Editing Brobdingnagian Bards

{{Notability|Music|date=February 2024}}

The '''Brobdingnagian Bards''' are a [[Celtic music]] group from [[Austin, Texas]], United States.

==History==

[[Marc Gunn]], formerly of Austin Texas' alternative rock bands Skander and Breastfed, released a solo album (''Geography'') featuring himself on [[autoharp]] and Andrew McKee on recorder in 1998. This initial collaboration lead to the official formation of the Brobdingnagian Bards in 1999.

The group's name is derived from [[Brobdingnag]], the kingdom of coarse giants described in [[Jonathan Swift]]'s satirical novel ''[[Gulliver's Travels]]''. The band was made up of its original two members, [[Marc Gunn]] ([[autoharp]], vocals), and Andrew McKee ([[Recorder (musical instrument)|recorder]], [[mandolin]], vocals).

The Brobdingnagian Bards musical style is best described as a mixture of [[Ireland|Irish]] and [[Scotland|Scottish]] [[folk music]], with their original compositions often falling into the [[filk]] genre.  Although the pair did perform a good deal of purely traditional songs, the band is most well known for their original works, including comedic [[pop-culture]] and [[sci-fi]]-themed [[parodies]]. Despite performing in a niche genre, this duo was ranked as one of the top 20 bands on the original [[MP3.com]].{{Citation needed|date=April 2024}} Over time, the Bards also honed their act into live entertainment by adding comedy, with McKee being the "[[Straight man|straight-man]]" to Gunn's antics. As a result, they also became a familiar and popular act on both the [[renaissance faire]] and geek-show circuits.

The Bards had the honor of being headliners at the Oscar party for ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King]]''. Both performers are from Austin, Texas, and have made regular appearances in the [[Austin Chronicle]]'s annual Austin Music Awards poll; they earned the #1 prize for "Best Novelty Band" in 2004, "Best None of the Above" performing band in 2006 (the first Celtic band to ever win such accolades), and "Best Folk Act" in 2007. The band has also made regular top-ten finishes in the folk band and [[world music]] categories.<ref>[http://www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/Awards/MusicAwards?index=true The Austin Chronicle: Austin Music Awards]</ref> In 2002, the Bards were also given a critic's pick award for "Best Renaissance Men" in the 2002 Best of Austin awards.<ref>[http://www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/Awards/BestOfAustin/index?SearchTerms=brobdingnagian+bards&Search=1&submit.x=0&submit.y=0&submit=submit The Austin Chronicle: Best of Austin]</ref> 

In addition to the many conventions, fairs and music festivals the group performed at around the Austin area, they also have toured coast to coast, and developed a following of devoted listeners, referred to as "Nagians." In 2007 and 2008, the Bards with several of their fans took a vacation tour of [[Ireland]].

On September 15, 2008, the Brobdingnagian Bards band broke up amicably in order to pursue solo careers. They played one of their last public performances at The Browncoat Ball, organized by the Austin Browncoats.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://austinbrowncoats.com/ |title=Austin Browncoats - Home |accessdate=2011-02-04 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110130004235/http://austinbrowncoats.com/ |archivedate=2011-01-30 }}</ref>

The Bards reformed in 2012, performing at the Sherwood Celtic Music Festival near Austin<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.bardbootlegs.com/bbp-31-announcing-sherwood-celtic-music-festival-reunion/|title=Brobdingnagian Bards Podcast: Announcing Sherwood Celtic Music Festival Reunion}}</ref> and have continued to work together off and on since.

The Bards performed at [[Dragon Con|DragonCon]] in Atlanta, GA in August 2013, 2016 and 2018.

==Discography==
*''Marked by Great Size'' (1999)
*''Gullible's Travels'' (2000)
*''Songs of the Muse'' (2001)
*''[[A Faire to Remember]]'' (2001)
*''[[Songs of Ireland (Brobdingnagian Bards album)|Songs of Ireland]]'' (2002)
*''Memories of Middle Earth'' (2003)
*''[[A Celtic Renaissance Wedding]]'' (2004)
*''[[Brobdingnagian Fairy Tales]]'' (2005)
*''[[Christmas in Brobdingnag, Vol 1]]'' (2005)
*''The Holy Grail of Irish Drinking Songs'' (2006)
*''LIVE: Nex Monoceroti, Per Risibus'' (2007)
*''Real Men Wear Kilts'' (2008)
*''Dragons and Virgins'' (2017)
*''I Will Not Sing Along'' (2020)
*''Another Faire to Remember'' (2023)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Another Faire to Remember {{!}} Brobdingnagian Bards |url=http://www.thebards.net/newsletter/2021/0929--another-faire-to-remember.shtml |access-date=2024-04-23 |website=www.thebards.net}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://thebards.net Brobdingnagian Bards]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20060511220344/http://www.celticmp3s.com/bands/brobdingnagian_bards/ Feature on Celtic MP3s Music Magazine]
*[http://www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/Issue/story?oid=oid:212014 "The 'N' Word: What the Filk is this Music?"] in [[The Austin Chronicle]]
*[https://archive.today/20090413173420/http://media.www.dailytexanonline.com/media/storage/paper410/news/2005/04/26/Focus/Seeking.Stardom.Check.The.Internet-937496.shtml "Seeking Stardom? Check the Internet"] in [[The Daily Texan]]
*[http://www.sliceofscifi.com/2005/08/11/slice-of-sci-fi-019/ Interview with Marc Gunn] on [[Slice of SciFi]]
*[http://www.bardbooking.com/ Electronic Press Kit]
*[http://www.myspace.com/brobdingnagianbards Bards on Myspace]
*[http://www.soundclick.com/brobdingnagianbards Bards on SoundClick]
*[http://www.thebards.net/podcast/ A Brobdingnagian Minute Podcast]
*[http://www.bardscomic.com/ Adventures of the Brobdingnagian Bards Comic]
{{Brobdingnagian Bards}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Bards, Brobdingnagian}}
[[Category:Musical groups from Austin, Texas]]
[[Category:Celtic music groups]]
[[Category:Renaissance fair performers]]
[[Category:Filkers]]
[[Category:Musical groups established in 1999]]
[[Category:1999 establishments in Texas]]
[[Category:Musical groups disestablished in 2008]]
[[Category:2008 disestablishments in Texas]]
[[Category:Musical groups established in 2012]]
[[Category:2012 establishments in Texas]]