Filled with Irish charm, stellar vocals and electrifying performances, the Shamrock Tenors is performing Saturday, March 22 at the Schuster Center. Tickets are available now.
Last year saw the Shamrock Tenors first ever Northern Irish national headlining tour. Starting with a sold-out show at the Grand Opera House in Belfast, the Tenors continued to sell out the entire tour months in advance, including a return to the Grand Opera House for another sold out performance.
The group’s first two singles — 2021’s “Belfast” and 2024’s “Mary” — shot to number one on the iTunes World Music Charts. The Tenors’ online performances have amassed over 30 million views. The group has traveled to over 30 countries, including an Irish festival in North Carolina, and sold out shows in iconic venues like Belfast’s Ulster Hall and England’s Birmingham Symphony Hall.
Founded in 2018 by seasoned musical theater performer Raymond Walsh, the Shamrock Tenors became a platform to showcase the most talented lads he knew in Northern Ireland, introducing them abroad.
“Some of the most talented people I know are back in Belfast, and the world doesn’t know about them,” Walsh said. “Starting the group was mainly about two things: showcasing the amazing talent that was still back home, and also showcasing Northern Ireland and how far it has come in the last 30 years.”
Walsh said that Northern Ireland is a great example of what can be achieved through accepting each other’s differences, to create something that celebrates rather than divides people.
Those sentiments come out in the music of the Shamrock Tenors — in the traditional songs, folk and drinking favorites, and the original music, as well. Jimmy Johnston, the principal songwriter in the Tenors, also brings his love for American country and bluegrass music to the Irish group.
But there is a bit of a misconception to the name the Shamrock Tenors, Walsh said, perhaps leading some audiences to believe that they’re getting an operatic show. While the lads are technically tenor voices, together they use their five-part, completely individualistic harmonies to offer a modern sound to authentic Irish traditions.
The Shamrock Tenors is bringing those sounds to its first official American tour.
“The one thing we’ve really noticed over here is that sense of memory that Irish music unlocks,” Walsh said. “It really does allow people to dive into their heritage and maybe into their family histories, which is really, really lovely.”
Irish music is storytelling. An Irish song takes you on a journey, passing on generational stories of the culture, pride, connecting and expressing, and welcoming other people in.
“Irish music is all about enjoyment, letting loose, leaving any sort of worries at the door, and just coming in and having a nice night of escapism,” Walsh said. “We wanted to bring that authentic taste of Ireland. We want people to feel in a theater as if they could be in a bar in Galway.”
Brandon Berry writes about the Dayton and Southwest Ohio music and art scene. Have a story idea? Email branberry100@gmail.com.
HOW TO GO
What: Shamrock Tenors
When: 7:30 p.m., March 22
Where: Schuster Center, 1 W. 2nd St., Dayton
Tickets: daytonlive.org
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