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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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