Jake Blount / The Vox Hunters online concert

This concert airs February 27, at 7 p.m. EST, but with ticket purchase, you can watch again, any time, during an included 72-hour rebroadcast! Tickets can now be purchased at: https://noonchorus.com/jake-blount-vox-hunters/

Blackstone River Theatre is excited to welcome back Rhode Island favorites, The Vox Hunters, and also offer the BRT debut of the incredibly talented Jake Blount. Jake Blount is an award-winning banjoist, fiddler, singer currently based in Providence, RI. He is a 2020 recipient of the Steve Martin Banjo Prize. Blount specializes in the music of Black communities in the southeastern United States, and in the regional style of the Finger Lakes. He is also half of the internationally touring duo Tui, and a board member of Bluegrass Pride. A versatile performer, Blount interpolates blues, bluegrass and spirituals into the old-time string band tradition he belongs to. He foregrounds the experiences of queer people and people of color in his work. His teachers include Rhiannon Giddens, Bruce Molsky and Judy Hyman. He has claimed first place in both the Banjo and the Traditional Band categories at the prestigious Appalachian String Band Music Festival. Blount has shared his music and research at the Smithsonian Institution, Yale University, and Berklee School of Music, among other institutions. He has appeared on Radiolab, Soundcheck and NPR’s Weekend Edition and regularly teaches fiddle and banjo at festivals and camps like the Augusta Heritage Center and the Ashokan Center. His first full-length solo album, “Spider Tales,” debuted at #2 on the Billboard Bluegrass Chart and earned five out of five stars as The Guardian’s Folk Album of the Month.

Armand Aromin and Benedict Gagliardi – The Vox Hunters – are musically bound by a shared love of traditional Irish music, which originally brought them together, 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.” Last year they released their second album, “Fresh From The Board: Music From The Ocean State Songster, Vol. 1.” Blackstone River Theatre favorites, The Vox Hunters offer an all-natural connection to the living tradition of folk music.

This special Valentine’s Concert airs February 13, at 7 p.m. EST, but with ticket purchase, you can watch again, any time, during an included 72-hour rebroadcast! Tickets can be purchased at: http://noonchorus.com/aine-minogue

Blackstone River Theatre is thrilled to present Celtic harpist and singer Áine Minogue in a show in celebration of Valentine’s Weekend and also in celebration of February itself, the month that honors Brigid, goddess and Saint. 

As traditional Irish music continues to enjoy phenomenal success both here and in Ireland, Áine Minogue (pronounced On-ya) is an artist who has long explored its themes and who captures its very essence. Her ethereal singing reflects the lyricism and richness to be found in Irish music, mythology and poetry with a voice undeniably her own. Born in County Tipperary, Áine’s family encouraged her to pursue a number of instruments but it was at age 12 that Áine discovered her true love – the harp – which she decided to pursue in lieu of the others. Áine takes this ancient art form, exploring its underpinnings but adding her own creativity to each piece. With a combination of harping, singing and storytelling with a touch of poetry, her concerts have an intimate “getting away from it all” feel.  

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 35^th 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. 

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!

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 [email protected] 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 …

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

The musical partnership between consummate performer Alasdair Fraser, long regarded as Scotland’s premier fiddle ambassador, and brilliant Californian cellist Natalie Haas spans the full spectrum between intimate chamber music and ecstatic dance energy. Over the last 20 years of creating a buzz at festivals and concert halls across the world, they have truly set the standard for fiddle and cello in traditional music. They continue to thrill audiences internationally with their virtuosic playing, their near-telepathic understanding and the joyful spontaneity and sheer physical presence of their music. Fraser has a concert and recording career spanning over 30 years, with a long list of awards, radio and television credits, on top movie soundtracks (Last of the Mohicans, Titanic, and more). In 2011, he was inducted into the Scottish Traditional Music Hall of Fame. Haas, a graduate of the Juilliard School of Music, is one of the most sought after cellists in traditional music today. She has performed and recorded with a who’s who of the fiddle world including Mark O’Connor, Natalie MacMaster, Solas, Altan, Liz Carroll, Jeremy Kittel, and Hanneke Cassel. This seemingly unlikely pairing is the fulfillment of a long-standing musical dream for Fraser, whose cutting-edge musical explorations took him full circle to find a cellist who could help him return the cello to its historical role at the rhythmic heart of Scottish dance music. “Going back to the 1700s, and as late as the early 20th century,” Fraser says, “fiddle and cello made up the dance band of choice in Scotland, with the cellist bowing bass lines and driving the rhythm. Pianos and accordions elbowed out the cello, relegating it to an orchestral setting.” 

*All ticket prices include a $1.00 per ticket restoration charge

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.

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.

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