PORTLAND — Mayo Street Arts is proud to present The Pine Tree Flyers on Sunday, Jan. 4 from 7-8:30 p.m. with doors opening at 6:30 p.m. This all-ages concert features a 90-minute performance with intermission and celebrates the vibrant, living tradition of New England folk music. Tickets are available for $20 in advance, $25 at the door and $30 for preferred seating, with pay-what-you-can options available to ensure broad community access.
Comprised of four of the finest musicians in New England’s traditional music scene, The Pine Tree Flyers bring excitement, deep respect and fresh energy to the tunes of the Northeast. Drawing on music shaped by Irish, Scottish and Québécois roots, the band shines a renewed light on the distinctly American tradition that grew from these influences. From major festival stages and concert halls to late-night fiddle camps and community dance floors, the Flyers are dedicated to ensuring New England music has a well-deserved seat at the table.
The band features Maine residents Katie McNally (fiddle), Emily Troll (accordion), Benjamin Foss (guitar) and Neil Pearlman (piano), all of whom came up through the region’s contra dance scene and learned directly from master tradition bearers. Individually they have toured internationally and performed with renowned ensembles, bringing extraordinary technical skill and musical depth to this repertoire. Collectively, their sound is joyful, driving and deeply rooted in community.
Members of The Pine Tree Flyers have appeared at leading festivals including Celtic Connections, Celtic Colours, Festival of Small Halls and Ossipee Valley Music Festival, and have taught and performed across the Northeast for years. Their self-titled debut album, released in May 2024, has been widely praised for its accessibility and spirit. As writer Amelia Mason notes in the album’s liner notes, nearly every musical choice the band makes is in service of New England music’s sense of joy, connection, and belonging. With this performance, The Pine Tree Flyers continue to prove that their regional musical heritage is as vibrant and vital as any American folk tradition.
For ticket information visit the event page here.
Mayo Street Arts is a welcoming community arts center in the heart of Portland’s Kennedy Park neighborhood. The organization’s building serves as a performance venue, gallery, and gathering space, and offers affordable studios and rehearsal space for artists. Mayo Street Arts’ programming embraces variety, with a particular focus on puppetry and folk music and dance.
Mayo Street Arts does not turn anyone away from its events for lack of funds; please contact the organization at 207-879-4629 or [email protected] for information on their pay-what-you-can admission policy. For more information and tickets, visit www.mayostreetarts.org.
