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Tuatha Dea / Press

“No wind, but their instruments lay nearby, ready for action. While Florida braces for Hurricane Irma, hurricanes Tuatha Dea look to storm Capone’s in Johnson City, Tennessee, on Friday, Sept. 8. Tagged with a freakish swirl of intense Celtic rock as informed by Appalachian roots and treated with freedom’s welcoming vibe, Tuatha Dea invade as friends on the prowl. “We’re Celtic tribal Appalachian Gypsy rock,” said Danny Mullikin, the band’s founder and guitarist. “We didn’t start out with the intention of being a band. We started as a drum circle.” Roots struck paydirt on the day Mullikin met Rebecca Holman nearly 10 years ago. Organic affixes well to Tuatha Dea. They’re willing to try new sounds. When it works, it stays — for a while. As a result, like clouds passing overhead, the band’s style alters. Yet like few bands can, Tuatha Dea transform oft-impersonal stages into a momentary family room. Come, their songs say, into our lives. Welcome, the band says, to ”

“Hi Pi-rates! I got the opportunity to speak with the founders of the the Gatlinburg based band Tuatha Dea. They don't really fit into a genre, but I'll describe them as Celtic Punk Gypsy Rock. That doesn't really describe their sound well, so listen to the end and form your own opinion. Just wait until you hear who they've collaborated with recently! These are some good folks, show them some love y'all!”

“The winner of the Hard Rock Rising Rock Off was Tuatha Dea. As part of winning, they will go on to compete globally for a chance to play live in Barcelona, Spain at the Hard Rock Rising Festival. Congratulations to Tuatha Dea for winning and special thanks to everyone who come out as part of this year's Hard Rock Rising at Hard Rock Cafe Pigeon Forge.”

“The music and the stories have also come full circle with Bledsoe’s relationship with Tuatha Dea, a band billed as “Celtic tribal gypsy rock.” The Tennessee-based group has taken Bledsoe’s stories as inspiration to release an entire record called “Tufa Tales: Appalachian Fae,” and has made videos based on two of the books. The band makes an appearance in “Long Black Curl.” “It’s so weird, it’s legitimized us as fantasy characters, but we’re real people,” said Danny Mullikin, the group’s founder. “It’s kind of a strange place to be.”But the real find for Bledsoe has been Tuatha Dea. Bledsoe and the band were both appearing at a festival in a Tennessee park. From his cabin in the park, Bledsoe heard a pounding, drum-heavy sound that fascinated him. He realized it was a cover of the Cranberries’ “Zombie” and headed to check out the band. “It was one of the best shows I’ve seen in my life,” he said. “If you wanted to create a band to come ou”

“My Tufa novels, of which the upcoming Long Black Curl is the third, are all about music. They’re about other things, too, of course, but a central theme is how music touches people, affects them and brings them together. But I never expected that my novels would, in fact, bring me together with a tribe of musicians that could’ve stepped right out of those pages.In 2013, I was a presenter at the Pagan Unity Festival (a.k.a. PUF) at a state park outside Nashville.Imagine my surprise when, from the pavilion down the hill, I heard a musical roar like nothing I expected.That was my introduction to Tuatha Dea, a band that, as I said, sounded and looked as if they’d stepped right out of one of my Tufa novels. They’re an eight-piece ensemble that rotates on the instruments, with an emphasis on heavy drums. Their performance that night was one of the best shows I’ve ever seen, and I’ve seen Springsteen multiple times.”

“From the band’s first appearance at a Gatlinburg pub to a trial-by-fire performance at the 2010 Gatlinburg Scottish Highland Games to this weekend’s show as part of the “Music in the Air Festival” at the Clayton Center for the Arts, Tuatha Dea has soared on the winds of good fortune. There’s something to be said for the raw talent of clan patriarch Danny Mullikin, of course; without a bedrock upon which to build, fate couldn’t have taken the group as far as it has. Still, Mullikin told The Daily Times this week, it’s been a journey he and his family never saw coming. “The whole thing was totally inadvertent,” he said. “We started as a drum circle — myself, my son, my daughter, my wife, my son’s best friend and another close best friend. We were all friends before we were musicians, things in. Mullikin and his family don’t even have a label for what they do; others have described it as Celtic tribal fusion/rock.”

