Potcheen

Potcheen brings its eclectic Irish songbook to the 2011 Colorado Irish Festival
A A A Comments (0) By A.H. Goldstein Tuesday, Jul 5 2011

Christian Blochinger remembers stopping his band's tour bus on a rural Missouri highway in 2006 and flipping on the blinker. He'd been driving in the wrong direction on the isolated and narrow road, and he was turning left to switch course. "This was a county highway that was intersected by side streets," Blochinger recalls. "I put my blinker on and looked behind me." That's where the recollections of that day end for the drummer and leader of the Celtic rock band Potcheen. A few moments later, a FedEx truck barreled into the side of his 1983 MCI Crusader and pushed the bus off the highway.
Avast, mateys: Jeremy Kurns (from left), Andrew Thompson, Laura Quam, Matt Lafferty, Neil Zimmerman and Christian Blochinger are Potcheen.
Avast, mateys: Jeremy Kurns (from left), Andrew Thompson, Laura Quam, Matt Lafferty, Neil Zimmerman and Christian Blochinger are Potcheen.
Location Info
Clement Park

7306 W. Bowles Ave.
Littleton, CO 80123

Category: Parks/Outdoors

Region: Southwest Denver Suburbs

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Potcheen2011 Colorado Irish Festival, with Seven Nations, the Indulgers, Colcannon and more, 3:45 p.m. Friday, July 8, Clement Park, 7306 West Bowles Avenue, Littleton, $12-$15, 303-973-1209.
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Blochinger was driving Potcheen's tour bus with another band as passengers; he was ferrying the rock group Savage Henry to dates on its first Midwest tour, a planned six-gig stretch that included an appearance in Lee's Summit, Missouri. When the police arrived at the scene of the accident, Blochinger says, the other passengers, who were injured but still conscious, told the troopers the driver was dead.

But the bloodied, unconscious Blochinger, still strapped into the driver's seat, wasn't dead. "I ended up breaking my collarbone, my shoulder blade, four ribs, my nose," Blochinger notes. "I had a slight hairline fracture in my wrist and eighteen stitches in my head. I had a major concussion, as well." As Blochinger attempted to recover from a laundry list of injuries and a ruined tour bus, he enlisted drummer David Derby as a temporary replacement so that Potcheen could keep its commitments. "I didn't have insurance," he says, "so I had to heal up on my own. I racked up $150,000 in medical bills. My truck got repossessed from my driveway."

After four months of being laid up, Blochinger took off his splints and returned to his drum stool in time to play on the main stage at the Desert Rocks Festival in Utah. By then, he had also replaced the ruined tour bus with another fifty-foot, 37,000-pound MCI Crusader, a 1980 model he named "Bonnie" after a famed pirate.

The basic story of perseverance and survival is one that's played itself out countless times in the history of Potcheen, which Blochinger founded in 2003. The outfit has demonstrated the same sort of resilience over the course of its nine-year existence, as more than forty different musicians have shuffled in and out of its ranks and the format has shifted from traditional Irish tunes to classic rock to somewhere in between.

Through it all, Blochinger has been at the helm, handling everything from squabble mediation to booking duties to tour management. Not surprisingly, he has no shortage of horror stories from the past decade, from musicians throwing hissy fits over muddled sound to dramatic breakups between dating bandmembers to confronting a bazouki player about his unwillingness to wear deodorant. "Being a bandleader," he insists, "you have to address that. Whenever somebody whines about something, that's when I want to smack them in the face. I only lose it about once or twice a year."

Even as he recounts the most stressful aspects of his role in the band, Blochinger maintains a friendly and approachable tone. There's no denying his affability, a quality others see as key to the band's longevity. "He's got a gift of gab, as much as we make fun of him for it," says guitarist Neil Zimmerman, who's played with the group for the past four years. "The bottom line in the world of business is that people like to do business with people they like. He comes across as very likable, especially when he's talking to booking agents."

Zimmerman, who also plays as one half of the local folk/rock duo Pairadeux, says the gregariousness covers a deep commitment to the band, a focus that's allowed it to survive. "It's his baby, and his dedication to keeping it alive despite the obstacles," Zimmerman observes. "The bus accident was a nasty thing, but he's like a football player. He plays with pain."

The stress of it all is a constant test of willpower and patience, Blochinger admits, but the 6' 3", 200-pound son of German and Argentine parents has found a sort of personal mission in playing old Irish songs and pirate rock. His perseverance has deep roots that go back to a childhood spent in New Jersey, far from the mountains of Cork and Kerry.

