The Tan and Sober Gentlemen

“If hurricanes could play music, they’d sound something like North Carolina’s Tan and Sober Gentlemen... They make music that’s a mix of moonshine and rocket fuel. It’s wild and free bluegrass mated with punk rock. Incorporated with unabashed Gaelic influence, they thrive from a hammer-down style." The Tan and Sober Gentlemen play Irish tunes, ballads, and pub songs right next to the Appalachian fiddle tunes of their youth, melding the two into what they call “Irish-American hillbilly music.” They've earned a reputation as one of the South’s hardest-hitting live acts, playing at blazing tempos and putting every last bit of energy they possess into the show. The result is a raucous celebration of the Carolinas’ Irish heritage, with drinking, dancing, and merriment galore. Since their formation in 2017, the six-piece band has toured the US and Ireland, headlining legendary Irish clubs such as Whelan's and the Roisin Dubh and playing the internationally renowned festival Electric Picnic. Stateside, their resume includes festivals such as the IBMA Bluegrass Live!, Bristol Rhythm and Roots, Merlefest, Blue Ox , Great Blue Heron, and Shakori Hills. This year they will be adding Fleadh Cheoil na Héireann, the world's largest annual festival of Irish music.