zines like Irish Music Magazine, Dirty Linen, Request, and In Music We Trust, furthering the band's reputation for traditional and original lively Celtic music.

On their 2001 OmTown release Tree reached #2 and #4 on different occasions on the Billboard World Music Charts, Gaelic Storm once again delivered the infectious energy and mischievous exuberance that have earned them a fiercely devoted following and international acclaim. It features their signature Folk, Pop and World music influenced interpretations of Irish classics alongside poignant, well-crafted originals.

SPECIAL RESERVE, the band's fourth album, is a "best-of" compilation of thirteen tracks skillfully blended to ensure maximum aural intoxication without sacrificing a drop of Gaelic Storm flavor. In addition to 9 fan-favorites off previous releases, the album includes 3 new songs recorded with Mark Miller (who has also worked with Garth Brooks, Emmylou Harris, Daniel O'Donnell, Mary Black, Sean Keane, Dolores Keane) at legendary Jack's Tracks studio in Nashville, TN. A wonderful summary of the band's career to date, SPECIAL RESERVE captures the magic of the past as well as the spontaneity and intensity of Gaelic Storm's current live sound.