"When I was a freshman in high school," says Blochinger, "I was 5' 1" and 65 pounds. I got shoved in more garbage cans and lockers than I can remember. Every team my twin brother and I were on, we were always the worst players. For some reason, he would quit and I would stay with it." That same dogged persistence has kept him at the helm of Potcheen for nearly a decade. "I don't like to quit anything. It's the way my brain is wired. I'm an idiot," he says, laughing, adding that he's threatened to write an autobiography titled Herding Cats in a Parade. "I just believe in what the band can do. And I believe that the bands that make it are the ones that don't quit."


Blochinger likewise hasn't quit on the band's commitment to its Celtic roots, an odd fit for a German/Argentine raised in New Jersey. The specialty seems all the more unlikely considering Blochinger's musical roots; an early fan of classic rock and jam bands, the drummer learned his craft playing Grateful Dead covers and extended percussion jams.

It was while hosting an open stage in Evergreen that Blochinger first heard guitarist Christopher Shelby, who played stripped-down versions of old Irish and European ballads.
Avast, mateys: Jeremy Kurns (from left), Andrew Thompson, Laura Quam, Matt Lafferty, Neil Zimmerman and Christian Blochinger are Potcheen.
Avast, mateys: Jeremy Kurns (from left), Andrew Thompson, Laura Quam, Matt Lafferty, Neil Zimmerman and Christian Blochinger are Potcheen.
Location Info
Clement Park

7306 W. Bowles Ave.
Littleton, CO 80123

Category: Parks/Outdoors

Region: Southwest Denver Suburbs

0 user reviews
Write A Review

0
Powered by Voice Places
Details
Potcheen2011 Colorado Irish Festival, with Seven Nations, the Indulgers, Colcannon and more, 3:45 p.m. Friday, July 8, Clement Park, 7306 West Bowles Avenue, Littleton, $12-$15, 303-973-1209.
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Those performances exposed him to a deeper side of Celtic music, a history and power that seemed to underline every verse of folk tunes like "South Australia," "Whiskey in the Jar" and "Drunken Sailor." The songs' simple narratives and raw energy immediately appealed to Blochinger, who saw the music as a compelling link to the distant past.

"The first one I remember is 'Whiskey in the Jar,' and I still play that to this day," he notes of the 800-year-old ballad, a song that tells the story of a highway robber who's waylaid by the betrayal of his own beloved. "A lot of the songs were pirate songs. They were songs about drinking, or drinking and being a pirate.

"What's more fun than that?" he adds, smiling.

From there, Blochinger delved into the history behind the music: romantic stories of Irish sailors hitting ports in western Europe as pirates, combining careers as plunderers and ballad singers. "Ireland, that's where a lot of the most famous pirates were from," he asserts.

Blochinger and Shelby enlisted a bass player and formed the first, bare-bones version of the group. The trio called itself the Potcheen Folk Band. The title came from the Gaelic word for Irish moonshine, a spirit celebrated in the folk song "The Rare Old Mountain Dew."

"The more I looked at it," he recalls, "the more I realized that Celtic music was the original music that was put in a band format. It became bluegrass, country and R&B. We were finding that we could play a metal bar or a jam bar or a country bar. It was the first time that I was in a band that we could play any genre, any club, and everyone was digging it."

As Potcheen grew and different players circulated, Blochinger worked to expand the scope of its style. The speedy, rocked-out approach to Irish music refined by the Pogues and later adopted by bands like Flogging Molly and the Dropkick Murphys played a large role in the band's repertoire, but so did rock standards, originals and poppier tunes by bands like the Proclaimers.

"I have my own song that I wrote called 'Pogue Mahone,' which means 'Kiss my ass,'" Blochinger points out. "We just mix everything. We'll do a little Flogging Molly," he adds, noting that he's met and played with Nathen Maxwell. "We do bluegrass, we go to zydeco, go to an Irish song and then flip and do the Isley Brothers." It's an all-of-the-above approach, one that's drawn musicians who are new to Celtic music, just as Blochinger was when he heard those first ballads at the open stage.

"'Whiskey in the Jar' is 800 years old," Zimmerman points out. "It's been done in 9,000 different ways. We do a very upbeat version of it, and I think it's cool that it's survived this long."

