Founded in 2004, Atlantic Wave grew out of the sessions and pubs of southeast Wisconsin, a fertile breeding ground for Celtic music in the same place that hosts Milwaukee Irish Fest, the world's largest Irish music festival.

Atlantic Wave's sound could be described as contemporary traditional: deeply rooted in the styles of Ireland, Scotland, and Cape Breton, and played with the modern sensibilities of today's worldwide Celtic music scene and all of its many influences.

The band maintains close ties with Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, a place renowned for its unique musical style and its talented musicians.

Over the years, Atlantic Wave has developed their own style, built around two harmonizing fiddles, a spirited Cape Breton rhythmic style, and of course, Barry's singing, and their shows, which range from kitchens, breweries, and church basements to concert halls and Irish Fest's main stages, tend to be lively, rollicking, footstomping affairs.