WTJU is delighted to present Solas in concert at The Jefferson Theater in Charlottesville on Thursday, February 26.  Opening for them will be members of the Blue Ridge Irish Music School.

Before Solas heads over to The Jefferson Theater for sound check, this internationally renowned band will first stop by the WTJU studios for a visit to Folk & Beyond.

Solas is the quintessential Irish-American band recording and touring in the US today. In 1996, in a manner befitting their name (Gaelic for “light”), Solas burst onto the Irish music scene and instantly became a beacon – an incandescent ensemble that found contemporary relevance in timeless traditions without ever stooping to clichés. Anchored by founding members Seamus Egan (flute, tenor banjo, mandolin, whistles, guitars, bodhran) and Winifred Horan (violins, vocals), Solas is rounded out by Mick McAuley (accordians, low whistle, concertina, vocals), Eamon McElholm (guitars, keyboards, vocals), and newest member and lead singer, Norianna Kennedy. Through fresh and unexpected arrangements of age-old tunes, compelling and topical originals and covers, and unparalleled musicianship, Solas continues to define the path for the Celtic music world and drive the genre forward.

It can be convincingly argued that no band has done more than Solas to prove that Celtic music today is a truly universal musical language, like jazz, rock, or bluegrass. With their 2013 release, Shamrock City, they once again showed why they continue to be one of the most popular, influential, and exciting bands ever to emerge over the past two decades. Hailed as their masterpiece, Shamrock City, is a tail of immigration, mining, and murder, culled from founding member, Seamus Egan’s family history. A testament to the imaginative power of song, Shamrock City reveals essential human truths with humor, sympathy, and a measure of righteous anger. Live in concert, the music and songs of Shamrock City, combined with an imaginative multi-media presentation comprised of archival footage and pictures, has entertained audiences across the country and the world and demonstrates that the immigrant experience transcends borders and language.

As Solas readies themselves for their 20th Anniversary in 2016, they continue to push the musical boundaries and set the tone for what people believe Celtic music is today. As those who have experienced them in concert can attest, whether they’re playing newly composed music or music from two centuries ago, the quality is so high and the presentation so direct that it hits like a wave in a way that seems to penetrate everybody, whether they are already fans of Celtic music or not.

Come see the band hailed by the New York Times for their “….unbridled vitality” and the Boston Globe declared as “the finest celtic ensemble this country has ever produced”. After nearly 20 years together Solas shows no sign of slowing down. An incandescent ensemble that continues to find contemporary relevance in timeless traditions.