Ready for St. Paddy’s Month?

REGIONAL – Why celebrate St. Patrick’s Day only one day a year? How about all month long, beginning this weekend?
The Belleville Roots Music Series is opening St. Paddy’s Month this Sunday, March 5, “a wee bit early,” the concert series announcement said, with the traditional Irish band, Téada, performing an afternoon concert at the Belleville Congregational Church on High Street, Newburyport.
“We’ve had an afternoon show only once before, last year with Dervish,” said Ken Irwin, one of the founders of the Roots Music series, of last year’s March concert. “It’s nice to go to the show and not have to worry about being out late.”
The performance at the end of the first week of March means there is no competition for Irish music lovers, Irwin said. He expects Téada, which has been performing for 21 years, will attract fans from Boston and throughout the region.
The afternoon concert also encourages parents and grandparents to bring the children, Irwin said. Or if you prefer, enjoy the show before dinner.
Téada, known for its high-quality instrumentation, is a frequent headliner at major music festivals throughout the U.S. and around the world. The five-member band released its sixth album on the Gael Linn label last year.
Members of Téada include Sligo native Oisín Mac Diarmada on fiddle, Paul Finn on accordion, Seàn Gavin on the flute and pipes and Seàn McElwain on the guitar. Enda Reilly, a vocalist who is joining the band for this tour, has “one of those voices that reaches out and touches you,” Irwin said.
Don’t worry that this concert may be dry. The Roots Music Series is opening a bar an hour before the concert, serving beer from the Bent Water Brewing Co. in Lynn and wine from the Lucille Wine Shop in Lynn.
Téada has performed at the Roots Music Series twice before.
For regulars at the Roots Music Series, the quality of the artists who perform on the Belleville stage continues to amaze. Molly Tuttle and the Golden Highway, who performed here last fall, won a Grammy award last month in the Americana and roots-music categories. She was also nominated as best new artist across all genres.
Another Grammy winner, the SteelDrivers, will be on the Belleville stage for an evening performance on April 29. In 2018, the group made Grand Ole Opry history as the quintet was joined by superstars John Prine and Bill Murray on the revered stage.
Belleville Roots is a non-profit organization that supports the maintenance and restoration of the historic Belleville church buildings. Sponsors and advertisers are welcome. It also accepts tax-deductible donations at Belleville Roots Music Series, 300 High Street, Newburyport, MA 01950.
The Belleville Roots Music Series Steering Committee includes Irwin, Joe Carper, Fred Habib, Donna Wilson Irwin, Shawna Kelley, Patsy Nelson, Lisë Reid, Garry Roy, Marcia Shoemaker and pastor Ross Varney.
Tickets are $10 for children 18 and under and $35 for adults. For more information, email bellevilleroots@gmail.com or visit www.bellevilleroots.org.