Solas Celebrates 30 Years With Live Irish Music at Lobero Theatre in Santa Barbara

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — One of the world’s finest Celtic ensembles is celebrating its 30th anniversary.

Solas performed at the Lobero Theatre in Santa Barbara on a rainy Wednesday night.

The band has a few more California stops planned before St. Patrick’s Day.

The name Solas comes from an Irish word for "light."

Formed in New York, the band is known for giving traditional Irish music a modern twist.

"This is our 30th anniversary tour. We formed in New York back in the mid-'90s, and we've been out on tour for the last several weeks. We are here in Santa Barbara tonight," said guitarist and banjo player Séamus Egan.

Egan spoke about the band in the green room at the Lobero as band and crew members loaded their own equipment onto the stage.

"The choices for this show really are a trip down memory lane for us, going back to the early days of the band. So, we are playing a lot of material that, if you are a fan of the band, you will be familiar with and probably happy that we are playing," Egan said.

Egan added that the rainy day didn’t bother them since they are used to rainy weather in Ireland.

The Lobero is also hosting a St. Patrick’s Day night of song and dance on Thursday.

For more information, visit lobero.org.