FELLSWATER
Fellswater is a dynamic Celtic music ensemble based out of Boston playing a wide range of music from traditional to modern compositions, drawing from the music of Scotland, Ireland, Brittany and Canada. Fellswater has delighted audiences at New Hampshire Highland Games (2010, 2012, 2014, 2018), Maine Highland Games (2014, 2017), Colonial Williamsburg (2014 and 2015) and the Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo (2015). The band has released three well-received albums, "Fellswater," in 2010, "Thursday Night," in 2013, and their latest album "Skipping Stones" at Blackstone River Theatre in 2018. Fellswater appeared at the prestigious Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo in Aug., 2018. The 8-piece band features Kyle Forsthoff on bodhran and percussion, Elizabeth Ketudat on fiddle, Jim MacConduibh on acoustic bass guitar, Sarah MacConduibh on Irish flute, whistles and fife, Andrew McIntosh on Scottish smallpipes and border pipes, Chris Myers on vocals, guitar, and octave mandolin, Diane Myers on vocals, and David Cabral on cello.
* All ticket prices include a $1.00 per ticket restoration charge.
WINDBORNE
Call in your reservations for our January 18 show with Windborne to 401-725-9272.
“Picking up the torch of protest folk song for the next generation...old songs for new struggles.” Windborne has collected and studied polyphonic vocal music for over 15 years from traditional singing masters from cultures around the world. The quartet is able to shift from radically different genres like no band you have ever heard, as comfortable with an improvised Corsican couplet song, as an English ballad. Lynn Mahoney Rowan, Will Thomas Rowan, Lauren Breunig, and Jeremy Carter-Gordon share a vibrant energy onstage – their connection to each other and to the music clearly evident. They educate as they entertain, telling stories about the music and explaining the characteristics and stylistic elements of the traditions in which they sing. Says Brian O'Donovan, from WGBH's A Celtic Sojourn, "The best musical discovery of the year ... Stunningly powerful vocal harmony in the tradition of the Watersons, The Voice Squad, and Coope, Boyes, and Simpson, Windborne sets a new bar for folk harmony singing today.”
*All ticket prices include a $1.00 per ticket restoration charge
YACOUBA DIABATE / CHRIS MONTI BAND
Call in your reservations for our January 25 show with Yacouba Diabate and the Chris Monti Band to 401-725-9272.
Yacouba Diabate is a master Kora player born in Burkina Faso, West Africa. His family, the Griot family, is well-known as musicians and as a young adult, Yacouba studied the Kora in Mali with renown Kora master, Toumani Diabate. Yacouba has brought his music to France, Italy, Germany, Spain, and Belgium as well as the United States. Yacouba also makes and sells traditional African string and percussion instruments in addition to teaching instrumental music to both youth and adults. Yacouba has performed for several world leaders at the United Nations in New York City. He has made an incredible impression on those of us at last year's Blackstone River Theatre debut and the past two Homecoming Concerts. Don't miss an amazing musician playing this most beautiful of instruments!
Chris Monti is a singer/songwriter, guitarist and harmonica player whose original songs are influenced by rock & roll and Country-Blues as well as music from West Africa, Egypt, the Caribbean, and India. The Chris Monti Band features bassist Theo Regan and drummer Michael Lewis and they'll play West African Music and West African-inspired songs. Chris learned many of these songs playing in the Double Decker Dance Band from band leader, singer, guitarist, Joe Paye, of Liberia. You'll hear Soka, Highlife, and Soukous beats. Chris has toured the East Coast, opening many times for country-blues great Paul Geremia, and has also played with Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars.
*All ticket prices include a $1.00 per ticket restoration charge
THE GNOMES
Call in your reservations for our February 1 show with The Gnomes to 401-725-9272.
The Gnomes special brand of World-Folk-Fusion always gets an audience on their feet and dancing! The band features Phil Edmonds, Cathy Clasper-Torch, Mike Fischman, Peter Breen, and Matt Demick. Together they combine their varied musical backgrounds into arrangements that have been described as "exotic, fresh, and unique." Instrumentation includes fiddle, Irish whistles, er-hu, accordion, guitar, mandolin, bass, percussion, keyboard, and vocals. Their spirited music takes you around the world, encompassing Celtic, klezmer, Scandinavian, Carribean, Asian and Latin styles. The Gnomes are 2019 and 2018 Motif Music Award Winners in the World Music category! There will be a short set before The Gnomes play their second set by The Broad Street Fiddlers led by Cathy Clasper-Torch ... Always a great time!
