Dallahan and If You Must Know

Part of the Local and Global series, Next Stage Arts and Twilight Music present two of contemporary Celtic music’s most exciting voices—Dallahan and If You Must Know.

Featuring fiddle, guitar, banjo, accordion, bagpipes, harp, and inventive arrangements that push tradition forward while honoring its roots, Dallahan and If You Must Know infuse high-energy traditional folk with bold innovation.

Forged in Scotland and Ireland’s traditional music scene while drawing on the music of the Balkans and North America, Dallahan takes listeners on a journey across styles and borders in a dazzling live show. The band creates its own distinctive brand of world folk, delivered with stunning virtuosity.

Following the release of their debut album, When the Day Is on the Turn, in 2014, Jack Badcock (guitar, vocals), Ciaran Ryan (banjo, mandolin, fiddle), Andrew Waite (accordion), and Benedict Morris (fiddle) toured extensively throughout Europe and North America. They established themselves internationally at prestigious events including Milwaukee Irish Fest, Celtic Connections, and Tønder Festival. In its first year, Dallahan received Help Musicians UK’s Emerging Excellence Award, and its debut album was shortlisted for Album of the Year at the Scots Trad Music Awards.

To date, Dallahan has brought its live show to 20 countries, earned three nominations for Folk Band of the Year (2016, 2019, and 2022), and collaborated with songwriting legend Dougie MacLean; the Royal Scottish National Orchestra on a commissioned work for a World War I commemorative concert; and Nepalese folk ensemble Kutumba in Kathmandu.