As the raven flies, there are about 3360 miles between Galway, Ireland’s Crane Bar and Marquette, Michigan’s Blackrocks Brewery, but the two music-friendly, local-centric watering holes seem significantly closer when you give Spring Harbor – the debut release by Marquette’s The Knockabouts - a spin.
The Knockabouts - Spring Harbor
The Knockabouts are Marquette guitarist/singer/songwriter Daniel Truckey, Tim DeMarte (The Regulars) on bodhran, vocals, and guitar, and fiddle virtuoso Barbara Rhyneer, sharing vocal duties as well. Each song on Spring Harbor showcases each of them to varying degrees.
The Knockabouts (L-R): Daniel Truckey, Barbara Rhyneer, Tim DeMarte
The album ebbs and flows through originals and traditional numbers, slow and fast, sad and bouncy, with the perfect balance of musical proficiency, deep emotion, and rowdy, loose fun. Out of the gate the first track, a Knockabouts original, “New Instrument” is one of my top picks. The upbeat descending-scale fiddle A-part transitions into the slower-tempo B-part like a kid’s first chords on a new guitar he found under the tree on Christmas morning as he acclimates to the feel of the neck and the action of the bright, clean strings. “County Life – Atholl Highlanders” (trad) bounces along with a strong 3-part harmony and danceable jig at the end. I’ve always had a soft spot for “Star of the County Down” (trad) since first hearing it on a Pogues/Chieftains bootleg from London’s Brixton Academy in 1991 when I was neck-deep in my Pogues mega-fandom phase a couple decades back. The Knock’s kill it, inside a great medley with “Tamlin” (trad reel) and “Slap the Bug” (Rhyneer).
The Knockabouts Record Release Show - Blackrocks Brewery, Marquette, Michigan 8/29/2025
The band celebrated their record release last weekend at Blackrocks Brewery in Marquette, but I expect the beautiful harmonies and foot-tappin’ instrumentation were heard loud and clear in Galway’s West End. They play all over the U.P. regularly at bars, festivals, theatres, and listening rooms, so get out to see them if you’re up that way, and make sure to pick up your copy of Spring Harbor in person – or buy from them directly, and watch for it on streaming services soon.
The Knockabouts Website
The Knockabouts Facebook
Jeremy Porter lives near Detroit, fronts the rock and roll band Jeremy Porter And The Tucos, and plays acoustic shows all over the place. Follow him and them on Facebook to read his road blog about their adventures on the dive-bar circuit.
www.jeremyportermusic.com | www.blog.jeremyportermusic.com
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Twitter: @jeremyportermi | Instagram: @onetogive & @jeremyportermusic
