Name: Ken Perlman: 5-string banjo workshops
Start: 2026-03-07T13:00:00
Location: Blackstone River Theatre

Ken Perlman

Blackstone River Theatre

What a way to celebrate Valentine’s Day weekend! Damn Tall Buildings is a celebrated folk-bluegrass band known for their soulful melodies and intricate instrumentals. Based in Brooklyn, this seasoned trio – Max Capistran, Sasha Dubyk, and Avery Ballotta – has spent over a decade honing their craft through dedicated touring and recording. With a distinctive sound that weaves heartfelt lyrics into thoughtful fiddle, guitar, and bass arrangements, they embody a unique blend of Americana roots and contemporary style. Initially honing their skills through busking, Damn Tall Buildings brings an infectious energy to their music. Their varied influences extend beyond bluegrass, infusing elements of old-time, blues, and jazz into their songwriting. With seamless vocal harmonies and captivating instrumental solos, the trio creates a cohesive sound that feels greater than the sum of its parts. As they continue to travel and grow, Damn Tall Buildings fosters a welcoming spirit, inviting audiences to join them on a journey through their vibrant, well-crafted performances. Critics have praised their ability to establish a musical blend that defies categorization, offering a warm and reflective embrace that is both enthusiastic and deeply resonant. The band’s harmony singing is tight without being too slick – they sound like three individual voices joined together in celebration, not a perfectly polished machine. The band coined the term “guerrilla roots” to describe its sound, which draws on early-20th-century Americana/bluegrass music, repurposed for a modern audience. The Boston Globe called them “The Carter Family for the millennial generation.”

Damn Tall Buildings

Named for an ancient Celtic harvest festival in honor of the Irish god Lugh, Lúnasa was formed in 1997 from members of some of the greatest Irish groups of the previous decade, an early review from Folk Roots magazine describing the band as an “Irish music dream team.” From the start, the band’s complex arrangements and unique sound reshaped the boundaries of traditional music and energized audiences the world over. The Irish Echo described the band as the “the hottest Irish acoustic band on the planet”; MOJO magazine named the band “the new gods of Irish music.” Having since performed over 3,000 shows across 36 countries, Lúnasa has won multiple awards and become one of the most influential bands in the history of traditional music. 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. Lúnasa features Trevor Hutchinson, who achieved fame as the bassist with the The Waterboys and Sharon Shannon; piper Cillian Vallely was a member of Riverdance and recorded with Bruce Springsteen; flute player Kevin Crawford, considered one of Ireland’s greatest flute players, was a member of Moving Cloud; award-winning fiddler Sean Smyth, who performed with Donal Lunny’s legendary Coolin and accordionist Alan Kelly; and guitarist Ed Boyd made a name for himself in the UK folk scene with Flook, Kate Rusby, and Cara Dillon. Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day a few weeks early!

Lúnasa

Skye Consort & Emma Björling return to perform trans-Atlantic arrangements of songs and tunes from Sweden, Norway, Ireland, Scotland, England, and Québec, as well as original compositions. They find enchanting stories and melodies, then bring them into the 21st century with worldly chamber-folk settings. Each musician brings their own individual interpretation to these traditions to create this extraordinary collaboration, consisting of voices, fiddle, nyckelharpa, cello, bouzouki, banjo, and percussion. Collectively, the band present an assortment of whirling polskas, groovy reels, passionate love songs, beautiful hymns, and original compositions. Emma Björling (lead vocal, percussion) is an award-winning Swedish singer, composer, arranger, active in the renowned Scandinavian bands Kongero and Lyy. Both bands have toured the world and are active in the European folk-trad scene. Joining Emma is Simon Alexandre (nyckelharpa, fiddle, voice), Amanda Keesmaat (cello, vocals), the principal cellist of Arion Baroque orchestra, and Seán Dagher (bouzouki, banjo, lead vocals), an active performer, arranger, and composer of music from various folk and classical music traditions. Skye Consort was formed in 1999, has performed and toured extensively, and has 8 full-length albums. In late 2018, Skye Consort, in collaboration with Emma Björling, created a new repertoire grown from Scandinavian, Québecois and Celtic roots. Their self-titled debut album, “Skye Consort & Emma Björling,” won the OPUS (QC, Canada) award for best world music album 2020. The 2nd collaborative recording between Skye Consort and Emma Björling is entitled “Ode & Ballade.” The musicians sing in three languages (Swedish, French, English), and create a sound that is unique among folk artists and classical chamber ensembles.