*All ticket prices include a $1.00 per ticket restoration charge
PARTINGTON & SWEENEY / KIM TRUSTY with CATHY CLASPER-TORCH
Call in your reservations for our February 8 split concert with Partington & Sweeney and Kim Trusty with Cathy Clasper-Torch to 401-725-9272.
Singer-songwriter Mary Lee Partington and guitarist Ed Sweeney joined forces in 2017 as a music-making duo, Partington & Sweeney. They are captivated by song and instrumental traditions rooted in rocky New England, which yield a harvest of American folk and popular music from across the centuries and across a continent. Combining an award-winning voice and the homegrown stylings of Martin guitars and custom longneck or fretless banjos superlatively played, Partington & Sweeney have set out to perform, record, entertain, and make music that travels with the tradition or that revels in the original. Partington & Sweeney's repertoire cultivates collaborations and charts a course for a new journey. Mary Lee and Ed currently are recording their debut CD “Commonplace" with engineer David Correia of Celebration Sound. Sweeney performs a wide-ranging repertoire of traditional music on 6- and 12-string guitar, 5-string banjo, and fretless banjo, two uniquely traditional American instruments. Ed also teaches guitar and banjo at Blackstone River Theatre.
Kim Trusty hails from Media, Pennsylvania. Her foray into songwriting started at a young age and eventually brought her to New England to study songwriting at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, Mass., where she was referred to as “the girl with the golden voice.” She has spent the last three decades residing in Providence, refining her musical skills, crafting and branding her own style of Jazz, R&B, Blues and original music. She has performed as an actress playing the role of Rosue in When Mahalia Sings from 2010-2012. She is currently is working with a screenwriter to tell her amazing story as a black lesbian artist, educator, stroke and cancer survivor. Through it all, Kim has carried on, rising from each fall a little stronger to bring us music that inspires and heals. She will be performing tonight with gifted fiddler/cellist Cathy Clasper-Torch.
*All ticket prices include a $1.00 per ticket restoration charge
RUNA - Sold Out!
Our February 22 show with RUNA is SOLD OUT as of Saturday morning. Thank you!
Celebrating its 10-year anniversary as a band, Celtic-American “supergroup” RUNA continues to push the boundaries of Irish folk music into the Americana and roots music formats. Interweaving the haunting melodies and exuberant tunes of Ireland and Scotland with the lush harmonies and intoxicating rhythms of jazz, bluegrass, flamenco and blues, they offer a thrilling and redefining take on traditional music. In conjunction with the band’s 10-year anniversary, RUNA released their 6th album – “TEN: The Errant Night.” Earning them the reputation as one of the most innovative Irish folk groups of this generation, RUNA consists of vocalist and step dancer, Shannon Lambert-Ryan of Philadelphia, Dublin-born guitarist, Fionán de Barra, Cheryl Prashker of Canada on percussion, Jake James of New York on fiddle, and Caleb Edwards of Nashville on mandolin and vocals. The group has been honored internationally, winning Top Group and Top Traditional Group in the Irish Music Awards and three Independent Music Awards including Best LIVE Album, Best World/Traditional Song, and Best Bluegrass Song. “TEN: The Errant Night” has been nominated for Best World/Traditional Song (“An Buachaillín Bán”) in the Independent Music Awards. Don’t miss the return of one of BRT’s favorite acts!
*All ticket prices include a $1.00 per ticket restoration charge
JAERV – Music from Sweden
The award-winning Swedish quintet Jaerv presents high-energy and heartfelt folk music with influences from both jazz and pop music. Together, the five members have created a vivid and distinct sound which has established Jaerv on the folk and world music scenes. Rooted in several musical traditions, Jaerv offers a captivating stage performance where five-part vocals blend in with energetic instrumentals and free improvisations. Jaerv has toured the U.S., Japan, Spain, Scotland, Ireland, Finland and Norway among other countries. Their new and critically acclaimed album is "Under den linden."
* All ticket prices include a $1.00 per ticket restoration charge
SOCKS IN THE FRYING PAN
Call in your reservations for our March 1 show with Socks in the Frying Pan to 401-725-9272.
