Internationally celebrated Celtic band, Lúnasa returns to Miners Foundry March 22

Nevada City, CA – A gathering of some of the top musical talents in Ireland will come together in Nevada City on the Miners Foundry stage in March with the return of Celtic band, Lúnasa.

The Miners Foundry Cultural Center is pleased to present international superstars, Lúnasa, on Friday, March 22. The bar opens at 7 p.m. and the show begins at 8 p.m. This is a seated show.

Named for an ancient Celtic harvest festival in honor of the Irish god Lugh, Lúnasa was formed in 1997 from members of some of the greatest Irish groups of the previous decade, an early review from Folk Roots magazine described the band as an “Irish music dream team.”

“They’re excellent, excellent musicians and they’re not afraid to slow it down and put nuance into their music. That’s what makes them very interesting to other musicians,” said the band’s Road Manager Maureen Brennan.

The Miners Foundry show is part of a six-week U.S. tour celebrating the release of the band’s Japanese recording, Live in Kyoto. The album of all new material was produced last fall when Lúnasa played three nights at the iconic Japanese club Taku Taku. 

Journalist Tadd Igarashi called it, “a courageous and challenging move” and one that could be taken because of the special relationship and trust Lúnasa has built with their Japanese fans from 20 years of touring there.

The band’s complex arrangements and unique sound have helped to reshape the boundaries of traditional music and energize audiences the world over. Having since sold over a quarter of a million records and performed over 2,000 shows across 36 countries, Lúnasa has won multiple awards and become one of the most influential bands in the history of traditional Celtic music. 

They have collaborated with big names like Natalie Merchant, Mary Chapin-Carpenter and Tim O’Brien and played high-profile concerts at The Hollywood Bowl, New York’s Carnegie Hall, Glastonbury Festival in England and Bercy Arena in Paris.

Currently, the band’s lineup includes bassist Trevor Hutchinson (The Waterboys), piper Cillian Vallely (Bruce Springsteen and Riverdance), flute player Kevin Crawford (Moving Cloud), Sean Smyth (Donal Lunny and Michael McGoldrick), and guitarist Ed Boyd (Flook, Kate Rusby, and Cara Dillon).

Lúnasa is popular among local audiences, as well, and the band has played several times at KVMR’s Annual Celtic Festival. A mix of storytelling, music artistry and humor make the memorable live shows full of  laughter, clapping and good spirits.

“There’s something about the emotional quality of the music that just grabs onto you. It’s a very lively performance. They have a great affection for the audience,” said Brennan.

Plus, the Miners Foundry has teamed-up with local public radio station, KVMR, to offer a special “Celtic Session” as pre-show entertainment for ticket holders beginning at 6:30 p.m.

A “session” is a traditional gathering of musicians who jam together and entertain bystanders. Select regional musicians from the KVMR Celtic Festival Stage will be playing in the Stone Hall prior to the concert. Guests are welcome to join with their own instrument or simply enjoy more great live music!