Hailing from Slane, The Wednesday Gang are a band built on community, chemistry and a deep love of live music. Their story goes back to 2010, when an open music session began in Boyles Pub in Slane while Andrew was running the venue.
“We’ve been around a while now,” they explain. “In 2010 a session was formed when Andrew was running Boyles Pub in Slane. It was an open session and musicians from all over came to play.”
With players from a wide range of musical backgrounds coming together each week, something unique began to form. “There were many musical backgrounds and over time the different genres fused to give us quite a unique sound,” they say. When the session began travelling beyond the pub, the band truly took shape. “We took the session on the road and that’s when The Wednesday Gang became a band really.”
Today, The Wednesday Gang are a seven-piece band who play everything live. Their focus is simple. “We love playing, I think that comes across in our shows. Our main aim is to make sure everyone that comes to see us has a great night.”
The band’s name is a direct nod to their roots. “The session that we used to play in Boyles was on a Wednesday night and that’s where the name came from.”
Describing their sound is no small task, but one early review still stands out. “After our first time playing Electric Picnic in 2017, the Irish Times described our sound as ‘finely honed, ramshackle rock’n’roll’. I still love that description and it’s accurate,” they say.
With fiddle, mandolin, whistle, washboard, acoustic guitars, banjo, bass and drums all part of the line-up, the band feels another description fits just as well. “Maybe fiery folk with a healthy dash of rock’n’roll might be more accurate. We don’t limit ourselves genre-wise. If it’s a good song, it could well make the set list.”
With seven members, musical influences naturally span almost every genre. “There are seven of us in the band so collectively most genres are covered,” they explain. “We each bring our preferences to each song we play and maybe that’s where we get that slightly different sound from.” Years of playing together have helped refine that blend. “We’ve been together a long time so there is definitely a familiarity with each other’s styles and we seem to be able to make this work for us.”
Rehearsals are a weekly fixture and just as important for the social side as the music. “We practice every week. It’s a good way of staying sharp but it’s also good craic,” they laugh. “We probably spend more time chatting and drinking tea but we do try to get a few tunes in too.” A typical session lasts two to three hours, split between jamming and conversation.
The band has enjoyed a number of standout moments over the years. “We’ve been so lucky to have played some amazing gigs,” they say. Playing the main stage at the Fleadh in Drogheda in 2018 and 2019 remains a highlight, as do their appearances on the Salty Dog Stage at Electric Picnic since 2017. “We’re not a huge household name band, so to be given the opportunity to play these gigs are really special for us and we’ll always appreciate it.”
Drogheda holds a special place in the band’s story. “Our first time playing was 2018 at the Fleadh. That really was an unbelievable week,” they recall. “We’ve gotten so much support from the people of Drogheda and we know Drogheda is always good for the craic so we love it.” McHughs is a particular favourite. “It’s just a great venue with a really cool vibe. It suits our style of music.”
As for memorable moments, there have been plenty. “The most memorable was probably having former President Michael D Higgins join us for a song when we were playing live on LMFM. We weren’t expecting that,” they say. Playing to crowds of over 10,000 people during the Fleadh also left a lasting impression, as did their biggest Salty Dog crowd to date in 2025. Not every memory went to plan though. “We also remember the night our PA went on fire when we were playing a gig. That wasn’t ideal.”
At a Wednesday Gang show, audiences know what they’re getting. “One hundred percent effort, lots of energy, and a good sing-song.”
Looking ahead, the band has plenty in the pipeline. “We hope to be releasing new music early in 2026. We’re working on that at the moment,” they say. They have also been invited to play one of the UK’s major festivals next year. “We’re looking forward to that and hopefully a few more surprises to announce soon.”
The Wednesday Gang are on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Spotify. “If you search The Wednesday Gang, you’ll find us.”
You can catch The Wednesday Gang’s Christmas show in McHugh’s this Friday 19th December from 8pm.