Socks in the Frying Pan are a multi-award winning trio from County Clare on the West coast of Ireland, the universal hub of Irish traditional music. Their dynamic vocal harmonies, virtuosic musical ability, and onstage wit has captivated audiences around the world. One of the most sought after groups in Irish music today, the worldwide ‘Sock Invasion’ continues! Socks in the Frying Pan consists of Aodán Coyne on guitar and vocals and the accomplished Hayes brothers, Shane Hayes on accordion and Fiachra Hayes on fiddle and banjo. The band just won TWO awards at the ALSR Celtic Music Awards in Ireland – Live Album of the Year and Best Festival Performance. This youthful trio blend Irish traditional melodies with their own personal flair which has gained them critical acclaim including ‘New Band of the Year’ by the Irish Music Association. The group have been embraced in the U.S. having been booked by every major Irish festival and praised for their modern traditional style and energetic approach. They have a clear love for live performance which only compliments the traditional essence in their shows and makes for a truly unique form of entertainment. Don't miss their Rhode Island debut!
*All ticket prices include a $1.00 per ticket restoration charge
HighTime
Call in your reservations for our March 6 show with HighTime to 401-725-9272.
HighTime are an accomplished trio from the heart of Connemara on the West Coast of Ireland. Combining Irish music with an intriguing blend of modern folk influences, they produce a rich and unique sound and an electric energy onstage. This coupled with intricate three-part vocal harmonies and displays of exceptional, rhythmic step dance, have left audiences worldwide awestruck by their performances. Hailing from the village of Ardmore on the rugged West Coast, Ciarán Bolger and Séamus Ó Flatharta have been immersed in the richest of Irish culture from a very young age. Having been raised with the Irish Gaelic language as their mother-tongue in an area steeped in the Irish tradition, their knowledge, respect and appreciation of their heritage is indisputable. Michael Coult, who grew up surrounded by some of the finest traditional musicians in the Irish diaspora of Manchester, completes the trio. HighTime have accumulated countless awards over the years, both individually and as a group. Featuring a distinctive line up of Celtic Harp, flute, guitar, bodhrán, whistles and vocals, HighTime continues to make waves on the music scene. Their appearance at the 2019 Summer Solstice Festival was a true highlight ... don't miss their first time to the Blackstone River Theatre itself!
*All ticket prices include a $1.00 per ticket restoration charge
MATTHEW BYRNE
Call in your reservations for our March 8, 2020 show with Matthew Byrne to 401-725-9272.
Storytelling through song is a fundamental duty of traditional music and Matthew Byrne does this brilliantly with his latest recording, "Horizon Lines." Byrne was born into a family of Newfoundland music makers and this newest collection of traditional material explores a unique repertoire of songs from both sides of the Atlantic continuing Byrne’s journey through his musical lineage. This tradition thrives on the song – the weaving of a great story with a beautiful melody – and Byrne's music reminds us how satisfying traditional songs can be when stripped down to these basic elements. Since bursting on to the trad scene in 2010 with his debut recording, “Ballads," Matthew has swiftly earned his place as one of Canada’s most authentic and vital traditional voices backed by his masterful guitar playing. Byrne’s second solo CD "Hearts & Heroes” won “Traditional Album of the Year” at the 2015 Canadian Folk Music Awards. "Horizon Lines" - a collection of traditional material from both sides of the Atlantic that continues Byrne’s journey through his own unique musical lineage, won Traditional Recording of the Year at the 2018 Canadian Folk Music Awards. Having received this distinction for a second time, Matthew Byrne continues to establish himself as one of today’s most authentic and vital traditional voices.
*All ticket prices include a $1.00 per ticket restoration charge
THE JEREMIAHS - Cancelled as of 3-12
Our scheduled show with The Jeremiahs has been POSTPONED to a date to be determined due to the Coronavirus outbreak. Wash your hands and be safe.
