Celtic virtuosity, American singer-songwriting and British rock

Celtic star band - the best of Scotland and Ireland

This unique quartet - Duncan Chisholm, Michael McGoldrick, Gerry O’Connor and Tony Byrne - involves some of the most influential figures in the world of traditional Celtic music. Recognised as one of Scotland's most acclaimed and creative violinists, Chisholm combines dexterity with compositional depth, while McGoldrick brings his mastery of the Irish flute and uilleann pipes. O’Connor, Ireland's leading tenor banjo player, and Dublin guitarist Byrne complete the ensemble with refined rhythmic dynamics.

Their only performance in Denmark in 2026.

Lily Fitts: from social media to international stages

23 year-old American singer-songwriter Lily Fitts from Massachusetts won attention on TikTok, when her version of Noah Kahan's song Stick Season went viral with over two million views. She has subsequently appeared with Zach Bryan and others. Her debut album Getting By (2025) rolls indie folk into alternative country with lyrical sensitivity, and she is riding on a wave - her first headline tour of concerts in USA, UK and Europe. Her Tønder Festival concert will be her only Danish appearance in 2026.

Social indignation from England and americana with nerve from USA

The British singer-songwriter Jake Bugg presents his sixth album A Modern Day Distraction (2024), sharply observed lyrics on social inequality and injustice served in raw guitar rock. His solo concert at Tønder Festival is his only appearance in Denmark in 2026, confronting people with his powerful songs and uncompromising musical energy.

The name Shakey Graves covers for American multi-instrumentalist Alejandro Rose-Garcia. Since his debut album Roll the Bones (2011) he has made a name, first as a one-man band then later with full band arrangements. His latest album Movie of the Week (2023) develops the experimental style, narrative songwriting with Shakey Graves’ charismatic singing in focus. At Tønder Festival he will perform with a trio, their only Danish concert in 2026.

THE MUSICIANS:

Duncan Chisholm, Michael McGoldrick, Gerry O’Connor & Tony Byrne (SCO/IRL/UK)

Here's a dream team quartet: four of the most influential musicians in the world of Celtic music.

Duncan Chisholm is one of Scotland's most prized and successful violinists. His career spans several decades, he has won numerous awards and is recognised as a supreme instrumentalist and a visionary composer. Besides his solo work, Duncan Chisholm often collaborates with other leading musicians on the Scottish folk music scene and composes music for film and tv. His music is frequently described as bridging between the old and the new, linking tradition and creativity.

Here he is joined by Michael McGoldrick, rightly crowned the greatest Irish fluteplayer of his generation, as well as mastering the uilleann pipes. He helped found Lúnasa and has performed for years with Capercaillie and Mark Knopfler. He has aso released many acclaimed solo albums which demonstrate his powers of innovation. As winner of the BBC Young Tradition Award and BBC Radio 2 Instrumentalist of the Year, McGoldrick is broadly hailed as one of the leading players in modern Celtic music.

Gerry O’Connor from County Tipperary is a famous Irish tenor banjo player whose talent and exploratory style place him among the defining performers on the instrument. A former member of Four Men and a Dog, he has played throughout the world, touring with projects like Lord of the Dance, The Dubliners and The Dublin Legends. Gerry O’Connor's critically praised solo albums demonstrate his dazzling technique and the depth of his musicality, and he is known for his ability to expand the concept of the banjo as an instrument.

Tony Byrne, the Dublin guitarist, completes the ensemble. Famed for his dynamic attack and sensitive accompaniment, he has long been in demand amongst the elite of traditional Irish music, appearing on international stages with top names across many genres. He has worked with Tommy Emmanuel, Béla Fleck and Nicola Benedetti. Tony Byrnes' work covers top-flight tours, TV shows and theatre productions, while his solo and ensemble projects highlight his rhythmic energy and his artistic subtlety.

Their concerts at Tønder Festival are the quartet's only Danish shows in 2026.

Lily Fitts (USA)

The American singer-songwriter from Massachusetts, Lily Fitts, owes a lot to social media. In 2023 - the very year she finished her biochemistry and molecular biology studies - she posted her rewrite of Noah Kahan's song Stick Season on TikTok. It got over two million views, and Noah Kahan himself reposted her version. Later the same year, she joined Zach Bryan on stage during his sold-out concert in Los Angeles. Her acoustic covers of other artists' songs led to invitations to bigger things, and in 2024 and 2025 she opened for Michael Marcagi, Sam Barber and Myles Smith among others, and she appeared at major festivals like Bonnaroo and Summerfest.