“Tuatha Dea just released a new video called “The Hum and Shiver.” It is based on the first book in the Tufa series by Alex Bledsoe. When the video was released, Bledsoe said, “I had the pleasure of watching it with them when it first arrived from the video producer.” Named one of the best fiction books of 2011 by Kirkus, Hum and Shiver begins the story of a Tufa people, who live in the mountains of eastern Tennessee. The second book in the series is titled, Wisp of a Thing, and the third, which was just released, is titled A Long Black Curl. Written into all of the Tufa novels is a cultural and magical emphasis on music. Both Tuatha Dea and Bledsoe call Tennessee home, and the new video captures that Appalachian spirit found in the books. In 2014, Tuatha Dea, so inspired by the series, released an entire album called Tufa Tales: Appalachian Fae. Recently, Bledsoe explained to the Wisconsin State Journal, “If you wanted to create a band to come out of my books, [Tuatha Dea] ”

“Tufa tunes: Author Alex Bledsoe uses music to make a mood”

“Gatlinburg's own home grown band won the Battle of the Bands at the Hard Rock Café in Pigeon Forge. They now move on to the finals for the internationally renowned Hard Rock Rising Battle of the Bands.Last year Tuatha Dea competed with 10,000 bands worldwide and placed number 15 in the finals! There is something about Gatlinburg that produces the best artist in the world.Band founder Danny Mullikin said “Last year we entered the contest and came out in 15th place. So we thought why not try again. When we entered we were not expecting anything.But our wonderful friends, family and fans boosted up the voting process. Hard Rock contacted us with the results and we started the path to Battle of the Bands. We really weren't sure what would happen. Maybe Danny is surprised with the ongoing success of his local band but anyone who has heard them live is not. Tuatha Dea has built a strong and loyal community of people who show their support and their love every where they go. Formorefollo”

“Gatlinburg Presents Earth Week in the Smokies, April 20-25, 2015 The climax of the week is the 8th Annual Earth Day Festival, Thursday, April 23 from 3:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Mynatt Park. Everyone is welcome to attend for free activities and games, craft stations, and live music from Tuatha Dea”

“From the Chamber of Commerce Gatlinburg, TN To all our fellow Chamber members: Tuatha Dea invites you to the Hard Rock Cafe Pigeon Forge to support your Gatlinburg Based Celtic Tribal Gypsy Band as they compete tonight, March 25th at 6:30 pm in the finals for the internationally renowned Hard Rock Rising Battle of the Bands! For 5 years the band has spread the word of their Appalachian connection to Gatlinburg across the states and in Canada and last year placed number 15 out of 10,000 bands worldwide. Please spread the word and join and support us in this final local competition as we compete for the spot we may represent our community in Barcelona Spain. Admission is FREE and be sure to check in for Tuatha Dea at the "Rock Shop" when you enter Hard Rock. We appreciate your support in advance hope to see you there. Visit our event on Facebook”

Camber of Commerce Gatlinburg TN - Tonight! Support your Gatlinburg based Celtic Tribal Gypsy Band

“Stirring both the heart and soul:Tuatha Dea satisfies one’s musical cravings.This kind of style is also dominant in other tracks like the poly-rhythmic induced The Hunt(corners). The track starts with percussion then escalates into a melodic devotional chant piece. There is also the traditional inspired Mulligan Stew that should have been used in TV series like Merlin. The remaining tracks bend on the folk/rock side. The female vocals are strong reminiscent of Stevie Nicks and Annie Lennox. I think this is great because I really like singers who sound like women and not like little girls. Songs like Falling Down, Celtic Woman (Mavis McGee), Tonight and the heart hurting Skye Boat Blues will leave you contemplating lost loves and missed soul mates in fishnet stockings and thick black mascara. Call this an aside but I really love everyone’s fashion style here. Tuatha Dea is a band that is both beautiful to the eyes and ears. A perfect companion for a long rainy night with a single c”