After a great Summer Solstice Festival appearance in 2017 we finally get to bring The Jeremiahs to Blackstone River Theatre itself! They were awarded 2017 LiveIreland "Best Album of the Year" and "Best Male Singer” for their latest CD, “The Femme Fatale of Maine” following recognition as 2015 LiveIreland "Best Vocal/Instrumental Album" and "Best Male Singer” for the CD “The Jeremiahs.” From the outset in 2013, The Jeremiahs grabbed the attention of the heavyweights like Irish Music Magazine when Sean Laffey said they are “One of the freshest bands in traditional music.” They shape their sound with Dubliner Joe Gibney’s beautiful vocals; Julien Bruneteau from Brittany who plays whistle and flute; Dublin-based James Ryan who holds down the rhythm section on guitar and bouzouki; and Jean Christophe Morel, a Frenchman drawn to Dublin by Irish Traditional Music, who does the bulk of the work on fiddle. Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day a bit early with the debut of The Jeremiahs! “Their instrumental work is superior. ..They are the real deal with some really well done harmonies.” - Live Ireland
*All ticket prices include a $1.00 per ticket restoration charge
Máire Ní Chathasaigh & Chris Newman - POSTPONED
Due to the Coronavirus outbreak our show with Máire Ní Chathasaigh & Chris Newman has been postponed. We hope to book them in Spring 2021.
The celebrated virtuoso partnership of Máire Ní Chathasaigh – “the doyenne of Irish harpers” (Scotland on Sunday) and Chris Newman – “one of the UK’s most staggering and influential acoustic guitarists” (fROOTS), has brought its special musical vision to venues large and small in 22 countries on five continents. Their performances – described by The Irish Times as “music of fire and brilliance from the high-wire act in traditional music” – are rooted but eclectic, emotional but adventurous. Simply put it's a breathtaking blend of traditional Irish music, hot jazz, bluegrass and baroque, coupled with striking new compositions and Chris’s delightfully subversive wit. Chris and Máire are thrilled that a recent Chicago performance has been awarded “Concert of the Year” and Chris was also named "Male Musician of the Year” in the 2019 Live Ireland Awards! Gradam Ceoil TG4, the national Irish-language TV station’s Award for Irish Traditional Musician of the Year, was presented to Máire in 2001 “for the excellence and pioneering force of her music, the remarkable growth she has brought to the music of the harp and the positive influence she has had on the young generation of harpers” at a televised ceremony in the Cork Opera House. The Gradam is the highest, most prestigious honour for a traditional Irish musician and Máire is the sole harpist recipient to date. We are thrilled to present them for the first time at Blackstone River Theatre!
*All ticket prices include a $1.00 per ticket restoration charge
TALISK - Music from Scotland - POSTPONED
Our scheduled show with TALISK has been POSTPONED to a September 2020 date to be announced soon due to the Coronavirus outbreak.
There are VERY few bands we ask back twice in a calendar year – Talisk is one of them after blowing away the audience in their Blackstone River Theatre debut in September! In just five years, the Scottish trio Talisk has stacked up several major awards for their explosively energetic yet artfully woven sound including 2017’s Folk Band of the Year both at the BBC Alba Scots Trad Music Awards and a BBC Radio 2 Folk Award. Mohsen Amini – the 2018 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards’ Musician of the Year, Hayley Keenan and Graeme Armstrong seamlessly meld concertina, fiddle and guitar to produce a multi-layered, enthralling signature sound that has effortlessly captivated audiences from the USA to Australia, and throughout the UK. Appearances at world-leading festivals – including the Cambridge Folk Festival, Denmark’s Tønder, WOMAD UK, the Philadelphia Folk Festival, Celtic Colours, Milwaukee Irish Festival and five successive outings at Glasgow’s Celtic Connections – have amassed a die-hard following, while the world’s folk and world music media have also lauded high credits upon the trio. The release of their hotly anticipated second album, "Beyond," in Oct. 2018 was met with a five-star ‘Top of the World’ review in "Songlines," praising the band as “incredibly infectious and endearing… fresh, invigorating, accomplished and playfully frisky.” If you saw them last time, you'll be back ... if you missed them, here's your chance!
*All ticket prices include a $1.00 per ticket restoration charge
THE FRIEL SISTERS - POSTPONED
Our scheduled show with The Friel Sisters has been POSTPONED to a date to be determined due to the Coronavirus outbreak.
