Guesting w/Stepwise
Playing cold with a hot Irish trad group
This past Sunday I had the pleasure of accompanying Olivia Breidenthal and Liam Lewis of Stepwise at Avogadro’s in Fort Collins. They’d reached out through a short grapevine to put the word out that they were looking for a bodhran player to sit in with them during an upcoming performance. After getting word from Tasha, I reached out and shazam - got the job. While Olivia sent me their set list and link to tunes/songs (many original) circumstances conspired to prevent me from listening to the set list prior to the performance - so it literally felt impromptu, save for a couple run downs afforded by the sound check. While it could have been a disaster, their talent and expressive, sensitive play - along with a couple well-timed eyebrow waggles - ensured that it went off without a hitch! And what a blast we had!
For those soon-to-be fans, Stepwise is a traditional Celtic folk band consisting of Olivia Breidenthal (fiddle and vocals), Liam Lewis (mandolin, guitar, fiddle and vocals), and All-Ireland Champion bones player, James Yoshizawa (percussions) - who couldn’t make their Fort Collins performance.
Stepwise performs a mixture of traditional Irish songs marked by tight vocal harmonies and traditional Irish tune sets. Olivia is a practitioner of the Galway fiddle style with influences including Kevin Burke, the Kane Sisters, and Liz Carroll. Their original tunes are rhythmically and melodically interesting punctuated with raw, honest expressiveness. Their tunes and songs wind and whirl their way into an emotional experience that makes the listener appreciate the sheer spectacle of their creative energy. Become a fan and get their new album on bandcamp.
Among Irish music fans who frequent all the trad happenings in town, Linda, Maddie, Don and John came (with instruments in tow) to enjoy the show and lend their support. Despite being exhausted from a long drive right to their performance, Olivia and Liam led a fun session afterwards. We sat out on the front patio, shared tunes and some drinks and and got to know each other a bit. The evening brought a welcomed cool breeze and sprinkle of rain - and then they were off to crash at a friend’s house in Fort Collins.
It seemed like everyone had a fun time and we all promised to stay in touch. So…until next time you’re out this way, keep the tunes coming and thanks for the fun evening!
If you haven’t already, please follow our Facebook page to be kept apprised of trad Irish music happening in the Fort Collins area.
Video courtesy of Linda Strauss