Skye Consort & Emma Björling

The techniques of “Melodic” Clawhammer give you the power to make fiddle tunes from Southern, Northern, & Celtic traditions – and virtually any other kind of music – sound great on banjo. In this workshop we’ll refine and perfect your right hand mechanics so you can use drop and double thumbing on virtually every string and in every possible permutation. Then we’ll explore other important areas such as improving the efficiency and power of your hammer-ons and pull-offs; mastering alternate-string pull-offs; and using fingering shapes and other specialized fretting hand approaches to facilitate playing melodies around the neck. Skill level is projected as advanced- beginner & intermediate, but will be adapted to the playing abilities of those who attend.

Ken Perlman: 5-string banjo workshops

We are thrilled to present Ímar who are on the East Coast for the first time in eight years! BBC Radio 2 Folk Award Winners, the Glasgow-based five-piece band Ímar, stands out from the crowd by taking things back to basics. With a line-up featuring members of Talisk, Mànran, Mec Lir, and RURA, and an impressive collection of top awards – including a 2018 BBC Radio 2 Musician Of The Year, 2016 BBC Radio Scotland Young Musician of the Year, BBC Radio 2 Horizon Award, Young Folk Award, nine All-Ireland and eight All-Britain titles – the group’s formation embodies a personal reconnection with its members’ formative years, dating back long before their recent camaraderie around Glasgow’s justly celebrated session scene. Mohsen Amini (concertina), Ryan Murphy (uilleann pipes), Tomás Callister (fiddle), Adam Brown (bodhrán), and Adam Rhodes (bouzouki), share a strong background in Irish music – although only Murphy actually hails from Ireland; Rhodes and Callister are from the Isle of Man, whilst Amini is a Glasgow native, and Brown originally from Suffolk. But it is these foundations which underpin many of Ímar’s distinctive qualities, in both instrumentation and material. The band’s unmistakable synergy centers on the overlapping cultural heritage between Scotland, Ireland, and the Isle of Man. All three places once shared the same Gaelic language and a similar kinship endures between their musical traditions. “It’s definitely more of a pure-drop trad sound than most of the other bands we’re involved in,” adds Cork-born piper, flautist and whistle player Ryan Murphy (Mànran), “but I think that’s partly why it feels so natural. We’re going back to the music we started out playing when we met as teenagers through Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann – which is ultimately the reason why we’re all here as musicians.” “Genuinely jaw-dropping collective virtuosity.” – The Scotsman

Ímar

Celebrating its 15-year anniversary as a band, the 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, RUNA offers 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 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 incredible, RUNA sold out last year so get your tickets early!