"There's an utter simplicity and purity to it," he concludes. "It's about whiskey, it's about love, it's about rebellion. They are the same basic elements that appealed to people 700 years ago."
- Colorado Music Buzz 7-5-2011

Ay, mateys! Get ready to swill some rum and/or bourbon and have a swashbucklin good time! The new offering from Potcheen proves to be as much fun as it is gregarious. Yes, I know gregarious is an odd word for an album, but appropriate here in the sense that this album reaches out, grabs your face and gives you a big sloppy, wet, sailor kiss. Some tracks that are sure to get you to break out in a jig: Swallow Tail Jig, My Father Was A Sailor, Blackberry Blossom and Whiskey In The Jar.

—Charlotte D Aberrant, Colorado Music Buzz - Colorado Music Buzz 7-2009

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Potcheen rocked Scruffy Murphy's pub Friday night to celebrate the pub's 5th year
Potcheen rocked Scruffy Murphy's pub Friday night to celebrate the pub's 5th year
Photo credit:
Photo by Michael P. Thompson


It was a great evening of Celtic Pirate Rock as Scruffy Murphy's Pub in LoDo celebrated their 5th Birthday. Few small businesses last this long, and with Irish pubs dropping like flies lately, this one has proven its staying power.


Scruffy Murphy’s Irish Pub, located in Downtown Denver just minutes away from Coors Field, is the perfect place to grab a pint or enjoy some

traditional Irish pub fare. With 16 draught beers, a cozy atmosphere and outgoing staff, Scruffy’s is an authentic piece of the Emerald Isle right

here in Denver.


It was even better Friday evening with Celtic rockers Potcheen to get the crowd on their feet and moving to the music. Potcheen is the ultimate party band and they really showed their stuff at this party.


Potcheen is the Irish word for moonshine, the raw whiskey that comes from an illicit still, and this music is as raw and real as it gets. The band plays pub standards, favored by every Irish band to hoist a pint, but they play them with energy, enthusiasm, and expertise. From Christian Blochinger on drums, Manuel Nuñez on bouzouki, Laura Quam on dynamite fiddle, Melissa Ivey jammin' on guitar, and smokin' bass from Ryan Waller, every one of these people is an accomplished musician. Together they hold crowds in the palm of their collective hand with some of the finest Celtic rock you're ever likely to encounter.


Happy Birthday to Scruffy Murphy's, one of Denver's best Irish pubs, and kudos to Potcheen for making the evening special - CEltic Examiner: Denver,CO. February 6, 2010 By: Michael Thompson

Potcheen was the best band at the Colorado Irish Festival
— Denver Celtic Music Examiner | July 25 | 1:51 PM

There was an incredible array of fine Irish music at the Colorado Irish Festival this year, but in my opinion, local Denver band Potcheen outshone them all. It's astounding that I can say that, when such big name bands as Gaelic Storm headlined the festival, but frankly, I think they've left behind their traditional Irish roots and moved into an Irish-flavored mainstream rock vein instead. Of course, that's what attracted over 40,000 people to the festival, and the biggest crowd at any festival concert for their Saturday performance. Nothing wrong with that, it's just not my pint of stout.

By the way, for those traditional stout fiends like me who wonder why the festival has served Coors products the past couple of years instead of the customary Guinness, the answer is the same. Over 30 thousand pints of beer were consumed at this year's festival, making it the largest seller of Killian's Irish Red in the U.S. for 2009. If you can get thirty thousand people to petition Guinness to make a better offer, give it a try.

Now Potcheen is no more traditional than Gaelic Storm, with their electric guitars and drum kits, but to me, they hold the essence of good Irish music, and package it in what they call “pirate-punk-folk-rock.” And their audience obviously agreed. While the Elders were holding forth on the main stage, Potcheen still managed to pack the pub tent with screaming fanatics, who danced and sang and joined in the fun with manic fervor and energy. Everyone from little children to their parents, middle aged and older couples and everyone in between was up and dancing by the end of their performance. For sheer mind-blowing audience interaction, these people are second to none.

The Elders were amazing, Brother was astounding, McPeake rocked the crowds, Eileen Ivers helded them enraptured, and Gobs O'Phun had them rolling in the aisles with laughter, but Potcheen just blew them all out of the water. Make sure you see them play whenever you get the chance.

—Michael Thompson - Denver Celtic Music Examiner | July 25 | 1:51 PM

Who the Hell is Potcheen?

It’s not every day that you get hijacked by a bunch of scallywag pirates and live to tell the tale, but that’s exactly what happens when you jump onboard the pirate ship Potcheen, or rather its large green bus.

Potcheen is Denver’s premiere Celtic Pirate-Punk-Folk-Rock Band (try saying that one twice..or even once after you’ve had a shot or two of whisky). The band’s name means “Irish moonshine” brewed high in the hills of ole’ Ireland.

