On the Lash brings its Celtic roots to the stage at Lamar Park July 28

On the Lash. (Photo Courtesy On the Lash: Used with Permission)

By Lillian Reiner
Wyoming-Kentwood News Today Contributor
greer@wktv.org

Prepare to be transported to the rolling hills and green fields of Ireland when On The Lash takes the stage at Lamar Park on Tuesday, July 28 at 6 p.m. This performance will round out Wyoming’s Concerts in the Park series.

This group of friends met over 10 years ago as students at Western Michigan University, and have since traveled the country sharing their take on Irish traditional music with modern influences.

“Our favorite part of performing often isn’t ‘performing’ itself, but rather that we get to share with an audience a little snippet of the joy we have in travelling with our best friends doing what we love,” said band manager John Robey.

Exploring the Genre

The band learned about Irish music from member Joel Tyrone Myers, and has taken its time learning how to not only play it effectively, but listen to and appreciate it.

On The Lash formed in 2022, and began touring around the United States performing at major Irish and Celtic festivals soon after.

“It’s been almost surreal to play at festivals like the KVMR Celtic Fest in Grass Valley, Calif., or the Yachats Celtic Fest in Yachats, OR, or even close to home at the Michigan Irish Music Festival,” Robey shared.

They’ve had the opportunity to play alongside their musical inspirations, including Alasdair Fraser, Solas, and Kila, as well as open for Altan within their first year of performing.

“We don’t consider ourselves true ‘trad’ (traditional) players, and we tend to feel most comfortable performing on stage as opposed to in a session,” Robey explained. However, the trad session scene has shaped the way they approach their own music.

“Those shows where the audience is so engaged that the line begins to blur between ‘observer’ and ‘participant’ are where we feel we’ve captured a real piece of that Irish music heritage,” Robey said.

Sessions refer to informal gatherings where musicians meet to play traditional tunes.

The band also holds educational workshops to share their knowledge and experience with those unfamiliar with the genre.

Unique backgrounds, United passion

Each member of On The Lash has a unique musical background and introduction into Irish folk music. Flute and vocalist Elizabeth June grew up performing with her family’s bluegrass band, which included her parents and 10 siblings. She holds a masters degree in flute performance from the University of Michigan.

Joel Tyrone Myers started playing the fiddle with the Chelsea House Orchestra as a young boy, igniting his love for Irish music at a young age. In addition to playing the mandolin, Myers writes and arranges a majority of the music for On The Lash.

Fiddlist and band manager John Robey began learning classical violin at seven years old, however, it wasn’t until age 14 that he began exploring nontraditional genres, such as Celtic music.

Patrick Hartson plays guitar for the band, but he began his musical career playing cello in a fiddle club, where he first learned various styles of Irish dance tunes. He earned multiple advanced degrees in cello performance, and picked up guitar along the way, allowing him to play in bands of many genres.

While each member has branched out to play different types of music, they all found their way back to their roots in Celtic and folk music.