The Waterville Opera House will feature Enter the Haggis at 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 4, at 1 Common St. in Waterville.

For the better part of two decades, Toronto’s Enter The Haggis has combined bagpipes and fiddles with a rock rhythm section to create a distinctively eclectic sound. Their songs offer singalong melodies and deep, meaningful lyrics which tell the stories of everyday hard working people, often faced with seemingly insurmountable challenges. Signature songs like “One Last Drink,” “Gasoline,” “Down With The Ship,” and “Lancaster Gate” have had hundreds of thousands of plays on social media, appeared in Hollywood movies, and have been performed and recorded by artists around the world.

The band is clearly comfortable on the stage and develops an easy rapport with audiences, sharing the stories behind their songs and laughing through tour anecdotes. The show is exciting and dynamic, featuring unpredictable and spontaneous moments. One song might feature drummer Bruce McCarthy taking a drum solo on Trevor Lewington’s guitar strings, while the next song breaks down into a fierce battle between fiddle and harmonica. Sometimes during an encore, the band will leave the stage entirely to perform acoustically standing on chairs in the audience.

Enter The Haggis’ commitment to putting on a great show every single night has made them a favorite at festivals and performing arts centers across the US and Canada. As a result, ETH shows have become an annual tradition on some of the most prestigious stages on the continent. The band has also brought hundreds of fans on eight tours of Ireland, forging deeper friendships with their supporters while exploring ancient landmarks and natural wonders across the country.

Muddy Ruckus will open the show. Guitarist Ryan Flaherty and drummer Erika Stahl of Portland play a grungy style of railroad indie punk delta soul blues. This stripped-down powerduo blends rootsy guitar and edgy percussion on a suitcase drum kit, and is known for a full rock band sound.

Tickets cost $23 in advance or $28 day of show. Tickets are nonrefundable.
For more information, visit operahouse.org.