Dance a jig, Chieftains coming to town

 Iconic, entertaining and legendary, The Chieftains traditional Irish band roars into California Center for the Arts, Escondido Concert Hall on Thursday, Feb. 25.

Considered one of the world’s most memorable musical ensembles, The Chieftains transcend musical boundaries by blending tradition with modern music. They’ve been at it for half-a-century, believe it or not, yet always sound fresh and relevant.

You can thank Paddy Moloney for the show. Highly regarded as one of the top traditional folk musicians in Ireland and around the world, the master of the uilleann pipes and tin whistle formed the group in 1962.

Other Chieftains include: Matt Molloy (flute), Kevin Coneff (bodhran and vocals), Jon Pilatzke (fiddle), Triona Marshall (harp and keys), Alyth McCormack (vocals and percussion), Tara Breen (fiddle and saxophone) and Tim Edey (guitar).

“The band’s early following comprised mainly of folk music fans but their range, musical variations and accompanying musicians quickly captured a much broader audience, elevating their status to the likeness of fellow Irish band, U2,” CCAE publicists said.

Winning six Grammy Awards from 18 nominations, the Chieftains have an interesting vitae, to wit:

▪First Western musicians to perform on the Great Wall of China, the

▪First ensemble to perform a concert in the Capitol Building in Washington DC.

▪Participated in Roger Water’s “The Wall” performance in Berlin in 1990. 

▪Traveled with NASA astronaut Cady Coleman to the international space station. (He took Paddy Moloney’s whistle and Matt Molloy’s flute 

▪Collaborated with The Rolling Stones, Van Morrison, James Galway, Bon Iver and Imelda May. Recently received Honorary Doctorates from the Dublin Institute of Technology for their contribution to music and their role as cultural ambassadors.

OK, enough talk. If you want to walk the walk, The Chieftains are ready to play the 1,523-seat Concert Hall.

The Center is located at 340 N. Escondido Blvd. in Escondido. The Ticket Office can be reached at (800) 988-4253. Tickets can also be purchased online. To learn more, including performance dates, times and ticket information, visit www.artcenter.org.