Lansdowne Folk Club presents John Byrne, folk/rock troubadour from Dublin via Philadelphia on Thursday, September 28, 2023. 

Held at the Twentieth Century Club, 84 S. Lansdowne Avenue, Lansdowne, PA, doors open at 7:00 PM and show begins at 7:30 PM.  Tickets are $20 when purchased in advance online or with an advanced phone reservation and $25 without an advance reservation. 

 For reservations, parking information, advance ticket sales and more information visit website folkclub.org/ticket-sales, email Lfolkclub@gmail.com, or call (484) 466-6213.  Only cash and checks accepted at the door.  

 Parking in front of the 20th Century Club is no longer available.  We suggest that our patrons park on the side streets near the Club or at the Septa train station lot two blocks away.  Street parking is available on Lansdowne Court (adjacent to the 20th Century Club) or on Dudley Ave, (across Lansdowne Ave. from the 20th Century Club).  Handicap parking* is behind the building.   

 *There is one ADA designated parking spot in the area behind the building, but we can set aside additional handicapped parking if you notify us in advance by email.  Also, there is a wheelchair lift available near that parking area; please let us know in the email if you require the lift as well.  Lfolkclub@gmail.com 

 The John Byrne Band is led by Dublin native and Philadelphia-based John Byrne. Their debut album, After the Wake, was released to critical acclaim on both sides of the Atlantic in 2011. With influences ranging from Tom Waits to Planxty, John’s songwriting honors and expands upon the musical and lyrical traditions of his native and adopted homes. John and the band followed up After the Wake in early 2013 with an album of Celtic and American traditional tunes. The album, Celtic/Folk, pushed the band on to the FolkDJ Charts, reaching number 36 in May 2015. Their third release, another collection of John Byrne originals, entitled “The Immigrant and the Orphan”, was released in Sept 2015. The album, once again, draws heavily on John’s love of Americana and Celtic Folk music and with the support of DJs around the country entered the FolkDJ Charts at number 40. Critics have called it “.a powerful, deeply moving work that will stay with you long after you have heard it” (Michael Tearson-Sing Out); “The Vibe of it (The Immigrant and the Orphan) is, at once, as rough as rock and as elegant as a calm ocean . .. each song on this album carries an honesty, integrity and quiet passion that will draw you into its world for years to come” (Terry Roland – No Depression); “If any element of Celtic, Americana or Indie-Folk is your thing, then this album is an absolute yes” (Beehive Candy); “It’s a gorgeous, nostalgic record filled with themes of loss, hope, history and lost loves; everything that tugs at your soul and spills your blood and guts…The Immigrant and the Orphan scorches the earth and emerges tough as nails” (Jane Roser – That Music Mag)  

The album was released to a sold-out crowd at the storied World Café Live in Philadelphia and weeks later to a sold-out crowd at the Mercantile in Dublin, Ireland. John has toured with or opened up for acts as diverse as The Hothouse Flowers, Ian Gillan (of Deep Purple), Gaelic Storm, Murder by Death, Finbar Furey, Luka Bloom, The Saw Doctors, The Solas, Sharon Shannon, The Young Dubliners and The Greencards. Both as a solo/acoustic act, and a full 6-piece band, John logs in over 150 shows per year, building a loyal and devoted following. John spent 2017/18 recording and releasing an album of folk songs with his father John Snr. Released under the name “John J. Byrne and the Twangmen” the album has been included in the National Archives in Ireland. His next record, “A Shiver In The Sky” another selection of originals, was released in 2019. For up-to-date info and dates, go to www.johnbyrneband.com 

 Other upcoming concerts include Lili Anel on October 26, Beaucoup Blue on November 16, and Jeni Englund and Meghan Cary on December 7. 

 Founded in 1993, the Lansdowne Folk Club is a 501(c) (3) all volunteer non-profit corporation dedicated to presenting folk, acoustic and blues music.