Trad band Tarahan's tunes are all about the tales

"We like to tell stories for sure, when we get around each other," says Noel Worthman, one of the members of the band Tarahan.

The five members of Tarahan — Worthman, Jim Bradley, Mike Kinsella, Kyran Pennell and Lorne Rowsell — are the workhorses of the local trad music scene.

They have played their blend of Newfoundland and Celtic music together for about 15 years and 600 shows.

"If we do a regular pub gig, we're looking at 40-something songs," said Worthman.

'They're all narratives'

For Tarahan's second album, The Quality Bundle, each band member brought a couple of their favourite songs from their large repertoire.

"They're all narratives of some sort," said Tarahan's multi-instrumentalist Jim Bradley.

"There's always a bit of education and Newfoundland history."

Depending on what sort of audience Tarahan is playing to — local pub patrons, convention crowds or tourists — the members adjust their ratios of jigs and reels to heartfelt ballads to rousing singalongs.

Tarahan talks about The Quality Bundle 

"Some listen, and some sing and some don't, but it [the music] draws a connection,"  said Worthman.

Different audiences, different reactions

The members of Tarahan also notice differences between their audiences. Bradley and Worthman said that locals tend to enjoy singalongs.

"With tourists, you'll see the dance floor open up a bit," said Worthman.

"They [tourists] often marvel at the fact that we have younger people and older people, and everyone knows the songs and sings along," said Bradley.

"I guess we live day to day and don't realize that. It's a special thing."

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