Toss the Feathers

Reviews

Birthday Parties

We recently had Toss the Feathers perform the music for my mother's 90th birthday party. I cannot tell you how attentive Amy was to the theme and details of the party. From the start she wanted to know the background of my mother's life and what songs she grew up with and was there any special song (there was!). Toss the Feathers learned that song and performed it beautifully. The band became an integral part of the party. Their music was just perfect for our venue, which was outdoors and added a great lilt to the event. We are a big Irish musical family so singing didn't have to be encouraged! Thank you Amy and Toss the Feathers for making our special event even more so! Highly recommended!
- Marie Curran Gemmill, July 2022

We were so fortunate to have Toss the Feathers play for my Mom's birthday. We were looking to have Irish music as part of the celebration and their wonderful performance made the evening memorable. Amy was easy to work with and so professional. This band is a class act!
- Patrice Carl, November 2021

Weddings

Thank you Amy and Toss the Feathers for keeping things lively at our rehearsal dinner at Revolution Hall, Brown’s Brewing Co., in Troy. It was a wonderful way to celebrate the upcoming wedding of Alicia and Bryce.
- Angela Gerow Caraher, October 2021

We had “Toss the Feathers” play acoustically during our wedding ceremony, and acoustic with amplification during the cocktail hour. The band’s music fit perfectly with our wedding theme, they were professional and on top of all their responsibilities, and we would highly recommend Toss the Feathers for a beautiful, tranquil experience.
- Jessica Delgado, Fall 2019

“Musical Postcards” Historical Program

Toss the Feathers are standard-bearers of traditional Irish music, playing an eclectic mix of traditional Irish tunes and some heart-rending ballads. Their arrangements and harmonies lend an intimacy to familiar tunes, and the virtuosity of their playing is impressive. Their performances are intimate and engaging, as their knowledge of both traditional Irish music and early American folk music gives them a gentle authority. They are true connoisseurs of traditional music, and Amy and Dave's vocals, as well as the wide range of their setlist, ensures that there is something for everyone.

The Musical Postcards from Irish Albany and Troy performance describes the Irish immigrant experience in Albany and Troy. Toss the Feathers tell the stories of the Erie Canal, the Bridget maid, the Civil War and other elements of life which the Irish memorialized in music and song. Traditional Irish music represents the fact that the Irish brought their culture with them. This is a rich and varied presentation of life in the nineteenth century for new arrivals carving out a life for themselves and dealing with all of the issues that immigration raises.
- Elizabeth Stack, Executive Director, Irish American Heritage Museum, Summer 2021

I've been raving about your performance to my friends and family members, including my friends in Dublin. Your selection of music was awesome, as was your performance of each selection, but it was the narration and stories that set you apart. I loved it - it was the story of many generations of my Irish ancestors in the Capital District. I do hope that the Museum will repeat the opportunity and I will drag all of my Irish friends and relatives out to see the show!
- Kathy Meany, November 2019

On March 12, [we] were treated to an outstanding concert by Toss the Feathers. A heartfelt thank you to this trio of amazing musicians. “[Musical] Postcards from Irish Albany and Troy” is a feast for the senses—expert musicianship, storytelling, visuals—all brilliantly presented in historical context. This must-see program is both a tribute to the past and a profound and timely nod to the present. Well done!
- Maria Zemantauski, Director, Cultural Affairs Program, Hudson Valley Community College, March 2020