The Friel Sisters – Anna, Sheila and Clare Friel are young traditional musicians born and brought up in Glasgow with their family roots firmly entrenched in the Donegal Gaeltacht. They play a mixture of music interspersed with songs in English and Irish, many from their family repertoire. Being siblings, they achieve a close blend on fiddle, flute and uilleann pipes. Since the launch of their debut album, they have performed in various venues and festivals across Europe, America and Asia and have appeared as guests on stage or toured with acts such as Altan, The Chieftains, Lúnasa, Sharon Shannon, Cherish the Ladies, and Solas. Since its 2017 release, "Before the Sun" has been very well received, getting 4 stars in the Irish Times and a lot of airplay including being played on RTE 1’s ‘The Rolling Wave’ as part of International Women’s Day. The girls have won many prestigious titles and competitions over the years; most recently Clare receiving the huge honor of TG4 Young Musician of the Year in Ireland. “Anna, Sheila and Clare are, without doubt, among the brightest musical prospects on the horizon of traditional music” – Living Tradition
*All ticket prices include a $1.00 per ticket restoration charge
Atwater~Donnelly and The Vox Hunters – POSTPONED
Our April 11 show with Atwater~Donnelly and The Vox Hunters has been postponed due to the coronavirus. We will reschedule when it is safe to do so.
Aubrey Atwater and Elwood Donnelly return for a special concert joined by The Vox Hunters! Always an engaging concert of traditional American and Celtic American folk songs, a cappella pieces, hymns, poetry, dance tunes, and original works. Elwood and Aubrey blend unusual harmonies and play guitar, Appalachian mountain dulcimer, Irish tin whistle, harmonica, old-time banjo, bones, limberjacks and other musical surprises. Their performance is appealing to all ages offering a highly-relaxed stage presence. Add the Vox Hunters and you'll enjoy a great night of music filled with humor and chances for audience participation.
Armand Aromin and Benedict Gagliardi are musically bound by a shared love of traditional Irish music as well as an eclectic and ever-growing amalgam of songs both inside and far outside the realm of folk music. Combining Aromin's multifaceted fiddle playing, Gagliardi's self-developed concertina style, and a pair of complementary voices, The Vox Hunters will present their exciting repertoire of driving dance tunes blended with an unorthodox collection of interesting songs. They are touted as strong tradition-bearers in their generation, and their genuine affinity for the music is evident in the emotion they draw from it. Their three mantras are: “Sing Local,” “Sing Often,” and “Roger Williams for President.”
*All ticket prices include a $1.00 per ticket restoration charge
Torrin Ryan & Kyle Forsthoff / Ryefield Cove – POSTPONED
Our April 18 show with Torrin Ryan & Kyle Forsthoff and Ryefield Cove has been postponed due to the coronavirus. We will reschedule as soon as it is safe to do so.
Torrin Ryan is from Attleboro, Mass., where he began playing music at a young age and discovered traditional Irish music on the tin whistle at age 9. After hearing the uilleann pipes for the first time, he decided to learn how to play them himself. Since then, in Ireland, he has won five All-Ireland medals across Tullamore, Derry, and Ennis, and is the 2013 All-Ireland Uilleann Pipes Slow Airs champion. He performs at many sessions in New England and in 2018, Torrin was the recipient of a grant from the Southern New England Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Program to teach Irish music and history to several apprentices and further the art of the session in New England. Kyle Forsthoff has been studying and playing Irish percussion for over ten years. He performs as a member of Fellswater and has also shared the stage with artists including The Vox Hunters, Lindsay Straw, and Joey Abarta. Forsthoff competed in the Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann in Sligo, Ireland in 2015 and also attended the 2014 Craiceann Bodhran Summerschool in Inis Oirr, Co. Galway. Kyle teaches bodhran at Blackstone River Theatre.
Leslie Anne Harrison and Frédéric Pouille met in Ireland over a decade ago and have been playing together ever since. Blue has called them "beautiful guitar artistry and major league fluting." Balancing tradition with new ideas, Ryefield Cove draws from a shared love of Irish traditional music, Frédéric's connection to French Bretagne music, and Leslie's experience in the classical music world to create a distinctive sound within the flute and guitar duo. At Ryefield Cove concerts, you will hear new music written by Leslie, a French song or two sung by Frédéric, and many Irish and French Bretagne tunes. The duo released "Folk Ragoût" in 2011 and has performed at festivals and venues around the U.S. including Ceili at the Roundhouse Celtic Festival, Edgewater Celtic Festival, and the Maine Celtic Celebration. This will be their first concert in Rhode Island and we KNOW you are going to like them!
*All ticket prices include a $1.00 per ticket restoration charge
Kevin Doyle's ROSCOMMON SOLES: Health to the Ladies – POSTPONED
Our May 2 show with Kevin Doyle's Roscommon Soles has been postponed due to the coronavirus. We will reschedule in December 2020.
