We Banjo 3 Comes to The Center For The Arts

Irish quartet We Banjo 3 brings their innovative musical-fusion style dubbed "Celtgrass" to Pepperdine University's Smothers Theatre in Malibu on Friday, October 19 at 8 p.m.

Tickets, priced starting at $15 for adults and $10 for full-time Pepperdine students, are available now by calling (310) 506-4522 or visiting arts.pepperdine.edu. More information about We Banjo 3 is available at webanjo3.com.

In the eight years since their formation in the city of Galway, on the rugged west coast of Ireland, We Banjo 3 have garnered multiple awards and accolades as diverse as Billboard World #1 to Irish Times' "Album of the Year" to Songlines Magazine's "Top of the World" award. We Banjo 3 have become a touring phenomenon, the pride of their home country, in demand across Europe, Asia, and the US. The band has played for US and Irish Presidents, members of US Congress, and multiple ambassadors across Europe, as well as performing live to over 400,000 people annually at a multitude of Irish, folk and roots festivals in the US.

Variously described as "The Irish Punch Brothers" (Woodsongs, NPR) and "the future of world music" (Elmore Magazine), the band has now evolved into an astonishing song-writing unit, one whose latest album achieves a new gold standard for the combined powers of banjo, mandolin, fiddle, and guitar.

We Banjo 3's fifth album Haven, released in July of 2018, further accentuates the band's meteoric rise. Renowned for their loyal, irrepressible, and ever-growing legion of fans, alongside their constant critical acclaim, We Banjo 3 make a bold new foray with Haven, carving further footprint in the history of folk music.

Similar to their three previous acclaimed studio albums-String Theory (2016), Gather the Good, (2014) and Roots of the Banjo Tree (2012)-the power of Haven relates to the band's sublime fusion of Irish and American roots music, while continuing to grant audiences an encounter with the most authentic of traditional sounds.

The We Banjo 3 personnel are two sets of brothers. Martin Howley (tenor banjo, mandolin, vocals) is a seven-time all-Ireland Banjo and Mandolin champion, hailed for his innovation and tireless virtuosic energy, holds the distinction as the first Irish musician to perform at the Grand Ole Opry. Enda Scahill (tenor banjo, vocals) a renowned master of Irish banjo, has recorded with Ricky Skaggs, the Chieftains and many others; he is also an author acknowledged as one of the world's leading authorities on Irish banjo. Fergal Scahill (fiddle, percussion, vocals) who enjoys an iconic standing in Ireland for both fiddle and bodhran, is a tireless collaborator whose many musical projects have left a harmonious international footprint. David Howley (lead vocals, guitar) is a singer of extraordinary presence and emotive range, and is credited with developing an entirely new style within the realm of Celtic guitar. Howley's charisma and honesty places him among the greatest performers of his generation.

We Banjo 3's new record is a huge leap forward in the band's musical development. Completely self-penned, and written in the midst of a huge Atlantic winter storm in Ireland, Haven charts the course of the band's live experience, an invitation and exhortation to a safe, fun-fueled space for people to relax and enjoy great music. Tracks such as "Don't Let Me Down," "Light in the Sky," and "Hold Onto Your Soul" tell the band's story of the power of love and hope in the face of life's adversities. "War of Love" is a bittersweet love song featuring Grammy-nominated Sierra Hull on vocals. The instrumental tracks once again underscore the melodic genius and technical wizardry of these multi-talented musicians.

This is We Banjo 3 at full flow, in total control, at the height of their prowess, with a finely tuned message about love, acceptance, peace, and kindness, and an album of questing lyrical talent in pursuit of universal truth.

The Lisa Smith Wengler Center for the Arts at Pepperdine University provides high-quality activities for over 50,000 people from over 1,000 zip codes annually through performances, rehearsals, museum exhibitions, and master classes. Located on Pepperdine's breathtaking Malibu campus overlooking the Pacific, the Center serves as a hub for the arts, uniquely linking professional guest artists with Pepperdine students as well as patrons from surrounding Southern California communities. Facilities include the 450-seat Smothers Theatre, the 118-seat Raitt Recital Hall, the "black box" Helen E. Lindhurst Theatre, and the Frederick R. Weisman Museum of Art.

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