Biography

Pittsburgh-based Bastard Bearded Irishmen is one of the most entertaining and energetic live shows today. Their sound is an original, ferocious blend of traditional and contemporary Celtic music, mixed with punk, gypsy and high-energy rock n’ roll. Bastard Bearded Irishmen, or BBI, was originally intended to be a one-night-only tribute for a dear, departed friend. Jimmy Bastard and Ben Jaber shared a passion for Irish music and enlisted Dan Stocker on drums and Danny Rectenwald on mandolin to form the nucleus of the band. What began as a tribute in local pub gigs turned into two records with a third on the way, constant touring, sharing the stage with the likes of Street Dogs and Gogol Bordello and a sponsorship from Jameson Irish Whiskey. The group’s lineup is rounded out by Paul Dvorchak on fiddle, Ryan Warmbrodt on rhythm guitar and Sean-Paul Williams on bass. These days, the band is having as much fun as ever. The shows are a non-stop barrage of party anthems, dancing tunes and maybe even the occasional whiskey-fueled ballad. The experience is always organic, and sometimes, unpredictable. Maybe Jimmy will climb into the rafters to do an epic guitar solo. Maybe Danny will jump into the crowd and lose his shirt (sometimes pants). Quite simply, the guys want the crowd to let loose and party. One thing is for sure, the bar better be overstocked.