With Mother’s Day flagged on May’s calendar, Blackstone River Theatre presents Roscommon Soles – Health to the Ladies! Titled from an old Irish tune, this performance breezes into a good old summertime-themed show of dance, song, and music in tribute to the most important ladies in our lives. The concert features the Irish step and American tap dance of award-winning Kevin Doyle and The Dancin’ Doyles. Roscommon Soles is a traditional Irish stepdance-driven ensemble led by National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Fellow Kevin Doyle. Joined by the “Dancin’ Doyles” (sister Maureen and daughter Shannon), collectively they celebrate the steps that traveled with their mother and grandmother, Margaret Taylor Doyle, from County Roscommon, Ireland, across the Atlantic to the shores of 1930s America. Roscommon Soles is inspired by a show created for the Library of Congress and American Folklife Center as part of the NEA Heritage Awards in Washington, D.C. Roscommon Soles specializes in dances, tunes, songs, and stories capturing the Irish love of family and friends, wherever the road rises to meet them. The ensemble includes singer Mary Lee Partington, All-Ireland Fiddle Champion Sheila Falls, award-winning Josh Kane on flute, All-Ireland Champion Torrin Ryan on uilleann pipes, pianist Cathy Clasper-Torch, and dancer C.J. Jefferson. Joining the performers for Health to the Ladies is Nathan Gourley on guitar.
*All ticket prices include a $1.00 per ticket restoration charge
Kevin Doyle's ROSCOMMON SOLES: Health to the Ladies – POSTPONED
Our May 3 show with Kevin Doyle's Roscommon Soles has been postponed due to the coronavirus. We will reschedule in December 2020.
With Mother’s Day flagged on May’s calendar, Blackstone River Theatre presents Roscommon Soles – Health to the Ladies! Titled from an old Irish tune, this performance breezes into a good old summertime-themed show of dance, song, and music in tribute to the most important ladies in our lives. The concert features the Irish step and American tap dance of award-winning Kevin Doyle and The Dancin’ Doyles. Roscommon Soles is a traditional Irish stepdance-driven ensemble led by National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Fellow Kevin Doyle. Joined by the “Dancin’ Doyles” (sister Maureen and daughter Shannon), collectively they celebrate the steps that traveled with their mother and grandmother, Margaret Taylor Doyle, from County Roscommon, Ireland, across the Atlantic to the shores of 1930s America. Roscommon Soles is inspired by a show created for the Library of Congress and American Folklife Center as part of the NEA Heritage Awards in Washington, D.C. Roscommon Soles specializes in dances, tunes, songs, and stories capturing the Irish love of family and friends, wherever the road rises to meet them. The ensemble includes singer Mary Lee Partington, All-Ireland Fiddle Champion Sheila Falls, award-winning Josh Kane on flute, All-Ireland Champion Torrin Ryan on uilleann pipes, pianist Cathy Clasper-Torch, and dancer C.J. Jefferson. Joining the performers for Health to the Ladies is Nathan Gourley on guitar.
*All ticket prices include a $1.00 per ticket restoration charge
Members Only concert with the HANNEKE CASSEL BAND – POSTPONED
This is a special members only concert offered ONLY to those who have taken out a MEMBERSHIP to Blackstone River Theatre.
Our scheduled members-only concert with The Hanneke Cassel Band has been POSTPONED to a Fall date to be determined due to the Coronavirus outbreak.
Effervescent and engaging, Boston-based fiddler Hanneke Cassel is a performer, teacher, and composer whose career spans over two decades. One of BRT's longtime favorites, Hanneke's style fuses influences from Scotland and Cape Breton Island with Americana grooves and musical innovations, creating a cutting-edge acoustic sound that retains the integrity and spirit of the Scottish tradition. Cassel's music is a blend of the contemporary and traditional, described by the Boston Globe as "exuberant and rhythmic, somehow wild and innocent, delivered with captivating melodic clarity and an irresistible playfulness.” She is joined tonight for this special members-only concert by Keith Murphy on guitar and vocals and Tristan Clarridge (of the Bee Eaters) on cello.
ONE FOR THE FOXES – CANCELLED
Our May 9 show with One For The Foxes has been cancelled as the band has called off their tour in the wake of the coronavirus.
