Founded in 2002 as a backup band for bluegrass fiddler Richard Greene, the Syncopaths stepped out on their own shortly thereafter to rave reviews from audiences who delighted in the band’s improvisational and playful style. From dance floors to concert halls, they bring a fresh, contemporary spin to tunes and songs rooted in Scottish, Irish, and American folk traditions. Evolving through contradance origins, they are creating a “chamber folk” sound, characterised by the compelling rhythmic interplay of fiddle and mandolin, rich vocals, along with rhythms of the piano and bodhrån.
Their recently released album “Be Like The Sea” covers a wide range of music from standards like The County Down by Tommy Sands to new music such as William Blake’s Dead. The album can be purchased on Bandcamp, where you can sample the tunes.
At the heart of the band’s sound are Ryan McKasson’s dynamic Scottish-based fiddling, and the understated-but-monster picking of mandolinist Ashley Hoyer. Jeffrey Spero provides inventive and surprising piano accompaniment, anchored by the driving power of Christa Burch’s inventive bodhrån. Christa also lends her singular voice as lead singer – warm, supple, expressive, and intimate – to the band’s songs.
Oh, are you’re still wondering what Contradance is? It’s a form of folk dancing made up of long lines of couples. See contradance with the Syncopaths here and here.
This concert will be in our cozy Beckman Institute Auditorium on the Caltech campus. That’s inside the rectangular Beckman Institute building at 400 S. Wilson Ave., Pasadena, just west of the larger, round Beckman Auditorium. Free parking is nearby. There are three parking lots at the south end of Michigan Ave, just below (south of) Del Mar Avenue: One is on the right side of Michigan just past an apartment building at the corner of Del Mar & Michigan. The other two are across the street on the left, one next to the large hall, Beckman Auditorium (different from our smaller Beckman Institute Auditorium), and the other is closer to Del Mar. Set your GPS for 400 S. Michigan Avenue, Pasadena to get to this area. There is also parking on Wilson Avenue, a block to the west, including two parking structures at 341 S. Wilson and 405 S. Wilson, along with street parking.
Tickets are being set up now and we’ll update as that happens. They will be $25 each, or $10 for Caltech students and anyone age 16 or younger. A $4 service charge per ticket applies to orders online and by phone (626-395-4652) through the Caltech Ticket Office, which is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. There is no service charge for tickets purchased in person at the ticket office during those hours- It is wise to call before you come, in case of special schedule. It’s in the Keith Spalding Building at 1200 California Blvd.
On July 6, available tickets will be for sale at the door for purchase by cash or check only, without a service charge.