“There’s something to be said for the raw talent of clan patriarch Danny Mullikin, of course; without a bedrock upon which to build, fate couldn’t have taken the group as far as it has. Still, Mullikin told The Daily Times this week, it’s been a journey he and his family never saw coming. “The whole thing was totally inadvertent,” he said. “We started as a drum circle — myself, my son, my daughter, my wife. We were all friends before we were musicians, and we used drums for unity. We started out going to different festivals just to play and working with the Girl Scouts, and as we started playing out more and more, we started integrating more things in." Fueled by the mystique of the Smoky Mountains at their backs, the members of Tuatha Dea communicate with the primal spirits of fans. The hypnotic rhythm of the percussion, which wraps like tendrils around shrill barks from a flute and long blasts of a didgeridoo, casts a wide net, Mullikin said — performers and audience”

“Earlier this year, the drumming and singing family from Gatlinburg, TN known as Tuatha Dea released their latest album called The Tribe. This CD is a tribal effort (pun intended) by Tuatha Dea, Celia, Spiral Rhythm, Murphey’s Midnight Rounders, Damh the Bard and Wendy Rule. When all these talented musicians get together to do an album you know it is going to be something amazing. I had the pleasure of seeing Tuatha Dea on stage at Heartland Pagan Festival at Camp Gaea over Memorial Weekend. They played music from all their CDs plus a piece or two that aren’t or won’t be on a CD. They began their concert with “The Hunt” (their quarter calling song), and ended with “Mishiamagu”, everything in between was just awesome and got people up and dancing, stomping their feet, clapping their hands and just having a great time. My only regrets about the concert, I had left my camera in my tent. Tuatha Dea took the idea behind The Tribe and ran with it. They have created a website for”

“The "Calling All Drums" event will begin at 3PM with an open house, where refreshments will be served. The group will then move to the meadow for a butterfly release to be held in memory of the victims of 9/11 and in honor of the emergency personnel who served that day and during the aftermath. Tuatha Dea Drum Nation will then facilitate a community drumming circle led by Damasqhs, who is also the founder of the local Tuatha Dea Celtic Tribal Drum Ensemble. "Our goal is to serve the community through the interaction and exchange of the drum's energy," he says, adding that such events help to break down barriers "while promoting self confidence, team-building, self-expression and overall personal health through the power of rhythm." Prior drumming experience is not required, and everyone is welcome to participate equally. "Everyone has a drummer in them," Damasqhs says.”

“Featured Local Artist: Tuatha Dea Drum Nation Saturday, September 4th 10am – 4pm Tuatha Dea Drum Nation is a local group of drum circle facilitators coming to the Great Outpost to play and engage the public in a Drum Circle Facilitation. Participants will have the opportunity for a truly unique hands-on experience. Drums will be provided, and people of all ages are welcome to participate and enjoy a fun, exciting and interactive event! Tuatha Dea’s goal is to serve the community through the interaction and exchange of the drum’s energy in an effort to break down barriers while promoting self confidence, team building, and self expression through the power of rhythm. Don’t miss this opportunity to experience the magic of drumming!”

"Tuatha De Danaan" has been used as the theme song to Stan Cottrell's Great Global Friendship Run campaign.

“Irish Heritage Month celebrated with bands, dancers Wednesday, March 10th, 2010 Pellissippi State Community College celebrates Irish Heritage Month on March 16 with Celtic music and highland dancing. The community is invited to join students, faculty and staff for the free festivities from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Goins Building Auditorium at the Pellissippi Campus on Hardin Valley Road. Following Red-Haired Mary, the Sevierville-based Tuatha Dea Drum Nation presents an eclectic mix of Scotch-Irish music. The group does its own “punkish” renditions of such classics as “Whiskey in a Jar” and “Loch Lomond.” The performance is 12:45-1:45 p.m. For more information, contact Gayle Wood at (865) 539-7160 or gwood@pstcc.edu.”