Dave Curley, Tadhg Ó Meachair and Joanna Hyde form an exciting and dynamic transatlantic trio that presents a rousing blend of Irish and American folk music, having already won over audiences on both sides of the ocean. The group is made up of Dublin’s Tadhg Ó Meachair (Goitse), Galway’s Dave Curley (SLIDE) and Denver, Colorado’s Joanna Hyde (The Hydes), and features a mix of Irish and American folk music and song – both traditional and newly-composed – presented in an energetic and engaging manner. Their performances strike a tasteful balance between the stories found in ballads across both sides of the Atlantic and the respective instrumental music traditions of these places. Award-winning instrumentalists each in their own right, Dave, Tadhg, and Joanna take a unique twist on the diverse strengths of their individual backgrounds, weaving between traditional melodies, their own compositions, and songs from the broader folk canon. The results are highly personalized and thrilling in their forthright grasp of the material. Through a shared deep-rooted passion for Irish traditional music, this trio highlights the vital role of Irish traditional music as an origin of many American folk musics, and explores how those styles can interact with one another in a manner both eclectic and grounded.
*All ticket prices include a $1.00 per ticket restoration charge
BLACKSTONE RIVER THEATRE SUMMER SOLSTICE FESTIVAL: CANCELED
@ DIAMOND HILL PARK, RTE. 114, CUMBERLAND, RI
POSTPONED UNTIL JUNE 19, 2021
Atwater-Donnelly Trio • Mari Black Band • John Doyle & Mick McAuley • Kevin Doyle • Eastern Medicine Singers • The Exiles • Genticorum • The Gnomes • The Winifred Horan Trio • North Sea Gas • RUNA • Torrin Ryan • The Vox Hunters • Tir Na Nog Irish Dance, and more!
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FALL/WINTER 2020 CONCERTS
All dates are tentative and depend on coronavirus regulations and policy put in place over the summer. Any postponed shows will be rebooked when safe to do so. Prices will be announced and tickets will (possibly) go on sale August 25th.
ARTISTS & AGENTS: There’s no way BRT can intelligently book the Fall/Winter 2020 season at this time. R.I. Gov. Raimondo has said there will be no gatherings above 50 people allowed through August and that’s likely the best case scenario. I also have no idea what reopening will look like … what preventative and testing measures will need to be provided etc. Please wait to contact about possible bookings until mid-July. Thank you and be safe.
Oct. 3 – DAVID FRANCEY
Oct. 4 – MATT & SHANNON HEATON / KATIE McNALLY & NEIL PEARLMAN
Oct. 25 – VISHTEN
Nov. 15 – LE VENT DU NORD
Nov. 21 – PATRICK BALL
Nov. 28 – HOMECOMING CONCERT
Dec. 5 – HOLIDAY CRAFT FAIR
MATTHEW BYRNE – Online, In Concert
On March 8, Blackstone River Theatre presented our last concert before the COVID shutdown – Matthew Byrne. We have remained closed, yearning for the very thing that defines what we are all about – live performance and the interaction between artist and audience. It seems only fitting that BRT's first online concert offering would bring us back to that Sunday in March. Blackstone River Theatre is extremely pleased to present award-winning traditional singer and guitarist Matthew Byrne for a special Youtube live-streamed performance on November 22, at 7 p.m.
Tickets are available through Matthew’s website at https://www.matthewbyrne.net/livestreams/nov22 . Ticket-holders will receive an exclusive link to the live stream. ($20 CAD equals $15 U.S.) This show is part of a very unique digital “tour” that Matthew is doing through the last week of November where he’ll be performing for audiences from California to the UK. Blackstone River Theatre will be his only New England-sponsored concert and we are very excited to once again present him to the Blackstone River Theatre audience ... and beyond! To make the show as personal as we can, I'm encouraging audiences to send requests and questions for Matthew ahead of time, to russell@riverfolk.org to make this performance as unique and interactive as possible.
