eTown Presents DUG with Nathaniel Riley

About This Event

eTown welcomes DUG on January 29 — a transatlantic folk duo blending Irish heart and American soul, with a mischievous spark. Opening is Nathaniel Riley, a folk singer/songwriter from South Dakota.Doors: 6 p.m.Show: 7 p.m.All Ages WelcomeNo Refunds or ExchangesWith every eTown ticket purchase, you're supporting the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. eTown donates $1 per ticket to Conscious Alliance, aiding hunger relief, youth programs and sustainable solutions for the Oglala Lakota Nation.There’s a natural magnetism to DUG’s folk brew. The duo, made up of Conor (Lorkin) O’Reilly and Jonny Pickett, are gearing up for the release of their debut album, having formed in 2023–but you’d be forgiven for believing that they’ve been writing together for a lifetime. Their music stems from roots in musical traditions spanning both sides of the pond. In one breath, echoing the great American folk troubadours, and in another, comfortably channelling the elder statesmen of Irish folk. This is no accident. DUG have a shared musical heritage, with members having been born in America and Scotland before arriving in Ireland. O’Reilly himself spent almost a decade making and releasing music in upstate New York, having picked up sticks from his native Edinburgh, (Irish mother and Scottish father) before moving to Ireland in 2022 to start a new musical chapter. And you can hear that lived musical experience in singles like ‘Big Sundown’ and ‘Jubilee’ (shortlisted for two Grammy nominations). Resonator guitar and banjo, the building blocks of DUG’s arrangements, lick and spin, with intricate finger-picking patterns whirling to a compelling whole. Their music breathes, vamping in sync. They’re damn funny too. DUG’s lyrics catch you off guard, eliciting an honest-to-goodness chuckle in a moment of levity. At their very best, as on their forthcoming album, there’s a bona fide warmth littered throughout their unique take on folk storytelling. Tracks like ‘Wheel of Fortune’ have an easy