Ready to shamrock?
Prepare for an enchanting evening of Celtic-inspired folk when Gallowglass performs at the Lincoln City Cultural Center this Sunday, Oct. 19. This special concert promises a stirring blend of traditional melodies and modern songwriting, connecting audiences to both heritage and heart.
With a combination of emotional vocal delivery, fresh melodic arrangements and airtight accompaniment, Gallowglass has developed a style of contemporary Celtic folk that Irish Music Magazine calls "an inspired approach to the tradition."
The group, featuring Jan Peters on vocals and harmonica, Mishon Kirkland on vocals and Irish flute, Zach Bauman on the Irish bouzouki and David Pender Lofgren on the bodhrán, has become one of the Pacific Northwest's most celebrated Celtic music ensembles. Gallowglass has shared the stage with Dervish, Peter Rowan, Jolie Holland and other luminaries of the folk scene, establishing themselves as innovators among their peers and captivating audiences with their signature sound. The 2024 album, “Dear Ruin” has garnered critical acclaim and is enjoying international radio play. While Gallowglass is steeped in tradition, band members are keeping their eyes on the horizon and have built a fire for all to gather around.
Kirkland moved to Bellingham, Washington, in the summer of 2017 and joined Gallowglass the following summer. She came down to sing for the weekly Irish and Folk Mondays session that Peters hosts and within moments a hush befell the area surrounding her. Having sung and played music her whole life, including in Ireland, she brings a singular light and sound to Gallowglass. Her musicianship and devotion to learning traditional Irish songs and tunes on the flute is a mighty contribution to the group's ever-growing body of material.
Peters has had several bands in the Bellingham area since 2010 in addition to Gallowglass: The Monday Night Project, The Naked Hearts and Rosin & Reed. Before moving to the great Northwest he played and toured with various bands out of the Davis, California, area for 17 years. There has always been a traditional folk music influence in the music he plays and songs he writes and sings. A distinctive vocalist and harmonica player, his devotion to Irish and fine acoustic and traditional music is a constant in his life and work and finds an endless wealth of inspiration within Gallowglass.
Bauman studied music at Western Washington University. He grew up in New England, nurtured by the region's rich culture of folk music. He has been making music in the Bellingham area for almost 10 years. He plays Irish mandolin like no one else in the area — driving, elegant, innovative — and has a groove on the bouzouki that is truly hard to beat and a joy to feel. He is greatly inspired by contemporary traditional Celtic music groups, and also plays with Giants’ Causeway out of Bellingham.
Lofgren is a percussionist involved in many bands in the Pacific Northwest. As a bodhrán player, he’s been honing his craft and developing a unique musical voice since 2011. His accomplishments as a percussionist and his passion for a contemporary approach to bodhrán playing come together and shine in his contributions Gallowglass.
His rhythmic creativity and drive are a defining feature of the group, illuminating the place where tradition meets the new. In addition to Gallowglass, Lofgren plays bodhrán with Robert Sarazin Blake, Cayley Schmid, Jocelyn Petit, Elias Alexander and more.
Sunday’s show begins at 7 pm at the Lincoln City Cultural Center, located at 540 NE Hwy. 101. Table seats are $42 for adults, $39 for seniors and $30 for students.
Theater-style seats are $37 for adults, $34 for seniors and $20 for students.
Limited tickets will also be available at the door.
For more information, go to lincolncity-culturalcenter.org or call 541-994-9994.