In June 2025, Lily Fitts put out her debut album Getting By, 10 songs with acoustic instruments and delicate lyrics of emotional depth. Lily Fitts draws on indie folk and alternative country, linking personal moments with universal feelings. Her themes span from broken hearts, angst, sorrow and relationships, and the album has been described as a strong coming-of-age work, reflecting the challenges of youth while finding hope in vulnerability.

After the release of Getting By, Lily Fitts has taken her music out on its first headline tour of concerts in USA, Great Britain and Europe.

Her concert at Tønder Festival is her only Danish performance in 2026.

Jake Bugg (UK)

When Jake Edwin Charles Kennedy was born in 1994 on Europe's biggest council estate, Clifton in Nottingham, success was not exactly staring him in the face. 12 years and five albums after the artist Jake Bugg released his streetwise, award-nominated debut, which topped the hit lists, it can be easy to forget that he was just 18 years old at the time. His success at age 30, he ascribes to countless hours of hard work and rare luck.

Jake Bugg broke through with a fusion of British folk and guitar rock with sharply observed words, and has since established himself as a remarkable voice in modern rock with roots in classic British song writing and raw energy.

In 2024 he released his sixth studio album A Modern Day Distraction, a return to his raw, guitar-based roots.

The previous album, Saturday Night, Sunday Morning (2021), saw Jake Bugg seeking an escape on the dance floor under the glitter of the disco ball. Now his feet are back on the ground. The other was fun, but this latest record is his true element.

A Modern Day Distraction (2024) is an unforgiving searchlight aimed at the social injustice and inequality faced by his family and friends. Rooted in anger and indignation, these songs also tell of community and not least hope.

At Tønder Festival, Jake Bugg will be performing solo, and this is his only Danish concert in 2026.

www.jakebugg.com

Shakey Graves (USA)

Shakey Graves is the stage name of the 38 year-old American singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, Alejandro Rose-Garcia from Austin, Texas.

After a tentative start as an actor in L.A. and songwriter dreams on New York's little stages, Shakey Graves has grown into a noted voice in modern americana. He mixes elements of blues, folk, country and rock with whiles intimate, acoustic moments, whiles expansive, band format.

His early days on the music scene in Austin saw Shakey Graves working a special one-man band set-up with acoustic guitar and a home-made suitcase drum. This drew attention to his raw, percussive live sound and helped promote his self-released debut album Roll the Bones (2011), which soon led to touring work.

After signing a contract with Dualtone Records, he expanded his sound to band arrangements on releases like And the War Came (2014), whence the duet Dearly Departed with Esmé Patterson became a favourite on the radio. Then came the more ethereal album Can’t Wake Up (2018) and several live albums.

His most recent project with the record company is Movie of the Week (2023), a filmic, experimental effort, centred on his narrative songwriting and his charismatic singing. On stage, Shakey Graves is known for playing on improvisation, his intense contact with his audience, and unpredictable set formats.

At Tønder Festival, he is appearing in a trio constellation, and this is their only Danish concert in 2026.

www.shakeygraves.com/home

Tønder Festival 2026 – so far:

Emmylou Harris (USA), Aaron Lee Tasjan (USA), Skerryvore (SCO), Sam Kelly & The Lost Boys (UK), Joce Reyome (CAN), Erik Koskinen (USA), Ron Sexsmith (CAN), The Brothers Comatose (USA), James McMurtry (USA), Susan O´Neill (IRL), Ulige Numre (DK), Susto Stringband (USA), Sunny War (USA), Poul Krebs (DK), Emily Scott Robinson (USA), The Felice Brothers (USA), Rum Ragged (CAN), Daniel Lanois (CAN), Fantastic Negrito (USA), Jesper Lindell & The Brunnsvik Sounds (SE), Bye Bye Brenda (DK), Jake Blount (USA), AySay (DK), Heidi Talbot (IRL/SCO), Tako Lako (DK), Leon Majcen (USA), Selina Gin & The Iconics (DK), Ciarán Ryan Band (SCO/IRL), John R. Miller (USA), Kathryn Tickell & The Darkening (UK), Shakey Graves (USA), Jake Bugg (UK), Duncan Chisholm, Michael McGoldrick, Gerry O’Connor & Tony Byrne (SCO/IRL/UK), Lily Fitts (USA).

Tønder Festival 26th, 27th, 28th and 29th August 2026

www.tf.dk

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Tickets: www.tf.dk