Next Flight Out (or Savage Craic as they are known in the Dubliners) have been based in Dubai for 10 years. The founder members, Peter McKinney, Rory Allardice, Chris Smoak and Ged Palmer first performed together in 1998. The band has played in the UAE, Bahrain and Ireland.

Several prominent members of the Irish community in Dubai have served their time with the band; former Rose of Tralee, Dubai Claire Ward on lead vocals, guitar, keyboards; Amanda Davey, flute; Kevin Dunleavy, vocals, guitar, percussion; Niamh Hickey, vocals, percussion.

View Part 1 of their story below.

Although several of the former musicians have moved on, they do tend to come back and St Patrick’s Night 2008 at the Dubliners was a reunion of the band with 6 musicians flying in for the event and a line-up of 13.

The band plays fusion Celtic music and has a line-up of fiddle, whistles, mandolin, banjo, keyboards, bass, drums, guitars. The band founded the underground Dubai Speakeasy Sessions which took place every month in the old Dubai Water Ski and Country Clubs until they were knocked down.

View Part 2 of their story below.

The Band: It was formed in 1998 from the core of the Monday night sessions in the Dubliners. Peter McKinney from Belfast (guitar and vocals) joined with Rory Allardice from Dundee (vocals, whistles, electric mandolin and harmonica), Ian Sellars from the Scottish Borders (vocals, bouzouki, mandolin and guitar) and Chris Smoak (electronic drums) from North Carolina in the U.S.A.

The Name: The band was looking for a name before its first concert in the Crown Plaza Hotel Dubai when Ian made a surprise career move and hasty departure on the day before the concert and returned to Scotland .
Shortly after, the band was supplemented by Andy Bryce (electric bass) and Ged Palmer from Aberdeen but of Liverpudlian origin (electric fiddle, tenor banjo, whistles and vocals). The band has undergone several changes to its line-up over the years with Ged, Rory and Peter remaining from the original group. Although Peter has now emigrated to Australia, he manages to make the St Patrick’s Night gig every year and is around most of the Autumn also. For St Patrick’s Night 2008; 6 former members of the band flew in for a series of wild concerts. The band was up to 13 in size for some gigs.

View Part 3 of their story below.

The Concerts: The band has played concerts all over the UAE and made several visits to Bahrain. In August 2003, the band toured Donegal in Ireland. Recently the band has been turning out as Savage Craic at the Dubliners, Airport Meridien, Dubai and it also appeared in different formations at the Speakeasies which the band started and which took place at the Dubai Water Ski Club and the Country Club once a month but which have now passed into folklore of Dubai as all the places the band plays in seem to get knocked down! Maybe we are a jinx!.

The Music: Is a blend of traditional and contemporary Irish and Scottish music with a few standards thrown in. The band plays fast and furious instrumental sets and a variety of songs. The treatment of the music ranges from traditional to fusion and it is at times meditative and at others wildly danceable. The band includes original compositions by Ged, Peter, Karin and Rory in its repertoire. Recently, the band has introduced saxophone, keyboards, electric lead guitar, full drum kit and even electronic bagpipes. It is never predictable.

The Irish contingent has decreased recently with members moving on and there are openings for strong traditional instrumentalists(fiddle, accordion, flute, pipes) and lead singers. If you would like to come and meet the band or audition for a place, contact Rory Allardice on rory@emirates.net.ae

Click to view the Band’s website. and watch the the other parts of their 8 piece documentary on the early days of the band with Rory and Peter as narrators.