SOLD OUT! Kevin Doyle’s Roscommon Soles – “Health to the Ladies!”

As of 12/30 we are sold out! Call in a reservation to get on our VERY SHORT waiting list but do not send a check unless we return your call to confirm!
 
Kevin Doyle’s Roscommon Soles, funded in part by a grant from Rhode Island State Council on the Arts, are excited to debut their newest show, themed for the New Year – “Health to the Ladies!” Titled for a traditional Irish jig, the concert of dance, music, song, and story celebrates the contributions of historic Rhode Island ladies to the arts and to the special season that celebrates all the holidays to come. Their influence was felt nationally and locally, from vaudeville to the age of radio and television, and on dance stages or in concert halls and recording studios. This celebration of families and their ladies features Kevin Doyle, National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Fellow; Mary Lee Partington, regional vocal award-winner/NCTE inaugural Teacher of Excellence; Sheila Falls, American & All-Ireland fiddle champion and director of Gaelic Roots at Boston College; Torrin Ryan, multiple All-Ireland medalist and first on uilleann pipes; Tim Keohane, noted guitarist/vocalist of traditional Irish folk and popular repertoire; and a cameo dance appearance by The Dancing Doyles – Maureen Doyle & Shannon Doyle. Josh Kane, original cast member of Roscommon Soles, performs on flute and whistle and draws on his early training in step dance to infuse the tunes with the rhythm and roots of tradition.

TOBY WALKER

Or call in your reservations for our January 22, 3:00 p.m. matinee concert with Toby Walker to 401-725-9272.

Internationally and nationally acclaimed Toby Walker has been hailed as a roots music fingerstyle guitar virtuoso and songwriter who has toured the U.S., United Kingdom, Canada and Europe. Blending the styles of blues, ragtime, country, bluegrass, old-time jazz and rock, Walker has developed his own style and as such received numerous awards, including being the 1st-place recipient of the International Blues Challenge Award in Memphis and the NY Music Award for best instrumental CD. Walker has also been inducted into the NY Blues Hall Of Fame. Walker is also a nationally recognized guitar instructor, having taught at Jorma Kaukonen's Fur Peace Ranch, The Swanannoa Gathering, and the Guitar Intensive in Maine. Walker also has eight instructional DVDs on Happy Traum's Homespun Music Instruction. Toby’s passion for blues, rags, folk, and other traditional American music drove him to leave an apartment crammed full of recordings, books and instruments for the Mississippi Delta, Virginia and the Carolinas where he tracked down some of the more obscure – but immensely talented – music makers of an earlier era. He learned directly from Eugene Powell, James "Son" Thomas, Etta Baker, and R.L Burnside, among others.

FELLSWATER

Or call in your reservations for our January 28, 7:00 p.m. matinee concert with Fellswater to 401-725-9272.

Fellswater is a dynamic 7-piece 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, Canada and beyond. Fellswater has delighted audiences at the New Hampshire Highland Games, Blackstone River Theatre, Boston Celtic Music Fest, The Burren Backroom Series, Club Passim and Colonial Williamsburg. Overseas events have included performing at Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, Edinburgh Festival Fringe, and the Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo. The band features Kyle Forsthoff on bodhran and percussion, Elizabeth Ketudat on fiddle, 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. Always a great time!

J.P. CORMIER

Or call in your reservations for our February 4, 3:00 p.m. matinee concert with J.P. Cormier to 401-725-9272.

John Paul "J.P." Cormier is a Canadian bluegrass/folk singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. At the age of 5, JP began teaching himself to play the guitar. At 9, he won his first guitar competition against 30 other players 4 times his age. By his mid teens, he was playing a variety of stringed instruments, including the fiddle, mandolin and banjo. He recorded his first album of bluegrass instrumentals at 16, which led to 10 years of living and performing in the US. His time there included many memorable nights at the Grand Ole Opry with artists such as Waylon Jennings, Earl Scruggs, Bill Monroe, and Vince Gill. Since returning to Canada, J.P. has released over a dozen award-winning albums. His impressive body of work has earned him a loyal fan base, 13 East Coast Music Awards, and one Canadian Folk Music Award. This will be the Blackstone River Theatre debut for this amazingly talented musician – prepare to be blown away!

KITTEL & CO.

Or call in your reservations for our February 11, 7:00 p.m. concert with Kittel & Co. to 401-725-9272.

