The Music
 Video Clips
Run.Dog.Run play original, dynamic, uplifting music based around some very powerful but simple rhythms! We've searched for years to categorize it, and the only wording that 'We' feel comfy with is 'Rhythmn & Roots!'
Previously reviewed as 'happy smiley music', it's proving to be increasingly popular with our festival audiences(any audience actually) with it's Good times vibe, and easy 'no-holds barred' danceability.
Taking it's influences from Zydeco, Cajun, Celtic and Gaelic music, it rocks along very nicely, and rarely fails to involve people who've never heard it before.
Our set is a continually shifting process, and while alot of people don't realise that the majority of our music is original, we do throw in a few cover versions at some venues to keep our audiences entertained/suprised/off-balance.
So who are our target audience? great question! We've had 8 to 80 year olds dancing to our music, played at bikers parties, birthday parties, private parties, barge weddings, plenty other weddings, folk festivals, beer festivals, yacht clubs, rugby clubs and many other clubs, pubs and sessions around the country!
The only places we've had problems getting gigs are live music clubs/venues. Don't know if thats because we live in the 'sticks' and so don't have the right contacts or resources, or whether people aren't quite too sure about what we do? Believe me, we do it well, and want to deliver everything that we have to offer to people who want live music -and a good time too!
We write a lot of music(some of it unsuitable for Rundogrun),
some of it has a contemporary feel to it, while other tunes or songs sound like they have a more historic or 'rootsy' background, and while people frequently presume we're playing Cajun or Zydeco that's not strictly true!
Having said that, it doesn't mean we're playing anything too weird or unorthodox (yet?). We both love technology in music as much as we love acoustic music(it's what we were brought up on), but we've never had the urge to use backing tracks or over the top effects. All we have is a good PA system to help us boost that acoustic sound and people seem to enjoy what they're hearing.
The origins of music were based upon some very primordial instincts, urges and rites that we can't comprehend today (we're presuming alot here!).
It wasn't so much a cerebral process, more of an instinctive one! It's what's moved people for generations and it's what got Run dog run started. Whenever we went anywhere we'd take the instruments along and end up playing in the nearest pub. By the
end of the night you'd have a lot of rowdy people banging, dancing and singing along, generally enjoying what we enjoy.
It's the gut feeling of the music that excites us and gets us and our audiences involved. We've arranged tunes in the past which were interesting and technical
but lacked any real passion. Having said that, we've started introducing some more mellow and 'chilled out' songs to our set, but they're still designed to re-kindle your forgotten urges!
We're not trying to force any sort of big statement on people (but if thats what you're looking for- musically or lyrically -take it!), it's just great to see people dance, listen, relax, and be involved in the music as much as we are.
We've also taken some fairly traditional tunes and re-arranged them to suit our needs and playing style. So some of our music has it's roots in tradition, some has not, and some is simply made up as we go along. We've had people rockin' to our two steps, been complimented in Ireland on our 'mighty fine Polkas' and had Morris Men surreptitiously tapping their feet to Zydeco rhythms. And unfortunately this is where Rundog run find themselves -stuck somwhere between a rock and a hard place -not traditional enough in some circles, and too 'folky' for the rest of the world? lighten up a bit, it's 'music' not politics, and we watched you enjoy it!
One of the questions we most frequently get asked (apart from what's that instrument?)is "What is Cajun or Zydeco?". Let's try to explain very very briefly!
CAJUN is the music of the descendants of French-speaking Catholics from Acadia in Canada, who were forcibly deported to Louisiana by the British. It was originally fiddle based music, but in later years the accordion became more prominent mainly because it had more volume at dances.
ZYDECO was developed from the above culture by the coloured population of Louisiana, and while initially very similar to Cajun it eventually came to use more Creole and blues influences.
A Quick Guide To Accordion music
Run Dog Run Lyrics
The Set List
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