FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – MEDIA RELEASE
 After a massive 2011, Melbourne’s own Celtic rockers Claymore will be seeing in the New Year at home for the first time in years. The band celebrated a massively successful tour of Europe this year and will be wrapping up the year in a huge celebration of Hogmanay at the Thornbury Theatre on December 31.
Hogmanay, the Scottish word for New Year’s Eve is one of the biggest celebrations in Scotland every year, with approximately two million people travelling to Edinburgh to revel in the festivities. Aside from rockin’ in the New Year Celtic style, Claymore will also be accompanied by a troupe of dancers and pipe band on the night, as well as surprise appearances by some very special guests. This is the perfect party atmosphere to see in 2012!
Claymore lead vocalist William Hutton says the band is really looking forward to playing a hometown gig for New Year’s Eve. “It’s been a long time since we played a New Year’s Eve show in Melbourne,” he says. “We have either been interstate or overseas at the time. It’s that warm and fuzzy excited to be home feeling we get! The last time we played Melbourne on New Year’s, it was at Federation Square to around 40,000 people. This won’t be that big, but it will be just as exciting.”
Claymore are already heralded as one of the world’s premier Celtic rock bands, and 2011 only cemented this reputation as they toured throughout Europe. Returning to play at Festival Interceltique in Lorient, France - the largest Celtic gathering in the world – they earned themselves a solid new fan base. “We played some huge shows, played with some great fellow Celtic artists and caught up with old friends,” William says. “It was also a huge privilege to play at home, such as shows like this year’s National Celtic Festival in Port Arlington, Victoria, where we got to share the stage with USA Irish band SOLAS, who are a long-time favourite of ours. To have them appreciate what we do, as much as we love them, was a huge buzz.”
 Forget everything you’ve ever thought you knew about Celtic rock bands, because Claymore, defies all expectations. This enigmatic band of multi-instrumentalists not only manages to combine traditional elements of Celtic music, but they take that passion and soul and rock it right into the 21st century. Few bands can pull off the sensitive task of re-educating the traditional realm into the modern day, but that’s something of a specialty for Claymore. Not only that, but they manage to write beautiful original Celtic compositions, and even lend their style to some power rock classics, all with an Irish and Scottish twist.
Claymore have a host of impressive album releases under their belt and a long list of festival performances to their name, including headlining position at Australia’s largest folk event. Since the band’s inception more than two decades ago, they’ve released five impressive albums, and performed internationally from gigs in New York, Scotland and New Zealand, to several headline appearances at the reputed Festival Interceltique De Lorient France. Combine this with performances at the biggest festivals on the Australian circuit such as the Queenscliff Music Festival, Big Blues Day Out, Perth International Arts Festival and Brunswick Music Festival to name a few, and you’ve got an impressive musical resume.
 Although many Celtic bands may come and go, each sounding remarkably like the other, the point of difference with Claymore is within the term ‘rock’. They add a current flavour, and interestingly, an inherent Australianness, to their music, bringing ole time traditional themes into the future, and appealing to audiences young and old. From the penetrating beats of the bohdrahn in the battle songs of the Jacobite rebellion to the hypnotising drone of the pipes in the evocative love ballads of Scotland and Ireland, fans of the band find themselves conquered by the most fiery and delicate textures of Celtic music.
If the size of 2011 was anything to go by for Claymore, then 2012 is going to be one of the biggest years yet. The first part of the year is already busy with shows such as Port Fairy Festival and St Paddy’s Day in Cairns, Queensland locked into the calendar. William says he is also working on an East Coast tour of America for later in the year. “We will also be working on a long awaited new CD,” he says. “We also plan to release our Live CD, which we have in the can from shows around the world this year.”
Don’t miss this chance to celebrate Hogmanay in fine form as only a Celtic rock band can! Tickets are available now for Claymore’s New Year’s Eve show at Thornbury Theatre.
CELTIC NEW YEAR’S EVE
Saturday 31st December 2011 | 7.30pm
Thornbury Theatre, Thornbury VIC
Tickets: (03) 9484 9831 | www.claymore.org
Special guests: Glenbrae Celtic Dancers & Ambulance Australia pipes & drums
For more information please visit www.claymore.org
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