The band formed in 2003 and has been through some changes over the years, but one thing that hasn’t changed is its fearless captain. When he’s not out fighting off salty wenches you’ll find Christian Blochinger managing the band, singing a little shanty, and most importantly, behind a massive drum set even Bill Kreutzmann would be proud of. I was fortunate enough to get some one on one time with the legend himself.

When did you start pounding those drums, and why drums?

Blochinger: I started doing percussion when I was about 20, but didn’t get into full-fledged drumming until 12 years later. I saw “String Cheese Incident” and was inspired. That’s when I also bought a drum set for my son. It was something we were able to do together. I’m self-taught and I play by ear.

One thing people really know you from is that big, green tour bus of yours. And I understand it has a name…

Blochinger: Her name is ‘Grace’ and she’s named after the pirate Grace O’Malley, the only female Irish pirate. I got the idea to get a bus after living in New Jersey. Fans out there didn’t want to drive all the way to New York to see shows. So, a local band I knew bought a bus to take fans back and forth. Saves on gas, people can drink without worrying about driving home it is a great idea…I decided to do the same thing for our Colorado fans.

And Grace has quite the presence at the St. Paddy’s Parade...

Blochinger: We play on top of the bus every year during the St. Patrick’s Day Parade downtown. You’ve never lived until you’ve played on top of a moving bus in a parade lined with 80,000 people. Eight cases of Guinness, 20 strippers and a band on a bus playing to the entire city; who else can say that?

Writer’s note: Christian just had Grace converted to run on vegetable oil which is way better for the environment and no more big gas bills.

What’s one of the craziest things that ever happened to you before or after a performance?

Blochinger: Our first St. Patrick’s Day performance ever was at a house in Arvada. After the show, we were loading up and a gang war erupted all around us. Three rival gangs. Everyone was fighting. I just tried to load up the drums as fast as I could and told everyone else to do the same so we could get out of there.

Tell us about your most memorable performance.
Blochinger: When we played in front of 5,000-6,000 people in New Mexico opening for Los Lobos at the Taos Solar Festival

You’ve made a lot of changes in the band over the years. What is it that keeps you inspired?
Blochinger: I think the biggest joy I get in the world is playing, and playing for people. It’s about doing what you love, not about the money. Most people spend their whole life working in a cubicle waiting until they retire to get out and see the world. Why not travel and play music and see the whole world now? I’d rather have the adventure on the high seas.

Hop on the Potcheen bandwagon!
So there you have it all you land lubbers. I dare you to take the pirate adventure and jump on the bus next time Potcheen visits your neck of the woods. There’s no need to be afraid of this band of misfits. But, if ya don’t come away with a kick in your step and a nice jug of rum I might just have to make you walk the plank myself! ARR Mateys!

—Laura Kelley, Special to Metromix
- Metromix Denver nov. 2012

Potcheen: a guaranteed fun time for one and all. The Potcheen Folk Band is a whole other breed of bands. They bring an intense stage presence to a room - The Colorado Daily. 5-25-07

Potcheen Folk Band's Booze Cruise
Last fall, the Potcheen Folk Band shelled out for a 1983 MCI Crusader 2 coach bus. Talk about a great investment -- not to mention a phenomenally brilliant marketing ploy. Several times a month, the magic bus -- outfitted with several video monitors, plentiful seating and a fully stocked cooler full of brews -- makes stops at numerous pre-determined locales across the Front Range like a gambling charter. The booze cruise then shuttles fans to whatever venue the Irish-centric act happens to be playing that night for several hours of drunken whiskey songs, rebel songs and general pirate debauchery, then deposits them back at their cars with (hopefully) plenty of time to sober up. - The Westword. 4-11-06

Potcheen turned out to be awesome. With a sound akin to Flogging Molly and the Dropkick Murphys, thanks mainly to Shelby's gravely, garbled vocal style, Potcheen transformed that quaint little mountain tavern into a rollicking Irish pub. Even more noteworthy was MacGregor's exceptional fiddle playing, which danced atop traditional arrangements with the ease and grace of Michael Flatley. Named after Irish moonshine, the band pounded out song after song about drinking. And the more it played, the rowdier and drunkier everyone got.Potcheen continued its barrage for two more neck-breaking sets, tearing through at least thirty songs over the course of the night. It was a great scene, with folks locking arms and Riverdancing in front of the stage. - The Westword: Backbeat