Matthew Byrne was born into a family of Newfoundland music makers and his repertoire is heavily influenced by his unique musical lineage. This tradition thrives on the song – the weaving of a great story with a beautiful melody – and Byrne's music reminds us how satisfying traditional songs can be when stripped down to these basic elements. Since bursting on to the trad scene in 2010 with his debut recording, “Ballads," Matthew has swiftly earned his place as one of Canada’s most authentic and vital traditional voices, backed by his masterful guitar playing. Storytelling through song is a fundamental duty of traditional music. Matthew's latest recording, "Horizon Lines" is a collection of traditional material from both sides of the Atlantic; the CD won "Traditional Recording of the Year" at the 2018 Canadian Folk Music Awards. Having received this distinction for a second time, Matthew Byrne continues to establish himself as one of today’s most authentic and vital traditional voices. Don't miss our first online concert with Matthew ... you'll be supporting an incredible artist who currently can't tour and a music venue that can't currently present. But on November 22, you'll be reminded of the incredible nights still to come ...
Blackstone River Theatre's VIRTUAL Homecoming Concert
This fundraiser airs Nov. 28 at 7 p.m. EST but with ticket purchase, you can watch again, any time, during a 72-hour rebroadcast! Tickets can be purchased at: noonchorus.com/blackstone-river-theatre
Since March 8 when the pandemic closed Blackstone River Theatre, we have used the image of the ghost light on our stage to signify that while we are closed for now, we will open again. What would have been our 21st Homecoming Concert this year, celebrating our 20th year of programming, will now be our first self-produced online concert! As always, the event is designed to be a fundraiser for Blackstone River Theatre and this year it is needed more than ever (there is a PayPal link if you'd care to donate when you purchase your ticket!) ... As our amazing friends do every year, the following artists have donated their performances as we bring to you short sets by: Atwater~Donnelly, Partington & Sweeney, Ryefield Cove, Torrin Ryan, Kim Trusty, and The Vox Hunters. We are excited to add videos offered by RUNA and David Francey as well. And big kudos to producer Graham Mellor for organizing the sound and video components as this will be what programming will have to look like for the foreseeable future. While it certainly won't be the same as all gathering together in person at Blackstone River Theatre ... and we'll miss our Silent Auction fundraiser,... we hope it will remind you what will be there for you when we can safely re-open.
NOTE: The ticket price is $15 but there will be an additional $3.81 charge added on by the streaming platform that goes to them. Once purchased, you will have access to the Homecoming Concert for 72 hours in case you want to watch it again or even at a time different from its initial live showing!
Cherish the Ladies Christmas in Ireland Livestream Event
Don’t miss this spectacular live show from Ireland that the entire family will surely enjoy! Blackstone River Theatre is proud to be the Rhode Island and Massachusetts sponsor for this livestream holiday concert with our dear friends, Cherish the Ladies! You can watch it in the comfort of your own home with the added flexibility of a 48-hour window to suit your own schedule. 25% of ticket cost supports Blackstone River Theatre! Purchase your Blackstone River Theatre tickets at: https://boxoffice.mandolin.com/collections/cherish-the-ladies-christmas-in-ireland?oid=11&affid=99
Cherish the Ladies has shared timeless Irish traditions with audiences worldwide and 2020 celebrates the incredible milestone of their 35th anniversary! During that time, they have become one of the most engaging and successful ensembles in the history of Irish music. Due to the Coronavirus, the Ladies were unable to tour their highly-anticipated Celtic Christmas show in America. With so many requests from fans around the globe requesting the Christmas program, bandleader Joanie Madden assembled the entire group together in County Clare in Ireland in Spanish Point, located alongside the rugged wild Atlantic coastline, to record a special socially-distanced Christmas program featuring a 12-piece ensemble of incredibly talented musicians, singers and dancers. In this special "Christmas in Ireland Live" program, the Ladies put their signature mark on classics such as “Angels we Have Heard on High,” “Joy to the World,” “Hark the Herald Angel Sing,” “Mrs. Fogarty’s Christmas Cake,” and “Silent Night” in arrangements that highlight the group’s unique Celtic instrumentation, beautiful harmonies and spectacular step dancing.
The show streaming to you in high definition will feature the outstanding musicianship of Joanie Madden (flute, whistle, harmony vocals), Mary Coogan (guitar), Mirella Murray (accordion), Kathleen Boyle (piano, harmony vocals), Nollaig Casey (fiddle), The Waterboys and Lunása’s Trevor Hutchinson (Upright Bass), Riverdance’s Jimmy Higgins (percussion) and also featured are the gorgeous vocals of Kate Purcell, Don Stiffe, Bruce Foley and Seámus O’Flatharta (harp, vocals, step dancing). Five-time World Champion step dancer David Geaney rounds out the troupe.