Led by acclaimed violinist Jeremy Kittel (formerly of the Grammy-winning Turtle Island Quartet), Kittel & Co. (“Kid-dle and Koh”) inhabits the space between classical and acoustic roots, Celtic and bluegrass aesthetics, and folk and jazz sensibilities. Some of the greatest musicians in the incredible acoustic scene, the members of Kittel & Co. have collaborated with Béla Fleck, Sarah Jarosz, Chris Thile, and Yo-Yo Ma. Together, Jeremy Kittel and mandolin phenom Josh Pinkham, transcendent guitarist Quinn Bachand, bassist Jacob Warren, and hammer-dulcimer wizard Simon Chrisman coalesce into a singular voice that’s thrilled audiences from the Telluride Bluegrass Festival to A Prairie Home Companion. “[Kittel & Co.] takes the string band tradition to marvelously rarefied levels of collective virtuosity…. thrillingly spontaneous” –Times UK. Grammy-nominated Kittel & Co. will get your toes tapping and lift you out of your seat. Don't miss this incredible evening of music!

STEFAN COUTURE and the MOONDOG / COLD CHOCOLATE

Or call in your reservations for our February 17, 8:00 p.m. concert with Stefan Couture and the Moondog and Cold Chocolate to 401-725-9272.

Stefan Couture and the Moondog will redefine your idea of an acoustic duo with a sound so big it feels more like a band than it does a duo. A melting pot of Stefan’s soulful modern folk and great songwriting fused with the dynamic 12 string guitar of Matt Nolan. Stefan’s songs are written with heart and uses lyrics that are personal, yet completely relatable to all at the same time. True poetry of the human condition, Stefan’s music is like an old friend that captures the same type of spirit as troubadours like Tom Petty and more modern songwriters such as Ray Lamontagne and Ryan Montbleau. Nolan’s virtuosity on the 12 string can be heard in the first few notes. He doesn’t play these songs, but explores them with emotional, spacey textures touching on elements of blues and psychedelia. Their chemistry together is evident, making audiences wonder if they’re telepathically communicating with each other while they touch both your heart and mind. They are currently performing throughout the northeast and are currently working on an EP titled, “A Brief and Binding Light."

Cold Chocolate is a genre-bending Americana band that fuses folk, funk, and bluegrass to create a unique sound all their own. Featuring Ethan Robbins on guitar and Ariel Bernstein on percussion,  this duo from Boston is impressing audiences throughout New England and beyond. Punctuated by tight harmonies and skillful musicianship, and with a focus on songwriting, Cold Chocolate has quickly gained recognition for their original music and high-energy shows. The band has shared bills with Leftover Salmon and David Grisman, and regularly performs at venues and music festivals up and down the East Coast.

Cathy Clasper-Torch and Shelley Katsh / Torrin Ryan and Amy Law

Or call in your reservations for our February 26, 3:00 p.m. concert with Cathy Clasper-Torch & Shelley Katsh and Torrin Ryan & Amy Law to 401-725-9272.

Multi-instrumentalists Cathy Clasper-Torch and Shelley Katsh bring years of music making as well as friendship to a virtuoso collaboration of musicianship and spirit. Their repertoire, as heard on their CD, "From the Inside Out" is infused with both the sublime and lively – melodies ancient and contemporary – played "straight from the heart." Clasper-Torch performs violin, cello, erhu and piano with a diverse range of RI-based bands and musicians, and has recorded on over 3 dozen albums. Cathy has also been the fiddle instructor at Blackstone River Theatre since 2006. Shelley Katsh, on piano and accordion, performed klezmer and Hassidic music with Fishel Bresler and a range of Boston-based klezmer musicians for 20 years. She accompanies and sings with several Rhode Island musical groups and is the Music Director of The Miracle Project-New England.  

Torrin Ryan, of Attleboro, Mass., has grown up at Blackstone River Theatre having performed solo and with many groups over the past 12 years. Ryan specializes in the uilleann pipes and has gone on to win five All-Ireland medals in Ireland competition including being named the 2013 All-Ireland champion for slow airs on uilleann pipes. The Irish bagpipes, with air pumped from a bag squeezed by the elbow rather than blowing into it like Scottish bagpipes, is recognized as one of the most difficult traditional instruments to master. Torrin also performs on tin whistle and flute. He is joined today by fiddler Amy Law and they will join Cathy and Shelley at the end of the concert for a set of tunes together! Amy Law is an Irish fiddler, step dancer, and Sean-nós dancer who has been playing music since the age of 3 and performing for almost as long. A San Diego native now living in Southeast Mass., she is a student of renowned Seattle-based Irish fiddler Dale Russ. Amy has been inspired by Dale’s unique style as well as many of the great Sliabh Luachra-style fiddle and accordion players throughout the decades.

BILL HARLEY and THE COMMENTS

Or call in your reservations for our March 4, 3:00 p.m. concert with Bill Harley and the Comments to 401-725-9272.

