Enter the Haggis returns to St. Augustine

By Marne Burghoffer | gargoyle@flagler.edu

Photo by Marne Burghoffer

Enter the Haggis, a Toronto based indie/folk rock band, had a change of scenery from their Northern roots while passing through Florida this week on their American tour.

Though not their first visit to St. Augustine or Cafe 11, the band thoroughly enjoyed their show on Thursday night. The feeling was mutual, as the crowd danced, laughed and sang along.

“This venue has a different vibe from anywhere else we play,” Brian Buchanan, vocals, fiddle, keyboards, acoustic guitar and electric guitar for the band said. “St. Augustine is far and away my favorite place in Florida.”

There was a fairly decent turnout for a rainy Thursday night, considering the parking lot was full an hour before the performance. Despite the weather, fans were friendly and projected a very positive feeling.

Enter the Haggis’ two latest albums, White Lake (2011) and Modest Revolution (2013), were completely funded by fans. Before the show the band could be found scattered throughout the bar area, chatting with audience members over drinks. The band was in town for a few days before the show and invited new friends from a local restaurant.

“They came and played with us last night. We danced, clapped, and sang. It was beautiful,” said Javier Castillo.

Local band, Jig to a Milestone, seemed to impress everyone with their unique sound, introducing a lesser-known instrument called the Hammer Dulcimer in their set before the headliners.

Once Enter the Haggis took the stage, they stated that they would be playing their latest album, Modest Revolution, in its entirety. It includes songs all based off of stories from the March 30, 2012 edition of a Canadian newspaper called The Globe and Mail.

The crowd was diverse and all were excited to hear the band. Some even wore kilts in support. A few songs in, Craig Downie started the drones to the highland bagpipes, igniting a large crowd reaction. The music continued for about two hours with different instruments in each song, including the fiddle, trumpet, octave mandolin and harmonica. This seemed to keep the audience on their feet and made for a successful show.

Enter the Haggis isn’t done with the Sunshine State yet. They will be performing at the Jacksonville Celtic Festival on Saturday, Nov. 5.