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Festival Line-Up
Cead Mile Failte
One Hundred Thousand Welcomes… Join us on March 21-22, 2025 for performances by…
Headline Performers
Daimh
FRIDAY MARCH 21st
8:00 pm - Headline Concert, Roundhouse
Best Western Dunmar Inn Headline Stage
Saturday, 1:15 pm - Mini Concert w/Q&A - Machine Shop Session Stage
Daimh – Gaelic Supergroup and un-challenged champions of straight in the eye Highland music are based around West Lochaber and the Isle of Skye.
Formed around the turn of the century and taking the name from the Gaelic word for “kinship” Daimh (pronounced Dive) have taken their contemporary take of Highland and Gaelic music to over 20 countries, setting audiences alight from Moscow to San Francisco.
With a reputation as giants of the Bagpipes and Fiddle, Angus Mackenzie and Gabe McVarish lead the melodic powerhouse with fellow founder member Ross Martin underpinning the groove on the Guitar. The Band are joined by “new guy” Murdo “Yogi” Cameron on Mandola and Accordion to complete the instrumental line up.
Daimh have always had the renown and notoriety of working with some of the finest Gaelic singers in Scotland and the current line up only serves to cement that distinction with the addition of the Gaelic firmament’s most rapidly rising star, Ellen MacDonald on vocals.
Recent accolades include last year’s award for the “Best Folk Band in Europe” at the prestigious Folkherbst competition in Germany and most recently winner of “Folk Band of the Year” at the Scottish Traditional Music Awards.
SATURDAY MARCH 22nd
6:00 pm - Headline Concert
Roundhouse Best Western Dunmar Inn Headline Stage
Friday, 5:15 pm - Mini Concert w/Q&A - Machine Shop Water of Life Main Stage
Saturday, 12:15 pm - Mini Concert W/Q&A - Machine Shop Water of Life Main Stage
In the quiet, farthest reaching parts of Scotland, Heron Valley capture the iconic sounds of the bothies, village halls and kitchen ceilidhs. Inspired by their previous three tours of the USA, the band have been developing their sound, shaped by the people they have met and the beautiful lands they have encountered. With a mixture of traditional Scots and original songs, Abigail Pryde tells stories from the places we were born. From the rugged Atlantic islands of the Outer Hebrides, to the mystical hills of Argyll. These musicians are passionate about their heritage and showcase the culture, language, sounds and stories of their homeland in their music.
Heron Valley are an energy fuelled, traditional band from Scotland. Their roots lie in Scottish and Irish traditional music, including traditional Scots song and Scottish piping tunes. The four-piece group comprises Abigail Pryde on Fiddle, Guitar and Vocals, Ben Muir on Keys, Kenneth Macfarlane on Bagpipes and Whistles and Callum Cronin on Bass and Guitar.
Coming from vastly different areas of Scotland you are sure to hear an excellent story or two from Heron Valley, and maybe even some Scots language lessons! Heron Valley brings together an eclectic sound of traditional music, formed through the musicians broad musical and family backgrounds.
Building on the success of well received singles, Pressed for Time and Home, and a MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards 2017 Up and Coming Artist of the Year nomination, the band set off to the USA and EU and continue to release more music including their debut album Roam, singles Take You There, Springburn, just shy of Ireland, and EP Erie Storm.
Heron Valley
Old Blind Dogs
SATURDAY MARCH 22nd
8:00 pm - Headline Concert, Roundhouse
Best Western Dunmar Inn Headline Stage
Friday, 3:15 pm - Mini Concert w/Q&A - Machine Shop Water of Life Main Stage
Saturday, 3:15 pm - Mini Concert w/Q&A - Machine Shop Session Stage
The musical evolution of Old Blind Dogs began in Aberdeen in 1992 with roots that grew from the eclectic music scene that flourished in the Granite City during the early 90’s. Four musicians from very different musical backgrounds came together to create a full-time professional touring band with the aim of showcasing the rich tradition of songs and tunes of the North East of Scotland on an international stage.
