Canadian Folk Music Award nominees The Bombadils are Luke Fraser and Sarah Frank, a vibrant husband and wife duo playing traditional and original music with front porch style and classical grace. Drawing from Canadian, American, and Celtic folk traditions, the two pour the spirit of story-telling and kitchen parties into their songwriting. Luke brings guitar, mandolin, and home-grown east coast vocals in harmony with Sarah's sweet but powerful singing, lyrical fiddle playing, and claw-hammer banjo. 

The Bombadils met in 2009 while studying music at McGill University in Montreal, QC, initially performing as an Irish pub band as a fun way to break up their studies. In the years to follow, they began recording and touring throughout Canada, and internationally. Tour highlights include Koerner Hall in Toronto, ON, Tivoli Gardens in Denmark, and Wintergrass music festival outside Seattle, WA. In 2015 they released full-length album, "Grassy Roads, Wandering Feet," quickly followed by "New Shoes" in 2016 which was nominated for two Canadian Folk Music Awards and won Folk Music Ontario's Album of the Year award.

Gráinne Brady and Ryan Murphy are an exciting new Irish duo based in Glasgow, combining fiddle with uilleann pipes and flute to produce a truly organic set comprised Irish traditional tunes, contemporary tunes and their own compositions. Hailing from counties Cavan and Cork, they blend their regional styles to create a robust, distinctly Irish sound. 

Singer/Songwriter from the Scottish Highlands. Mainly influenced by country/folk music but draw inspiration from many other genres. 

Musician in search of my expression in sound and rhythm.

Though original piano is the instrument I started with, I left it to long standing in the corner to be able to express myself on it. Nowadays I'm mainly playing - and still discovering my expression on - the Irish frame-drum the bodhràn. I'm playing primarily on a Seamus O'Kane and a 14In Brendan White, the latter with horseskin. The ones in my profile-picture are a Hedwitschak Light-Line 2.0, my second new-bought bodhrán, and a MOS. I don't consider myself a soloist. I love the rhythmical accompanying of other musicians, synchronizing, getting a resonance in playing together and the interaction. Making energy. I like it!

Black Market Tune überrascht mit einem völlig neuen Bild von Folkmusik. Schwedische Sterbelieder, schottische Trinklieder und österreichische Jodler werden mit Kompositionen aus eigener Feder kombiniert. Europäische Musiktradition trifft auf Experimentierfreudigkeit. Jazz und Blues fließen genauso mit ein wie Elektronisches. Black Market Tune klingt rau und ungekämmt, herzzerschmetternd und lyrisch zugleich. Paul Dangl, John Somerville, Colin Nicholson, Christian Troger und Johanna Kugler brechen das traditionell eher straffe Folkgenre auf und schaffen einen unverwechselbaren Sound, der in die Knochen kriecht.

Black Market Tune surprises the audience with a completely new image of folk music. Swedish death songs, Scottish drinking songs and Austrian yodelers are combined with original compositions. European music tradition meets with love for experimentation. The music draws from Jazz and Blues as well as from Electronic Music. Black Market Tune sounds harsh and unkempt, heartbreaking and lyrical at the same time. Paul Dangl, John Somerville, Colin Nicholson, Christian Troger and Johanna Kugler break open the traditionally rather tight folk genre and create that unique sound seeping into your bones.

Contemporary Irish Trad Group

Athrú are a new, vibrant, award winning, contemporary Irish Trad group that draw upon influences from Belfast and beyond to deliver music that is a combination of powerful accompaniment fused with modern tunes and delicate harmonies that is dynamic, energetic and fresh. The band originated through sessions in Belfast in early 2014, and despite their short time together have won Derry's "An Re Nua 2014" Competition, and have began recording their début EP album to be released next year. Through several competitions and festival appearances such as “Fleadh Cheoil Na hÉireann”, "Pan Celtic Festival", "Club Sásta", and supporting the likes of Trad super-groups: MOXIE, KAN, Goitse, Buille and the Máirtín O'Connor Trio; they have begun to build a strong following with their great sets and infectious onstage character.

 The band includes Belfast musicians Niall McIlroy (whistles/flutes/guitars), Cormac Crummey (guitars/fiddle/banjo), Brendan Loughran (concertina). Kevin Meehan from Dublin (bodhran/percussion/whistles) and Conor Broderick from Galway (piano/rhodes).

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