Captain Tom and the Hooligans will celebrate the release of “Proud,” their first full-length album, Saturday at The Cave, located at 71 Military Road in Buffalo. The group’s style is best described as a captivating mix of traditional call-and-response numbers with a modern tinge. They are best known for performing polka songs, but the nimble ensemble can shift gears and play everything from Celtic to ska to classic rock.
“I like to say we are a band that plays polka music, not a polka band,” Captain Tom Sieracki noted during a recent phone interview. “I grew up in a very musical household, and I didn’t differentiate the types of music being played, so I just knew there was music going on.”
That’s why it’s not unusual to hear “Living Next Door to Alice” along with “Minnie the Moocher” or even an accordion-driven version of the AC/DC classic “You Shook Me All Night Long” at a Hooligans show.
“My mom and dad are bluegrass musicians, and my dad also plays clarinet and saxophone. Growing up, I would hear them practice all the time, and there was classical music and jazz music, or they would play some polkas. So music was ingrained in me,” Sieracki said.
Sieracki’s chosen instrument is the accordion, which drives much of the music. He also handles the lead vocals, writes original material, and engages the audience. The group has no shortage of paying gigs and a loyal following in just four years.
“The band has evolved over the years. We started during the pandemic, which was a challenge, but I wanted something that was fun, and if it wasn’t fun, I probably would have stopped doing it a long time ago,” Sieracki said. “I have always worked to make the sound louder and faster, which isn’t always in keeping with the traditional style, but we have been able to successfully mix up our songs and introduce people to a lot of different types of music.”
The diverse styles are represented on the new record.
“We are doing all types of music on this record. There is Polish-inspired stuff, Irish-inspired stuff, sea-shanty-inspired songs, and some original stuff,” Sieracki said. “We are really excited to get this music out.”
The album’s title, “Proud,” is inspired by Sieracki’s pride in his heritage and the region where he grew up.
“A lot of the music is about having pride in where you come from. There is a song where I mention Lockport and another about a bar in Lancaster,” he said.
The group recorded the album at Mammoth Recording Studio in Buffalo. It features Captain Tom’s dad, “Commodore Dave” Sieracki, on saxophone and clarinet, my son Trevor Jennings on drums, Mike Brzyski on guitar, Shavonne Pucula on bass, Karl Zielezinski on trumpet, Ray Skalski on trombone, Nicholas Sugg on keyboards, and Dominic Testino on trumpet.
As far as the band’s future, Sieracki notes, “We keep getting bigger shows, and not only am I still having fun, but a year ago, I could never have imagined we would have performed on some of the stages we have performed on this last year. I just plan on growing musically and letting it take us wherever it goes.”