Bill Harley is well‐traveled, well‐read, well‐educated, well‐spoken and well‐loved. Accompanied by his guitar, his songs and stories, both original and traditional, are a celebration of our common humanity. A two‐time Grammy winner and an inductee of the Rhode Island Music Hall of Fame, Bill is outrageous, unpredictable and genuine with songs and stories about growing up, schooling and what it is to be human — our connections with one another and with the planet we share. Recognized by audiences and peers as one of the finest performing storytellers in the country, his work has influenced a generation of children, parents, performing artists and educators. Bill tours internationally as a performing artist, author and keynote speaker from his home in Seekonk, Mass. He'll be joined for this adult concert by Marty Ballou on bass, fiddler Rachel Panitch and Dick Reed on accordion. He’ll do a wide collection of his songs including some from his recently released recording “Walking Each Other Home” in addition to songs from some of his favorite songwriters, and a few stories underscored by these great musicians. From coyotes to trespassing through the suburbs to environmental disasters the size of the biggest little state, there will be something for everyone!

GUY DAVIS

Or call in your reservations for our March 5, 7:00 p.m. concert with Guy Davis to 401-725-9272.

One of the most gifted acoustic musicians on the planet, Guy Davis mixes light and airy melodies with profound observations about life in a troubled world on his latest album, a tour de force follow-up to "Sonny & Brownie’s Last Train," which earned him and his partner, Fabrizio Poggi, his second Grammy nomination in 2017. The son of Ozzie Davis and Ruby Dee — two of the brightest lights in the Civil Rights movement and foremost actors of their generation – Guy carries forward the songster tradition here, weaving together tunes that invoke images of prejudice, separation, tragedy and discord in a manner that’s both subtle and moving in its simplicity without being overbearing, something a lesser artist would find impossible to achieve. A mix of blues and Americana, Davis penned 12 of the 13 tracks on “Be Ready When I Call You" – a rarity in a career that spans 27 years and 14 albums. A gifted storyteller, his pleasant mid-range voice is more road-worn than ever while his talents on acoustic guitar, banjo and harmonica remain first-class. Don’t miss his Blackstone River Theatre debut!

SOLD OUT! Lúnasa with Daoirí Farrell

THIS SHOW IS SOLD OUT! There are still tickets for the 7 PM show, however! Please call in your reservations for our March 12, 7:00 p.m. concert with Lúnasa to 401-725-9272.

We are thrilled to bring back our friends Lúnasa so close to St. Patrick’s Day for a two concerts featuring special guest singer/bouzouki player Daoirí Farrell. Named for a Celtic harvest festival in honor of the Irish god Lugh, patron of the arts, Lúnasa is indeed a gathering of some of the top musical talents in Ireland. For 25 years its members have formed the backbone of some of the greatest Irish groups of the decade. Bassist Trevor Hutchinson was a key member of The Waterboys. Kevin Crawford, considered to be among the finest flutists in Ireland, played with Moving Cloud and piper Cillian Vallely comes from the same talented musical family as brother Niall, of the Karan Casey Band. Dynamic guitarist Ed Boyd made a name for himself with bands such as Flook, Kate Rusby, and Cara Dillon and is joined by award-winning fiddler Sean Smyth, who performed with Donal Lunny’s legendary Coolfin and accordionist Alan Kelly. Inspired by the legendary Irish group The Bothy Band, Lúnasa uses melodic interweaving of wind and string instruments pairing flutes, fiddle, whistle and pipes in breathtaking arrangements. They are universally acclaimed as one of the best Irish bands in the world and will be joined by Dublin-born traditional singer and bouzouki player Daoirí (pronounced ‘Derry’) Farrell who has been described by some of the biggest names in Irish folk music as one of most important singers to come out of Ireland in recent years.

Lúnasa with special guest Daoirí Farrell

TICKETS STILL REMAIN! ... but we have had to take our credit card processor offline. Please call in your reservations for our March 12, 7:00 p.m. concert with Lúnasa to 401-725-9272.

