Modern Celt Bands From Ireland and Scotland Come to Saratoga This Fall

Montalvo Arts Center will present a rollicking evening of Ireland and Scotland's hottest new musicians performing a blend of old and new music as part of its 2018-2019 Carriage House Theatre Concert Series. Twice winners of Scotland's Traditional Music 'Live Act of the Year' Award (2016 & 2011), Skerryvore has been on a meteoric journey that has taken them from the remote Isle of Tiree on to international tours that have included performances in New York's Central Park and the Shanghai Expo in China. Their sound is a thrilling fusion of folk, trad, rock, and pop, steeped in the vibrant personalities and upbringing of the eight band members. Ireland's We Banjo 3 finds common ground between old world tradition and authentic Americana by plying their banjo, fiddle, guitar, and mandolin in an innovation fusion of styles that they dub "Celtgrass."

We Banjo 3 & Skerryvore will be performing at 7:30pm, Wednesday, October 17 at the Montalvo Arts Center, 15400 Montalvo Rd., Saratoga. For tickets ($43 Reserved, $48 Premier) or more information, the public may visit www.montalvoarts.org or call 408-961-5858.

Proclaimed by LiveIreland as "the hottest group in Irish music," We Banjo 3 is a band from Galway, Ireland that plays a blend of traditional Irish, old time, and bluegrass music otherwise known as "Celtgrass." Described by The Wall Street Journal as offering a "freshness and finesse bordering on the magical," the band's debut album was named "Traditional Music Album of the Year" by The Irish Times, and their fourth album String Theory debuted at Number One on the Billboard Charts. Made up of two sets of siblings - brothers Enda Scahill and Fergal Scahill and brothers Martin Howley and David Howley - We Banjo 3 finds a natural symmetry as well as a cohesive chemistry that's been imbued in the band ever since their common creative interests drew them together.

Described by Folk Radio UK as "crowd pleasers from beginning to end," Scottish band Skerryvore's unique blend of rock, trad, and funk has earned them well-deserved praise from fans, both nationally and internationally. Shooting to number one in the iTunes World Music chart, their hit single Live Forever also doubled as the soundtrack for Wild About Argyll, a Scottish touring campaign. Skerryvore's annual music festival, Oban Live, is the biggest live music event in its region, attracting over 10,000 attendees and exposing fans to music from around the world. What began as a four-man-band created by Gillespie brothers Martin and Daniel, along with Fraser West and Alec Dalglish, soon became an eight-man-band after adding Craig Espie, Alan Scobie, Jodie Bremaneson and Scott Wood. This fluid ensemble relies heavily on one another and is passionate about creating music their fans love.

For nearly 60 years, Montalvo Arts Center's Carriage House Theatre Concert Series has presented world-class talent in an intimate indoor setting, becoming a treasured series for performing arts fans in Silicon Valley. Housed in the 316-seat Claire Loftus Carriage House Theatre, the series features a diverse array of artists from a variety of genres from classical to jazz to R&B, rock, plus theatre, comedy, and more. Some events include the opportunity to dine pre-show at Bistro Montalvo with a prix-fixe dinner served in the elegant historic Villa Montalvo, catered by ModernTaste ($60 per person and offered at select performances).

Montalvo Arts Center is a donor-supported nonprofit institution, whose mission is to engage the public in the creative process, acting as a catalyst for exploring the arts, unleashing creativity, and advancing different cultural and cross-cultural perspectives. Located in Silicon Valley's Saratoga Hills, Montalvo occupies a Mediterranean-style Villa, built in 1912 by Senator James Duval Phelan, surrounded by 175 stunning acres. Senator Phelan bequeathed the Villa and grounds to the people of California for the encouragement of art, music, literature, and architecture, a mandate Montalvo has carried forward ever since its founding. The grounds include the campus of the Sally and Don Lucas Artists Program (LAP), the Claire Loftus Carriage House Theatre, and the Lillian Fontaine Garden Theatre, as well as miles of hiking trails, terraces, gardens, and other picturesque public areas.

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