History
In 2013, drummer and producer Manu Masko imagined a project mixing traditional Celtic music with contemporary influences, inspired by the concept of the Buena Vista Social Club.[citation needed] He brought together artists from different scenes — rock, folk, reggae, as well as Breton, Scottish and Irish music — with the aim of adapting traditional tunes into a modern format.[citation needed]
The project took shape with an initial performance, originally intended as a one-off, at the Vieilles Charrues Festival on 18 July 2014, before an audience of about 40,000 spectators. [1]
The first line-up included Jimme O’Neill (The Silencers), Jean-Pierre Riou (Red Cardell), Ronán Le Bars, Pierre Stéphan, Mathieu Péquériau and Richard Puaud. [5] Guest performers at this concert included Breton singer Louise Ebrel, [6] New York rapper IC Will,[citation needed] and Breton folk singer Colline Hill.[citation needed]
The first single, "Celtic Social Club", entered the playlist of France Inter, which broadcast the concert in its entirety the same evening. [7]
Prior to this concert, the group had recorded their debut album, The Celtic Social Club, produced by Manu Masko,[citation needed] at La Sirène (La Rochelle),[citation needed] mixed in New York by Ariel Borujow, [8] and released on 18 June 2014 on the Breton label Keltia Musique. [9] The album alternates between original compositions and re-interpretations of traditional themes from Ireland, Scotland, Brittany, and other Celtic regions.[citation needed]
First tours and affirmation of style (2015–2017)
Following positive reactions from audiences and the media, [10] the band began touring in March 2015, with concerts in France, Switzerland, Germany, and the United States. [11] A notable appearance in New York led to the recording of the live album Unplugged in NYC, released in October 2015 and mixed by Ariel Borujow. [12]
Jean-Pierre Riou left the band after a concert at Moulin du Roc (Niort) in December 2015, [13] and was replaced by Goulven Hamel, who had previously contributed to the group's communications (texts and visuals).[citation needed]
In January 2016, the band recorded three tracks (A New Kind of Freedom, The Birds, When You Need Someone) with producer John Reynolds at La Sirène (La Rochelle), [14] before finalizing the album at Alhambra Colbert studio (Rochefort) and mixing it in New York with Ariel Borujow. [15]
The second studio album, A New Kind of Freedom, was released in 2017. [16] The band continued touring in China, Vietnam, Turkey, and Algeria. [17]
In October 2016, the group played in Central Park (New York) as part of the 25th anniversary of the Vieilles Charrues Festival. [18] A short U.S. tour followed in September 2017, [19] although it did not fully meet expectations due to logistical and financial difficulties.[citation needed]
Dan Donnelly era and From Babylon to Avalon (2018–2019)
In 2018, Northern Irish singer and guitarist Dan Donnelly officially joined The Celtic Social Club, bringing a more Anglophone orientation to the project. [20]
The band’s third studio album, From Babylon to Avalon, was recorded in Rochefort and mixed in New York by Ariel Borujow. It was released in France in April 2019, and later reissued in the United Kingdom as a UK edition in autumn 2019. [21] [22]
During this period, the group performed for the first time on a major UK stage at the Beautiful Days Festival in summer 2019. [23] A European tour followed the release of the album, with shows in France, the Czech Republic, Spain, and Switzerland. [24]
Several test concerts in the United Kingdom (Newcastle, Edinburgh, Halifax) were positively received, helping the project develop further across Britain.[citation needed] At one of these shows in Edinburgh, the band met Bruce Findlay, former manager of Simple Minds, who encouraged their development in the UK.[citation needed]
New line-up and tenth anniversary (2023–present)
In June 2022, the band welcomed a new singer, Taylor Byrne (vocals, guitar), originally from Dublin, on the recommendation of Sam O'Sullivan, drum tech and stage manager for U2. [25]
Meanwhile, Ronán Le Bars, suffering from recurring hand problems, temporarily stepped back from the band. He was replaced by violinist Céline Rivaud, who had previously filled in for fiddler Pierre Stéphan. [26]
The band adopted a more pop and indie folk-rock oriented sound while keeping its Celtic roots. To strengthen its presence on streaming platforms and to introduce its new singer, The Celtic Social Club released three singles within a year. [27]
In October 2024, encouraged by its label Aztec to mark the band's first decade, the compilation album Inventory was released, featuring 20 tracks and one previously unreleased song, I Can’t Wait Anymore. [28]
In 2025, the band performed at the Off The Tracks Festival in Derbyshire. Their set was described by Festivals For All as "a powerhouse of twin fiddles, gob-irons, and distinctive vocal style," praising the group’s ability to cover "a lot of bases" musically. [29]
Fifth album: You Should Know (2025)
In November 2024, after the release of Inventory, the band began writing new material. Unlike the remote process of Dancing or Dying? during the pandemic, the seven Franco-Irish musicians worked together in the same room, favoring direct exchange and collective composition. [30]
Two songs quickly emerged: Love Is a Madness and You Should Know. Manu Masko invited British producer Nick Davis, best known for his work with Genesis and Mike + The Mechanics, to oversee production. [31] The label Aztec financed the production of these two songs, recorded in February 2025 during an intensive week with Davis. [32]
Following these sessions, Aztec agreed to fund the entire album. Recording took place in May and June 2025 at bassist Richard Puaud's studio in Montamisé, France, [33] with mixing completed in late June and early July.
On 11 July 2025, the first single Love Is a Madness was released, [34] followed by the title track You Should Know in September 2025. [35]
A UK tour, including a London date, was scheduled for November 2025, followed by further concerts in March 2026. [36] [37]
- Manu Masko (2013–present): drums, percussion, keyboard, samples, loops, backing vocals / art direction
- Ronan Le Bars (2013–present): Uilleann pipes, low whistle
- Pierre Stéphan (2013–present): fiddle
- Mathieu Péquériau (2013–present): harmonica, washboard, backing vocals
- Richard Puaud (2013–present): bass, backing vocals
- Goulven Hamel (2016–present): electric guitar, mandolin, banjo
- Taylor Byrne (2022-present): lead vocals, acoustic guitar
