“The most compelling, most soulful Irish traditional folk band playing today.”—The News Journal
The BBC has called them “an icon of Irish music.” It’s the band Dervish, born 35 years ago out of pub sessions in Northwest Ireland. They’ll make their UGA Presents debut at Hodgson Concert Hall Thursday, March 28 at 7:30 p.m.
At the end of 2019 Dervish received a prestigious lifetime achievement award from the BBC, a fitting tribute to the band after over 30 years of recording and performing all over the world. The band has played at festivals from Rio to Glastonbury. They accompanied the Irish President on state visits to Latvia and Lithuania and the Prime Minister of Ireland on a trade mission to China as Cultural Ambassadors taking time out to play an impromptu session on the Great Wall of China. Dervish has a lineup that includes some of Ireland’s finest traditional musicians, fronted by one of the country’s best-known singers, Cathy Jordan.
The Guardian newspaper commented: “Dervish are simply brilliant . . . they carry Irish history with them.” Dervish is long-established as one of the biggest names in Irish music internationally. They’re renowned for live performances, which match dazzling sets of tunes with stunning interpretations of traditional songs. Their studio and live albums — 13 to date — make up one of the outstanding catalogs in Irish music.
They are regular visitors to the U.S., performing sellout shows from coast to coast. However, their fan base stretches across several continents, including Europe, Asia, and South America. They were the first Irish band to play the world’s biggest music festival, Rock in Rio, performing to an estimated 250,000 people. Over the years they’ve been on the same bill as artists such as James Brown, Neil Young, Sting and even Iron Maiden!
All six members of Dervish are steeped in the musical traditions of counties Sligo and Leitrim in northwest Ireland. It’s an area that matches Atlantic coastline with storied mountains and rural landscapes. It has inspired a host of musicians, artists and writers, including the Nobel Prize-winning poet W. B. Yeats.
In 2004 Dervish were given their hometown’s highest honor when they were given the freedom of Sligo City in a civic reception, an accolade they share with Yeats himself, Michael Flatley and Countess Markievicz. Dervish were formed in 1989 when four of the founding members met while playing informal sessions in the pubs of Sligo — Shane Mitchell (accordion), Liam Kelly (flute/whistle), Brian McDonagh (mandola/mandolin) and Michael Holmes (bouzouki). They were soon joined by Roscommon-born singer and bodhran (drum) player Cathy Jordan, and later by all Ireland Fiddle Champion Tom Morrow in 1998. It’s a remarkable and at times electric combination — “capable of playing with note-perfect accuracy and perfect control at nearly supersonic levels” (Irish Voice, New York).
But Dervish marries technical brilliance with a rare sensibility, born of an understanding of the music and many years of playing together. The Irish Times said their “integrity makes the group a formidable heir to the throne abandoned by The Bothy Band, if not a serious contender for The Chieftains’ international space.” If you ever find yourself in the beautiful town of Sligo on the wild Atlantic way, check out the music sessions that take place in many establishments. The members of Dervish enjoy playing tunes back where it all began.
SUPPORTED BY
Jim and Carol Warnes
THREE WAYS TO ORDER TICKETS
- Purchase tickets online 24/7 online here.
- Call the Performing Arts Center Box Office at (706) 542-4400, Mon.-Fri., 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
- Visit the UGA Performing Arts Center Box Office, Mon.-Fri., 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (5 minute parking is available in the drop off circle at the Performing Arts Center for purchasing or picking up tickets.)