RUNA

Téada will be celebrating its 25th anniversary as a band just as Blackstone River Theatre celebrates its 25th anniversary year so this is a perfect match! A traditional band with a truly worldwide reach, Téada has appeared as a frequent headliner at major music festivals throughout the US, Canada, Mexico, Europe, Africa, Russia, Israel and Australia. Highlights include a 30,000-capacity stadium concert in Brittany, along with performances at Rainforest World Music Festival & Penang World Music Festival in Malaysia, Edmonton Folk Festival in Canada, Harare International Festival of the Arts in Zimbabwe and World Music Festival Taiwan. The band features Oisín Mac Diarmada – fiddle, Paul Finn – accordion, Damien Stenson – flute, Seán Mc Elwain – guitar, and Tristan Rosenstock – bodhrán. Dancer/pianist Samantha Harvey will be joining Téada on this year’s 25th anniversary U.S. tour. Their latest release on Gael Linn features special guest appearances by Hollywood actor and singer John C. Reilly and the late Séamus Begley, one of Ireland’s most beloved traditional singers and accordionists. Recent highlights include performances at the Dublin Irish Festival, Savannah Music Festival, and Montana Folk Festival (USA), as well as Festival Interceltique de Lorient (France)and the Irish Festival of Oulu (Finland) underscoring Téada’s continuing role as a vibrant ambassador for Irish culture worldwide.

Téada

Lily Neill has captivated audiences around the world with the dynamism and breadth of her performances, and her infectious passion for the harp. She has played for world leaders and ambassadors, luminaries in the world of music, and listeners who never dreamed they would ever hear a harp. Critics have praised her effortless technique and the uniqueness of her style, with Irish Music Magazine calling her, “…part of the new Harp revolution extolling aspects of harp music never previously heard.” Unlike many young harpists who are drawn to the orchestral pedal harp, Lily gravitated toward the the lever harp – a relatively modern type of harp that is a cross between the medieval Irish and Scottish harps and the pedal harp. Her concerts feature everything from original compositions and tangos, to Elizabethan music, ragtime, and traditional tunes from across the globe. Guitar master Clive Carroll’s unique tone and unmistakable voice as a composer have seen him become one of the world’s premier acoustic guitar players and “…arguably the most accomplished fingerstylist in the world today…” – Total Guitar Magazine. A chance meeting with English guitar legend John Renbourn proved the catalyst for Clive’s debut album, “Sixth Sense” which Renbourn deemed “a milestone in the journey of the steel-string guitar.” He subsequently took Clive on the road with him and the pair toured North America and Europe together – including a concert at Blackstone River Theatre early on! 2023 saw the release of “The Abbot – Clive Carroll plays the music of John Renbourn,” a double-album of solo works alongside ensemble interpretations, featuring 21 guest musicians and a medieval ensemble. “One of the finest fingerstyle guitarists and instructors working today. His knowledge, technique, and passion for the art form are unparalleled” – Acoustic Guitar Magazine

Lily Neill and Clive Carroll

The debut album by Macdara Yeates, “Traditional Singing from Dublin,” marks a new arrival on the Irish folkscape. Named in MOJO’s “Top 10 Folk Albums of the Year” and nominated for two RTÉ Radio One Folk Awards, the album features a rich store of old and weathered folk songs, ranging from the comic and surreal to the mournful and disconsolate. Siobhán Long of The Irish Times writes: “Raucous, bawdy, reflective and wistful in turn, ‘Traditional Singing from Dublin’ is a candid, clear-eyed snapshot from a singer who is finally stepping into the spotlight.” Born and raised in Dublin, Yeates is one of a crop of artists associated with the recent resurgence of young folk talent in the Irish capital; he previously was part of the group Skippers Alley. With a distinctive voice described as “a bracing, baleful, baritone that sounds as if it’s been dug from the deepest, most fragrant turf” (Songlines), Macdara Yeates is ploughing his furrow as a solo performer, garnering wide critical praise. This will be his Blackstone River Theatre debut as a solo artist. Sharing the evening will be Torrin Ryan and Amy Law. Attleboro, MA resident Torrin Ryan became enamored with Irish traditional music at 9 years old and has devoted the past twenty-plus years to playing, recording, and teaching the uilleann pipes, simple system flute, and tin whistle across the country and abroad. In 2009 at age 14, he was awarded an Uilleann Piping Scholarship by Na Píobairí Uilleann, Dublin. Torrin has been awarded over two dozen first place medals across several years of competing at the Mid-Atlantic Fleadh in New York and New Jersey, and won five Senior All-Ireland Fleadh medals across Derry, Ennis, and Tullamore, all before turning twenty. Amy Law, is an Irish fiddler and Sean-nós dancer from Southern California who has been playing music and dancing for over 20 years.