We are thrilled to bring back our friends Lúnasa so close to St. Patrick’s Day for a two concerts featuring special guest singer/bouzouki player Daoirí Farrell. Named for a Celtic harvest festival in honor of the Irish god Lugh, patron of the arts, Lúnasa is indeed a gathering of some of the top musical talents in Ireland. For 25 years its members have formed the backbone of some of the greatest Irish groups of the decade. Bassist Trevor Hutchinson was a key member of The Waterboys. Kevin Crawford, considered to be among the finest flutists in Ireland, played with Moving Cloud and piper Cillian Vallely comes from the same talented musical family as brother Niall, of the Karan Casey Band. Dynamic guitarist Ed Boyd made a name for himself with bands such as Flook, Kate Rusby, and Cara Dillon and is joined by award-winning fiddler Sean Smyth, who performed with Donal Lunny’s legendary Coolfin and accordionist Alan Kelly. Inspired by the legendary Irish group The Bothy Band, Lúnasa uses melodic interweaving of wind and string instruments pairing flutes, fiddle, whistle and pipes in breathtaking arrangements. They are universally acclaimed as one of the best Irish bands in the world and will be joined by Dublin-born traditional singer and bouzouki player Daoirí (pronounced ‘Derry’) Farrell who has been described by some of the biggest names in Irish folk music as one of most important singers to come out of Ireland in recent years.

OPEN THE DOOR FOR THREE

TICKETS STILL REMAIN! ... but we have had to take our credit card processor offline. Please call in your reservations for our March 18, 7:00 p.m. concert with Open the Door for Three to 401-725-9272.

We couldn't be more excited to present the R.I. debut of the amazing trio Open the Door for Three on St. Patrick's Day weekend! Open the Door for Three is fiddle player Liz Knowles, uilleann piper Kieran O’Hare, and Dublin-born singer and bouzouki player Pat Broaders. Their music is a rare combination of unearthed tunes from centuries-old collections, newly composed melodies, fresh arrangements of songs old and new, homages to the musicians and bands they grew up listening to, and the unmatched energy of a trio of good friends playing great Irish music together. Liz, Kieran, and Pat have been mainstays of the Irish music scene around the world, having distinguished themselves over the last two decades as soloists with Riverdance, Cherish the Ladies, String Sisters, Anúna, and more. As a trio, they have played to a wide range of audiences from Irish festivals, to concert halls, to pubs. They have performed at Carnegie Hall, at L'Olympia and the Palais des Congrès in Paris, in theatres from Shanghai to São Paulo, and even in a bullring in Mallorca. Most recently, they have been featured at The Kennedy Center’s Ireland 100 festival, the Celtic Colours festival in Cape Breton, at The Milwaukee Irish Festival, and in The Masters of Tradition series in Bantry, County Cork, Ireland. Not to be missed!

Máire Ní Chathasaigh and Chris Newman

TICKETS STILL REMAIN! ... but we have had to take our credit card processor offline. Please call in your reservations for our March 25, 3:00 p.m. concert with Máire Ní Chathasaigh and Chris Newman to 401-725-9272.

The celebrated virtuoso partnership of Máire Ní Chathasaigh – “the leading figure 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. Shows are a breathtaking blend of traditional Irish music, hot jazz, bluegrass and baroque, coupled with striking new compositions and Chris’s delightfully subversive wit. Chris was  named "Male Musician of the Year” in the 2019 Live Ireland Awards. Gradam Cheoil 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 honor for a traditional Irish musician and Máire was the first harpist recipient.

Väsen – Duo

TICKETS STILL REMAIN! ... but we have had to take our credit card processor offline. Please call in your reservations for our March 26, 7:00 p.m. concert with Väsen to 401-725-9272.

After 30 years Väsen has moved into a new phase. Olov Johansson and Mikael Marin continue as Väsen, but now as a duo with exciting new material. With Roger Tallroth choosing to leave the band for new projects, Mikael and Olov have refined their sound and their stage presence to the extent that today they are quite unique. With their playful and perfect interplay, they seem to have telepathic communication as musicians, now touring and recording exclusively as a duo. Olov Johansson plays nykelharpa, a bowed, 16-string instrument related to both the hurdy-gurdy and the fiddle and unique to Sweden. In 1990, Olov became world champion of both the modern chromatic and older historical nyckelharpas at the first-ever Nyckelharpa World Championships at Österbybruk, Sweden. He is an inspiration for numerous young performers who have taken up the instrument in the last decade. As always, Mikael Marin’s five-string viola adds richness to every tune. The word väsen has several meanings – spirit, essence, noise. This talented Swedish duo conveys the essence of Swedish traditional music with a joyful noise that is designed to raise your spirits. 

RUNA

TICKETS STILL REMAIN! ... but we have had to take our credit card processor offline. Please call in your reservations for our April 1, 8:00 p.m. concert with RUNA to 401-725-9272.

Celebrating its 14-year anniversary as a band, Celtic-American roots group 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. 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 newest member Tom Fitzgerald of Canada 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. Seeking to preserve and continue a traditional culture in a modern age, RUNA creates the backbone of its signature roots sound from the musical and geographical diversity of its individually established band members. Always a Blackstone River Theatre fan favorite, we are thrilled to welcome them back!