Emerald Rose has been for years Northeast Georgia's premier Celtic band, playing at pubs, festivals, conventions and even Oscar parties in Hollywood.

The melodic Celtic harmonies of Emerald Rose haven't been heard in the Gainesville area in quite a while but on Friday they will kick off a weekend of great music at Irish Bred Pub.

"We've been touring and recording and writing for the past two years," said Brian Sullivan, member of Emerald Rose. "... We've ventured into some contemporary realms as well and we've been writing for a couple of years and we recorded a live album last summer. It's called "That Night in The Garden" and we recorded it in our home studios but outside in front of a live audience."

The new album has one single, "Clockwork Love," that has risen to popularity on Internet music sites like www.cdbaby.com.

"It's our first steam punk song," Sullivan said. "Steam punk is not based in punk rock at all. It's a word coined by early writers describing the works of H.G. Wells and Jules Verne and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and it describes sort of an alternative history that comes from the 1880s; it's a new genre. It's sort of like Jules Verne meets Mad Max and it's all fictional, and it's based in books and stories and comics and music and fashion. But it draws upon the fashions and sensibilities of Victorian England and the American wild wild West."

Emerald Rose currently plays regular shows at The Crimson Moon in Dahlonega and recently played nine shows in five days at the annual Dragon Con festival in Atlanta.

Other members of the band, who have been playing together for 20 years, are Arthur Hinds, Larry Morris and Clyde Gilbert.

"Our music is mostly Celtic but it's good-time Celtic and so we love to go in and have a great party and invite the audience to join us," Sullivan said.

On Saturday night, 80s cover band Brat Pak will hit the stage around 9:30 p.m. Leading the 80s hit covers will be local power singer Monica Spears.

Spears sings locally at Scott's on the Square, Prime Parc in Buford and Shooters Tavern, among other nightspots. Opening for Brat Pak will be Chris Carricker at 6 p.m.