byDarlene Brace
The Reg Lenna Center for the Arts in Jamestown invites you to an incredible, unique, and energetic concert performance by the Young Dubliners this Saturday, March 22nd, starting at 7:30pm. The Young Dubliners are a vibrant Celtic rock band known for their fusion of traditional Celtic music with distinctive rock elements. Their lyrics often draw from Celtic history and folklore, creating a captivating rhythmic experience for the audience. The Young Dubliners are currently on a national tour for most of the year, and Jamestown is fortunate to be included in their schedule of appearances.
it Fair City, where he and his band performed
every Saturday night for about
three years. This experience eventually
led to a record deal and the release of
their fi rst EP Rocky Road in 1993, which
featured six songs.
With over 30 years of experience, they have established themselves as one of the world’s leading Celtic rock bands. Over the years, The Young Dubliners have created this blend of Celtic and rock music, delivering energetic performances to audiences across the United States, Ireland, and beyond. They have toured for years as headliners and as openers for artists such as Collective Soul, Jethro Tull, and more.
Keith Roberts, Chas Waltz, and Ethan Jones
The Young Dubliners was formed in 1992. Initially, one of the founding members of the band, Keith Roberts, had moved from his home in Dublin, Ireland, to the United States in the late 1980s and settled in California. He started out playing as part of a duo, but in 1992, the duo evolved into a full rock band. Roberts purchased a small pub and called it Fair City, where he and his band performed every Saturday night for about three years. This experience eventually led to a record deal and the release of their first EP Rocky Road in 1993, which featured six songs.
In 1995, the band was offered a full album deal and began touring in the United States and Ireland. From 1995 to 2013, they released nine albums. As they prepared to record their 10th album around 2018, a few band members decided to retire, so the 10th album was put on hold for the time being. Band members Keith Roberts (vocals and guitar), Chas Waltz (violin, keys, and vocals), and Dave Ingraham (drums), stayed on with the band, and then Justin Pecot (guitar and vocals), and Ethan Jones (bass guitar) joined the band. The five of them have been performing together for the past six years.
When Ethan and Justin joined the band, the band continued to perform, but it took some time for them to fully integrate and get prepared for recording again. Then, the Covid pandemic hit, which was very hard on the band, as they were unable to perform and had no income. Consequently, the new album was put on hold again. However, the band resumed writing new material in 2021 and has been recording since then. They have released a couple of singles, and hopefully, they will release their full album sometime this year.
Their last few albums have been funded through crowdfunding. Crowdfunding occurs when fans contribute financially to support the recording of an album. Fans can make donations, pre-order the album, and purchase merchandise, all of which go towards funding the album’s production.
The Young Dubliners are scheduled to play in many large cities across the country, but they are also interested in getting into small towns like Jamestown. Keith stated that he feels there are many amazing small towns on the East Coast that they want to bring their music to so that the fans don’t have to drive to big cities to see them perform. He also said that they enjoy playing at small venues like the Reg Lenna, which has charm and is more intimate, and sometimes they get to meet some of the locals after the show.
Keith wants people to know, “We are extremely grateful for the fan base that we have acquired and grateful to have been able to perform as long as we have. Touring and recording as long as we have, we are encouraged to play some of our old familiar tunes and excited that we also have new music to share. We can’t wait to come to Jamestown to give the community a memorable performance at the Reg Lenna.”
To find more information on this time-honored Celtic rock band, you can visit youngdubliners.com. You can also listen to several of their tunes on youtube.com. If you’re interested in buying tickets for the Jamestown performance, go to reglenna.com or call the Reg Lenna’s box office at 716-484-7070.
Don’t miss the opportunity to see this incredible and unique band that has been entertaining audiences for over 30 years. Purchase your tickets now for the March 22nd concert event before they sell out! It promises to be a fun night, and you might find yourself moving to the beat and dancing to the great sounds of the Young Dubliners.