Macdara Yeates / Torrin Ryan & Amy Law

ALASH are masters of Tuvan throat singing (xöömei), a remarkable technique for singing multiple pitches at the same time. What distinguishes this group from earlier generations of Tuvan throat singers is the subtle infusion of modern influences into their traditional music. One can find complex harmonies, western instruments, and contemporary song forms in Alash’s music, but its overall sound and spirit remain decidedly Tuvan. Trained in traditional Tuvan music since childhood, the Alash musicians studied at Kyzyl Arts College just as Tuva was beginning to open up to the West. They formed a traditional ensemble and won multiple awards for traditional throat singing in international xöömei competitions, both as an ensemble and as individuals. At the same time, they paid close attention to new trends coming out of the West. They have borrowed newideas that mesh well with the sound and feel of traditional Tuvan music, but they have never sacrificed the integrity of their own heritage in an effort to make their music more popular. Alash first toured the U.S. under the sponsorship of the OpenWorld Leadership program of the Library of Congress and the National Endowment for the Arts. Since then they have returned many times, to the delight of American audiences. The Washington Post described their music as “utterly stunning,” saying that after the performance “audience members picked their jaws up off the floor.”

Alash – Masters of Tuvan throat singing

The word été in French means summer – a fitting tribute to how this trio’s original, lively take on Québec traditional music is infused with a new vitality. With lush vocal harmonies, deep groove, and rich instrumentation, É.T.É are an explosive trio on stage, transforming the nostalgia of a kitchen party into an unforgettable show experience that celebrates the joie de vivre of Québecois culture. É.T.É are Élisabeth Moquin (fiddle, step-dancing, vocals), Thierry Clouette (bouzouki, vocals), and Élisabeth Giroux (cello, vocals). Awarded the 2020 Gala GAMIQ Album of the Year award in Traditional Music, plus the OPUS prize for “Discovery of the Year 2017-2018” among many other accolades since their first album release in 2017, this trio is winning over the hearts of listeners worldwide, young and old alike.

É.T.É – Music from Quebec

If you like your Celtic music loud, this concert is for you! At long last, Blackstone River Theatre hosts the return of Tempest, celebrating 38 years of Celtic Rock music! Since forming in 1988, Tempest has delivered a globally-renowned hybrid of high-energy Folk Rock, fusing Irish reels, Scottish ballads, Norwegian influences and other world music elements. The last 30-plus years have seen the San Francisco Bay Area-based act release 18 critically acclaimed albums, and play more than 2,500 gigs. The current line-up of the band features all the original members, performing a variety of selections from the band’s extensive repertoire, sparking with vitality and energy. Hailing from Oslo, Norway, founder and lead singer/electric mandolinist, Lief Sorbye, is recognized as a driving force in the modern folk-rock movement. He started Tempest after years of touring and recording on the folk circuit. He is joined by Bay Area native Rob Wullenjohn on guitar and San Diego’s Ian Butler on bass. Rob and Ian rejoined the band after performing an impromptu reunion concert in Berkeley, California, that rekindled the original spirit of Tempest. Vermont-born fiddler Jon Berger first joined the band in 1993. He is now back, bringing his passion for Celtic and British Isles traditional music. Audience favorite, Cuban-born drummer Adolfo Lazo, thickens the band’s sound with inventive rhythms, and rock-steady drumming. After more than three decades Adolfo has never missed a Tempest gig! Tempest is regularly featured at prestigious festivals such as The Philadelphia Folk Festival, and has also appeared at Denmark’s Skagen Festival, Britain’s Cropredy Festival and The Winnipeg Folk Festival in Canada. The band is a mainstay at countless American Celtic festivals, as well.