Eleven years ago, Rebel Collective started as a last-minute favor for a church’s Irish music night, and has since evolved into one of New England’s most soulful torchbearers of Celtic tradition. Ahead of their highly anticipated performance at the Bank of New Hampshire Stage in Concord, the members of the Rebel Collective sat down with Patrick McNameeKing in NHPR’s Studio D to discuss the weight of history, the art of "playing by ear" and the deeply personal stories behind their music.
For lead vocalist and guitarist Michael Green, the journey into Irish folk wasn’t a childhood inheritance, but a discovery found through the gritty energy of the Pogues and Dropkick Murphys. That modern entry point eventually led him back to his own ancestors.
"It feels like there's a connection to a lost history that I have," Green says. "We've been able to play for people from Ireland, and it's amazing to see them recognize the songs and sing back and smile."
For violinist Audrey Buddington, the path to folk music began with a chance encounter at the Concord Community Music School. While studying classical violin, she overheard a set of "cool, happy tunes" that defied her classical training.
The musician behind those tunes was the late David Surette, a legendary New Hampshire multi-instrumentalist and a cornerstone of the New England folk community. Buddington credits Surette with opening the door to traditional music and teaching her to learn by ear — a tradition she carries on as a teacher at the same school.
"He agreed to work with me and kind of just started showing me all this wonderful music," Buddington recalls. "A lot of it is learning by ear, which I think is super important to preserve as a skill and pass down... using those instincts and figuring out those riffs."
The band’s repertoire isn’t just a museum of the past; it’s a living, breathing tribute. The original track is dedicated to the late Gordon Webster, a Concord native who served as the ninth sovereign piper to the Queen of England, said Ross Ketchum (guitar, mandolin).
After Webster’s passing in 2018, Ketchum and Green co-wrote a song to honor the man who spent his life providing the "lone pipe" soundtrack for royalty.
Rebel Collective views their work as an act of empathy. By channeling songs born from struggle, oppression, and colonization, they find a universal human connection that transcends borders.
