Young Dubliners

“Their sound defies categorization. The Young Dubliners can be seen as Ireland’s answer to Los Lobos, with a singular combination of traditional folk music, raucous electric rock, and forward-thinking experimentation.” Allmusic.com

What do you get when you fuse Celtic and rock music? You get The Young Dubliners, a band founded some 30 years ago. Although their sound is commonly called Celtic Rock, that label is misleading. The Irish influence is certainly there, but it’s not the only influence that bursts through on their albums or live shows. Ironically, several of the band members have no Irish roots at all.

The Dubliners consist of Keith Roberts on vocals and guitar, Chas Waltz on violin, keys, and vocals, Justin Pecot on guitar and vocals, Dave Ingraham on drums, and Ethan Jones on bass guitar. They have released nine albums, are working on a tenth and have, in recent years, appeared twice on Jimmy Kimmel Live, had songs featured on shows such as Sons of Anarchy, and toured extensively as a headliner and opener for a diverse group of artists including Collective Soul, Jethro Tull, Johnny Lang, Los Lobos, and Chris Issak.

For the second time, the band is looking to its fans to finance an album, instead of relying on a traditional record company. “The business has changed so much in our lifetime that it no longer makes sense for us to take money from a label and then owe it all back,” Roberts said. “Making all our supporters co-producers is a far more rewarding way to make a record and allow us to maintain control all the way.”

As for the music, it was always intended to bring together a variety of sounds and traditions. “The sound was intended to be a hybrid because we all come from different backgrounds,” Roberts said. “Even though I am from Ireland, a lot of the music I listened to growing up wasn’t Irish at all, but when I got here, I got homesick and developed a new appreciation for Irish music. In truth, the Celtic riffs can just as easily come from the American band members. Everyone writes now, so you never know what you’ll end up with.”

Amazon Music has an idea. “The songs range from stadium-friendly extravaganzas to more intimate, but equally outspoken pub-sized opuses. Lead singer Keith Roberts’ powerhouse vocals front a maelstrom of fiddle vamps, howling guitars, and frenzied drums. But even so, the hint of rueful melancholy that lies at the heart of traditional Celtic music survives, transformed, yet triumphant.”

Come step into the storm. You’ll leave transformed.