Jul 3: Ames, IA (USA)

Formed in 1989, IONA take their name from the small island off the west coast of Scotland. From the beginning, their aim has been to write spiritual, atmospheric, yet uplifting music that would stir the emotions, weaving complex patterns that echo the intricate knot work of the great Celtic artists. Often inspired by the great figures of the Celtic Golden Age such as Columba, Aidan, Brendan and Patrick, IONA's music is as timeless as the message that reaches out to us across the centuries.

Uniquely combining rock / folk / progressive / ethnic and ambient elements with the crystalline voice of Joanne Hogg as their focus, IONA create 'a blaze of colours and textures...all the sounds fusing into a single, yearning, heartfelt beautiful cry.'

IONA have built up a formidable reputation as a great live band with their incredible musicianship and disarmingly humorous banter and are noted for their timeless and innovative studio recordings. They have released 6 acclaimed studio albums, three live albums (two doubles, one with The All Souls Orchestra), a beautifully illustrated 4 cd box set and two DVDs. Their seventh (2cd) studio album Another Realm was released in June 2011.

After a period of relative inactivity there is a new urgency and vibe surrounding the band. In a 2010 interview with Dutch magazine iO Pages, band co-founder, producer, guitarist, keyboardist Dave Bainbridge stated; "There is definitely a renewed vision and purpose within the band. A sense that we're back on the track that we first set out upon all those years ago." Judging by the tremendous reactions the band have had to gigs over the past year or so in Holland, Germany, Belgium, the UK, USA, Canada and Switzerland the 'wild goose' is indeed flying again.