Brian O’Donovan is bringing his A Celtic Sojourn roots and branches show to the Lowell Summer Music Series on Saturday, August 22! I have seen Brian, but have never seen Cherish the Ladies, one of the featured bands at this show.

“WGBH Radio host Brian O’Donovan will present A Celtic Sojourn Roots and Branches Concert featuring a range of traditional and contemporary artists from around the Celtic World in what promises to be one of the highlights of the series and indeed a highlight of the summer’s Celtic calendar in New England.

“Local, regional, and national broadcasts of O’Donovan’s radio program, A Celtic Sojourn over the past 28 years have proven extraordinarily popular. This concert will follow the format established for the still growing Christmas Celtic Sojourn series of concerts which, during this past December, played to over 12,000 people in the area, and A St. Patrick’s Day Celtic Sojourn which in 2015 expands   from its multiple shows in Cambridge, to New Bedford and Worcester.  This year, he also will host two concerts with Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops, as well as producing and hosting the hugely successful ongoing Burren Backroom Series in Somerville.”

Tickets for A Celtic Sojourn are priced at $37 in advance (fee-free!), $40 on the day of the show (if available) and children 12 and under are always free courtesy of Eastern Bank. There are also premium seats – beach chairs are provided by the Series – set in two rows directly in front of the stage for $137.  Tickets are on sale through Lowell Summer Music Series.

For those of you who are unaware of the  Series, or if you are aware of it but have never attended a show there, it is an outdoor (weather permitting) concert series held on National Park Service grounds in Lowell, Massachusetts. The Series is not-for-profit, which helps keep the ticket prices reasonable.

Surrounding Boarding House Park are old mill buildings, part of the Lowell National Historical Park, which you can tour if you arrive early enough. They provide an unusual setting for an evening of great music and ambiance.

The Series generally runs from late June to early September.

This Series is dear to my heart. I have been a season pass holder since 2007 and it is one of the highlights of the year (and of summer in particular) for me. Many lasting friendships have been made there. I expect this will be another excellent year!

I will post additional announcements for the Series as they are made.

Shows announced to date are:

June 19 (Friday) – Kenny Wayne Shepherd and Jonny Lang

June 20 (Saturday) – Ani DiFranco

June 26 (Friday) – Mike Gordon

July 9 (Thursday) – The Wood Brothers with Tall Heights

July 10 (Friday) – Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo

July 17 (Friday) – Chris Robinson Brotherhood

July 18 (Saturday) – Dave Mason’s Traffic Jam

July 30 (Thursday) – Tower of Power

July 31 (Friday) – The Official Blues Brothers Revue

August 1 (Saturday) – Gordon Lightfoot

August 7 (Friday) – Lyle Lovett and His Large Band

August 13 (Thursday) – Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue

August 14 (Friday) – Bruce Hornsby & The Noisemakers

August 22 (Saturday) – A Celtic Sojourn with Brian O’Donovan

August 27 (Thursday) – John Hiatt & The Combo and the Taj Mahal Trio

August 28 (Friday) – Lake Street Dive

August 29 (Saturday) – Melissa Etheridge