Like many of the early flag bearing Scottish folk bands, the Old Blind Dogs line up has faced inevitable changes over the years but the core values at the band’s musical heart continue to beat strong. The current band line up has been settled for several years now and consists of four of Scotland’s finest traditional musicians at the top of their game. Original member Jonny Hardie (fiddle/vocals) is joined by Aaron Jones (cittern/guitar/vocals), Ali Hutton (pipes/whistles) and Donald Hay (percussion/vocals) and collectively they comprise one of the hottest live tickets on the traditional Scottish music scene today.
As recent inductees to the BBC ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards ‘Trad Music Hall of Fame’ the ‘Dugs’ will celebrate thirty years on the road in 2022 by launching their fourteenth studio album ‘Knucklehead Circus’ in Winter 2021. A joyous, uplifting and fun album full of compelling energy and intoxicating rhythm on which ‘OBD’ continue to innovate within their tradition while faithfully revealing its essence. Here’s to many more years of Old Blind Dogs!
2025 Regional Performers
Salt Lake Scots Pipe Band
Saturday 10:15 am - Machine Shop, Water of Life Main Stage
Saturday 2:15 pm - Machine Shop, Water of Life Main Stage
Organized in 1962, The Salt Lake Scots Pipe Band has been entertaining crowds for more than 60 years. They celebrate a rich history as the oldest bagpipe band in the state of Utah in continual existence. Over the last half century the band has appeared in the United Artist’s WWII film, The Devil’s Brigade (1968), They were the official pipe band of the 2002 Winter Olympic Games where they led the competitors of the curling events onto the ice before each round of competition. That year Scotland claimed the gold medal and gave a nod to the band as having been their “secret weapon.” The Salt Lake Scots have performed with the Chieftains, the Utah Symphony, The Mormon Tabernacle Choir, among many others. It has been their honor to perform for heads of state and visiting dignitaries proudly preserving the highland traditions and keeping their cultural heritage alive in the Great Basin of the western United States.
The band is currently under the direction of Pipe Major Christopher Johnson and Drum Sergeant Jessi Frye.
Avourneen
Saturday 11:15 am - Machine Shop, Session Stage
Avourneen, (pronounced a-VORE-neen), a Denver-based trio that specializes in Irish folk, doesn’t have direct geographic ties to Ireland. The band is composed of guitarist/vocalist Adam Goldstein, a Denver native; violinist CL Morden, an import from California; and Kenny Martinez, a longtime Colorado resident and talented bassist. Together, they play a brand of Celtic music that’s both timeless and innovative, a take on the genre the Celtic Connection calls “unique in Colorado – and perhaps in the country”.
Teton Skye
Friday 6:15 pm - Machine Shop, Session Stage
Teton Skye formed in early 2017 and have been sharing a wide mix of antique and modern music with a Scottish-American twist. They released their first album, “Teton Skye” in 2019, and their second, “Hearts in the Highlands” in 2020. Teton Skye delights all ages with heart-tugging ballads, toe-tapping folk rhythms, and tunes that become your new favorite each time you listen.
Cronin's Fancy
Saturday 4:15 pm - Machine Shop, Water of Life Main Stage
Cronin’s Fancy Presents Irish Music; From The Heart Of The Tradition.
Tom Cronin: (guitar, vocals) hails from Worcester, MA, and has sung and played Irish ballads in venues across the northeast for thirty years. He has performed at the Evanston, Wyoming Celtic festival a few times. As part of the duo called “Stephen’s Green,” he has performed with groups such as Stockton’s Wing and the Dublin City Ramblers. Mike Bennett: (whistles) comes to Irish music from his native Louisiana, where he acquired his mastery of the Irish tin whistle. Greg Doyle: (fiddle) was raised in a musical family in Shannon, Ireland, and is a master of the music of his native County Clare. Mark Stevenson: (uilleann pipes, flute, whistle) hails from New York, and has performed at venues across the Wasatch Front for the past 20 years, including the Utah Arts Festival, the Utah Renaissance Faire, and the Utah Scottish Games.
Finistère
Friday 4:15 pm - Machine Shop, Session Stage
Finistère offers a unique blend of music from Celtic lands, including Brittany, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland, with traditional and original music from France, Northern Europe, and North America.
The result is Celtic music with a French accent. Finistère goes to the ends of the earth to find unusual tunes to share, resulting in a vibrant, intriguing sound created by piano accordion (David Combs), flute (Kristi Austin), and guitar (Greg Mladenka).
