On Friday, March 6, Next Stage Arts in Putney becomes a meeting place for tradition and daring invention when Twilight Music presents Kalos plus Dan Houghton & Rachel Clemente. With pipes, fiddle, guitars, harp, and fearless twists, this is high-energy traditional folk that respects its roots while gleefully pushing past their edges.
At the heart of the evening is Kalos, a trio known for reshaping Celtic roots music with rhythmic drive, intricate arrangements, and an infectious sense of joy. Eric McDonald, Ryan McKasson, and Jeremiah McLane are masters of tradition who deliberately explore its shadowed corners, creating music that feels both ancient and startlingly new. Their sound is complex yet inviting, propelled by pulse and precision, and grounded in deep artistic integrity.
Each member’s path to Kalos brings a distinct flavor. McDonald studied jazz and bluegrass mandolin at Berklee before finding his voice on DADGAD guitar. McKasson, a violist by training, is among the youngest musicians ever to win the U.S. National Scottish Fiddle Championship. McLane, raised with Scottish roots, draws inspiration from Indonesian gamelan, West African drumming, and minimalist composers like Steve Reich and Philip Glass; his award-winning compositions have even found their way onto the big screen. Together, their long friendship fuels a live show that’s playful, spontaneous, and utterly compelling.
Sharing the stage are Rachel Clemente and Dan Houghton, two standout voices in New England’s Celtic folk scene. Firmly rooted in Scottish tradition, they bring a gritty, avant-garde edge that feels perfectly at home alongside Kalos’s bold approach. Clemente, crowned U.S. National Scottish Harp Champion in 2016, studied traditional Scottish music at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in Glasgow, and her playing balances elegance with bite. Houghton, a Scottish piper, flautist, and DADGAD guitarist, is a multiple competition winner whose career has taken him across Britain, Europe, Ireland, the Americas, Asia, and beyond, performing with groups ranging from Celtic rock to salsa-fusion.
Together, these artists promise an evening where old melodies meet new ideas, where tradition dances with innovation, and where the energy of live performance takes center stage.
Twilight Music: Kalos plus Dan Houghton & Rachel Clemente
Friday, March 6
Show time: 7:30 PM | Doors open: 6:45 PM
Next Stage Arts, 15 Kimball Hill, Putney, VT
Tickets: $22 advance / $25 door / $10 livestream
Available at nextstagearts.org
If you love Celtic music that’s alive, adventurous, and meant to be experienced in the room, this is a night not to miss.
