Roots music
See these tree fellers on stage at the Celtic Music Series
Imagine three master musicians stepping on stage, instruments in hand, beginning a musical conversation that flows like a river. Each melody twists and turns, swelling with improvisation, anchored by tradition and never quite the same twice. That’s the magic of Kalos, a trio described as fearless, inventive and deeply rooted in Celtic music’s maritime soul.
Kalos will kick off the Lincoln City Cultural Center’s Celtic Music Series this Sunday, Sept. 28.
The trio came together in 2016 with Ryan McKasson on fiddle and viola, Eric McDonald on guitar, mandolin and lead vocals and Jeremiah McLane on accordion, piano and vocals. Their first recording, “Harbour” was followed later by “Headland.”
Since 2019, the men have toured internationally, carrying their sound, equal parts bold, delicate and mischievous, across borders and generations. Together, they span three generations, three cities and two countries. What unites them is a willingness to let tradition breathe.
The band's repertoire dives deep into maritime culture: Irish dance tunes, Scottish laments, French bourrées and original works that explore shorelines, seafarers and the eternal push-and-pull between land and water. The recorded albums reference ports and peninsulas, places where stories and music cross paths, where songs drift from one culture to another. In concert, bandmates embrace that sense of flux and, as they often say, they never play a tune the same way twice.
McKasson became the youngest United States National Scottish Fiddle Champion at 17. He studied viola at USC, toured widely and recorded with artists like Hanneke Cassel and Alasdair Fraser. Known for his expressive bowing and rich tone, McKasson brings both precision and abandon to the stage.
McDonald grew up in Boston’s fertile acoustic scene and honed his skills at Berklee. A commanding accompanist and gifted vocalist, he is admired for his ability to make centuries-old ballads feel contemporary. His guitar and mandolin add rhythmic fire and melodic lift to Kalos’ sound.
McLane was raised in New England with strong Scottish roots. He trained in classical piano before veering into jazz, blues, gamelan and minimalism, eventually falling for the accordion. A prolific composer and bandleader, McLane’s curiosity has carried him through dozens of recordings and across multiple musical worlds.
Together, the men are more than the sum of their parts. Audiences remark on their chemistry: the knowing smiles exchanged mid-tune, the way one musician will suddenly step into the foreground only to yield to another in a kind of musical dance. It’s a performance style that feels less like a concert and more like an adventure.
Kalos rejects the idea that Celtic music belongs behind glass, preserved and unchanging. Instead, members see it as a living river fed by countless tributaries, carrying history forward, but always flowing into the present. The live shows revel in this fluidity: a waltz might slide into a jig, a traditional ballad might swell with unexpected harmonies, a tune might stretch into improvisation that feels almost jazz-like before snapping back into danceable form.
It’s no surprise that the trio has been described as both scholarly and playful: respecting tradition but refusing to be confined by it. In the musician’s hands, music is a conversation — sometimes gentle, sometimes heated, always compelling.
Sunday’s show kicks off at 7 pm at the Lincoln City Cultural Center, located at 540 NE Hwy. 101. Admission is $37 to $42 for adults, $34 to $39 for seniors and $20 to $30 for students.
For more information, go to lincolncity-culturalcenter.org or call 541-994-9994.
Celtic Music Series schedule
Sunday, Sept. 28, 7 pm – Kalos
Sunday, Oct. 19, 7 pm – Gallowglass
Thursday, Nov. 6, 7 pm – E.T.E.
Sunday, Dec. 14, 2 pm – The AML Trio
Thursday, Jan. 8, 7 pm – Dallahan
Tuesday, Feb. 10, 7 pm – Gadan featuring Enda Scahill of We Banjo Three
Wednesday, March 25, 7 pm – Solas
Sunday, April 19, 7 pm – Gnoss
Thursday, May 7, 7 pm – Scottish Fish