Music
SYR
Returning to Irish Fest Camden for the 8th year is SYR (pronounced "sire"). The crowd favorite, Celtic folk rock band from Columbia takes inspiration from Celtic history, stories, and myth. SYR blends their own unique background to create powerful songs with themes like battle, love, heritage, and victory, celebrating the rich heritage of the Celtic Nations in a contemporary style with broad audience appeal. SYR's reputation for a high-energy performance has made them a welcome addition to many Celtic festivals and events, building a following across the U.S. and internationally.
Their much anticipated third CD dropped in January 2022. The band consists of siblings Kyle (lead vocals, guitar) and Laurel MacCallum (vocals, percussion), Kelly Vance (bass), Greg Vance (drums), and Worth Lewallen (violin).
For more information, visit their official website at www.syrmusic.com.
Visit their website at: ScreamingOrphans.com
Cassie and Maggie make their first appearance at Irish Fest Camden in 2025. With over 17 combined Canadian Folk Music, East Coast Music, and Music Nova Scotia awards and nominations, the JUNO-Nominated powerhouse duo emerge as an unstoppable force on the global folk stage. Unleashing a magnetic energy, they seamlessly weave their deep Celtic heritage with contemporary influences. Committed to not just preserving but also propelling Nova Scotia's folk traditions into new realms, Cassie and Maggie bring an exhilarating energy that is both timeless and irresistibly modern. Their eagerly anticipated 5th studio album, "Gold and Coal," poised to solidify their status as folk music trailblazers.
Broken Brogue is a four-piece Irish band based in Decatur, Illinois that
plays a variety of Celtic music rooted in the time-honored artistic
traditions of Ireland and Scotland. Noted for their relaxed and
warm-hearted performing style, their performances are informed by the
diverse musical backgrounds of the members. Their sentiment is always to
bring people together through a mutual appreciation of the Celtic musical
tradition and the sincere emotion and enjoyment that comes with it.
Thomas Hagan, is a Tyrone born singer, guitarist, banjo, and mandolin
player. Thomas is currently working on immigrating to the USA permanently.
Neal Smith plays whistle, pipes, and keyboard. He is a professor of Music
Education at Millikin University.
Jeff Elvin slaps the Bodhran and sings back up. He is a carpenter by trade
but spent years playing snare in the St. Andrew’s Pipe Band before picking
up the Bodhran.
Tara Ulis plays fiddle. She is a classically trained violinist who
performed in the U.C.L.A. orchestra before moving to central Illinois. She
has deep Irish roots: her grandmother was Irish born and she can remember
as a child her grandmother speaking to her in Gaelic.
EJ Campbell was born into Irish music. Raised on albums from the Wolfe Tones and Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem, his parents laid the groundwork for what turned into a lifelong passion for Irish music, history, and culture. When he finally learned guitar at 17, teachings from mentors
Dubliner Willie Lynch and Kevin Guerin from Clare brought his love for Irish music to life. EJ went on to hone his craft playing pubs and clubs in
central and northern New Jersey.
Now, a multi-instrumentalist, EJ strives to keep traditional Irish music alive in the US, and odd performance or two in Ireland. He loves to take his audiences on a musical tour of all 32 counties with timeless folk tunes, rousing rebel hits, beautiful love ballads, and who doesn’t enjoy a good drinking song? A lover and student of Irish history, EJ proudly
highlights Ireland’s ongoing struggle for freedom and independence.
EJ’s pride for his ancestral home shines throughout his performances. He’s
“absolutely tickled” to return “home” each year to Irish Fest Camden, his
favorite weekend of the year!
Jenny and the Weazels are a lively Celtic trio from Northeast Tennessee. The three of them- Keegan Luckey-Smith (bouzouki, guitar, vocals), Rheva Myhre (fiddle), and Jamie Constantopoulos (bodhrán, flute)- met in Johnson City, TN around 2014, when Jamie and Keegan started building houses together. Since then, the trio has taken on many forms and played together around the region in various configurations. By St. Patrick’s Day 2024, they had a steady residency at Mulligan’s Irish Pub in Johnson City and realized they needed a name since people kept asking. After weeks of intense brainstorming, Jenny and the Weazels surfaced and stuck. Now the band enjoys bringing Scottish and Irish fiddle tunes and songs to Celtic festivals, dances, weddings and other events around the southeast and beyond!
Visit their website: Jenny and the Weazels
Raised on a farm near Camden, South Carolina, Carroll’s first music influences were church music and night time radio. His mother was the church pianist and taught him his first chords on the guitar. Traditional southern gospel and bluegrass would give way to Jim Croce and James Taylor as he entered college. The first paying jobs paid college tuition but would pave the way for his life’s work. He first tested the waters in New York but opted for Nashville, Tennessee. There, he worked with songwriters and music publishing and in various studios recording and helping produce nationally released records.
Family matters and money matters brought him back to South Carolina in 1981. He settled in Charleston, where he started a recording studio and music publishing business. A steady gig at the Mills House Hotel helped to pay for his growing family and the dream that refused to die. His family roots include Irish blood and his intense interest in the Irish music led to hosting annual visits to his ancestral homeland.
Today Carroll and his wife live on the family farm in Kershaw County where he was raised. Not much time for farming, but the gift of music his mother gave him is still his passion. He is still performing full time in venues and festivals around the southeastern U.S. and he is still writing songs and releasing new recordings.
Carroll’s albums and his performance schedule are on his website at www.carrollbrownmusic.com. You can learn about his overseas tours at www.facebook.com/4bigfun and catch his weekly live stream from the farm on his Facebook page at www.facebook.com/carroll.brown.161.