By Zackary Kephart
"To know the future, you must know your past."
Derek Warfield stays true to that quote, bringing a musical tradition forward with a reverence for Ireland's past and the energy and enthusiasm of a new generation of Irish musicians.
Come rain or shine, on Friday, June 22, Warfield and his band, The Young Wolfe Tones, will bring that enthusiasm to Somewhere Bar & Grill at 681 Blairville Road in Youngstown. St. Killian Importing is a sponsor for the event, while the band is courtesy of Masterson Entertainment.
This is a 21 and over event. Tickets can be bought in advance at Somewhere or at
http://mastersonentertainment.com/index.html. Tickets bought in advance will cost $20 while tickets bought on the day of the event will cost $25. Doors will open at 5 p.m. and the show will start at 6.
Opening for Warfield is the Irish Wake Band, a group of local musicians that is well known for its St. Patrick's Day celebrations at Somewhere. Pat Stack, owner of Somewhere, is lead vocalist for the Irish Wake Band.
When asked how he felt opening for Warfield, Stack said, "It's an incredible honor and a great opportunity. I've seen him three or four times with my father, so to open for a legend like him is incredible."
Masterson Entertainment co-founder Stephen Dillon explained how the upcoming Youngstown event came to be.
"I was reading an article saying how (Warfield) came out of retirement. As I was reading, I saw that the band was touring in the summer of 2018. I went to their website and looked under their tour schedule and, sure enough, they were touring the U.S. - Philadelphia, New York City Boston, Cleveland ... pretty much anywhere but Buffalo!" Dillon said with a laugh.
"I sent them an email asking if they'd consider stopping in the Buffalo area. Two days later, he (Warfield) gave me a phone call and said they'd love to play Buffalo. He asked if I had a venue in mind. I told him I think I do!" Dillon said again with a chuckle.
From there, the wheels were in motion.
Dillon said that, while the outdoors event is rain or shine, Somewhere will feature tents just in case of inclement weather.
The Irish Wake Band opens at 6 p.m. while Derek Warfield and The Young Wolfe Tones will play around 7:30.
Dillon said that, with the blend of Celtic-rock music from the Irish Wake Band (in which Dillon plays the banjo and accordion) and the traditional Irish music from the Wolfe Tones, "the audience will be thoroughly entertained."
Hailing from Kilcock County, Kildare, Ireland, Warfield is a singer, songwriter, mandolin player and founding member of The Wolfe Tones. The band enjoyed great success with 13 best-selling albums, three No. 1 hits, many television appearances and shows in esteemed venues such as New York's Carnegie Hall and The Royal Albert Hall in London.
Warfield has also performed at American Civil War events and commemorations at such sites as Gettysburg, Sharpsburg and Harrisburg with his band, The Sons of Erin.
Since breaking away from the Wolfe Tones in 2001, Warfield has released 11 solo albums to date.
With The Young Wolfe Tones and a renewed spirit, the legacy lives on.