The Peelers

The Peelers were formed in 1999 in Glengarry County, Ontario, Canada, and now call Montreal their base. The band has evolved to become one of the most acclaimed Celtic punk acts in the genre, with a global fanbase.

 Celebrating their 26th year in 2025, the band has toured North America extensively and played a myriad of venues and festivals over the years including: The Guinness Irish Festival Switzerland, The Savannah Irish Festival, Chicago Gaelic Park Irish Fest, Irish 2000, The Great American Irish Festival, Syracuse Irish Festival, the CFL Grey Cup Festival, Canmore AB Highland Games, Montreal Highland Games, Glengarry Highland Games, Beau's St. Patrick's Party Ottawa, 2003 Psycho Fleadh Tour East Canada, Ohio Celtic Festival, Eastside Irish Festival Cleveland, Pouzza Fest Montreal, Montreal Ska Fest, Beau's Oktoberfest, Montreal St. Patrick's Parade, U.S. Open Snowboarding Championships, Savannah St. Patrick's Celebration on the River, Penn State University St. Patrick's Party, Irish Rock Festival NYC, Guns and Hoses Albany NY and more!

 Throughout their existence the band has contributed to the growth of Celtic folk & punk. They have shared bills with many major acts including Lagwagon, members of The Pogues, Flogging Molly, Andrew W.K., The Planet Smashers, The Tossers, The Mahones, The Saw Doctors, and Face to Face.

 The band has five full length releases: 'Boots and Suits', 'Liquordale', 'Palace of the Fiend'. Then early 2021 saw the first release on the Stomp Records label, entitled ‘Down and Out in the City of Saints’. 10 songs, recorded in Montreal, Dundee Scotland, and Vancouver between December 2019 and June 2020, and mastered for vinyl at Le Lab Montreal. In keeping with their more recent material, Dave Barton’s songs reflect the North American experience of the diaspora with a tip of the newsboy cap to the Quebecois narrative and the lure of Boston and New York; blending truth and fiction, glory and sport, love and loss, darkness and despair, while introducing composites of individuals, companions, friends and foes met along the musical journey. There’s even a track dedicated to Irish middleweight professional boxer, ‘Spike’ O’Sullivan, who the band calls a friend, appearing in the video for the song.

 All albums have featured key guest appearances including: Johnny Fay of 'The Tragically Hip', ‘Gleadhraich’ Scottish bagpiper Craig Weir, who’s performed with Queen, The Kaiser Chiefs, and The Libertines amongst others. Dan Garrison of Vancouver's' 'The Corps', Econoline Crush, ex 'Real McKenzie', and Celtic Punk stalwarts Finny McConnell, and Sean ‘Riot’ Ryan of 'The Mahones'.

 The band released their most recent full-length album on August 23rd, 2024, entitled "The Holy Crux of Honour". In August 2025 the band travelled to Europe to play the famous Guinness Irish Festival in Switzerland. They are currently working on a brand-new full-length album for a 2026 release. Still going strong, still 'clearing the way', still burning up stages, and making some of the best new music in the genre with purpose and intent.