Brobdingnagian Bards

Scottish and Irish folk songs combined with the Lord of the Rings music and a wee bit o'Celtic fun. The Brobdingnagian Bards (pronounced brob-din-nahg-EE-en) are The Original Celtic Renaissance music duo from Austin, Texas. Their unique brand of folk music on the autoharp, recorder, and mandolin has made them one of the most-popular Celtic music groups online where they give away thousands of free Celtic MP3 downloads daily.

The Brobdingnagian Bards perform coast-to-coast, and in a given month might be at a Lord of the Rings Oscar Party, a Celtic festival, or a Science Fiction Convention. However, they are an absolute favorite at Renaissance Faires where they add high-energy and wit to make every show a memorable experience.

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 the kingdom of coarse giants described in Jonathan Swift's satirical novel Gulliver's Travels. The band is currently made up of its original two members, Marc Gunn (autoharp, vocals), and Andrew McKee (recorder, mandolin).

The Brobdingnagian Bards musical style is best described as a mixture of both Irish and Scottish folk songs. Despite performing in what is considered a "niche" genre, this duo was ranked as one of the top 20 bands on the original MP3.com. Over time, the Bards have also honed their act into live entertainment by adding comedy, with McKee being the "straight-man" to Gunn's antics. As a result, they have also become 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. They have also received an Austin Music Award for Best Novelty Band, and were the first Celtic band to ever win such an accolade. In addition to the many conventions, faires and music festivals the group performs at around the Austin area, they also have toured coast to coast, and developed a following of devoted listeners, referred to as "Nagians."