Gadan

Gadan plays The Cedar Cultural Center on Saturday, February 13, 2027, as part of the venue's Global Roots Series. It's a new project from four musicians with roots in the Irish traditional and European folk and rock scenes, and the sound sits right at the intersection of a few different traditions.

They describe it as pairing the drive of Irish traditional music and bluegrass with the heart of folk and Appalachian tradition, all with an Italian flair. That's a lot of ground to cover in one set, but the instrumentation gives you a good idea of how they pull it off. It's a strings-only sound — three banjos, fiddle, mandolin, and guitar — backed by subtle electronics and a strong rhythmic pulse. The banjos, in particular, lean into that bluegrass drive, while the fiddle and mandolin bring in the folk and trad elements.

In 2024, they were joined by tenor banjo master Enda Scahill, an All-Ireland champion and the founder of We Banjo 3. He's a seasoned player in the Irish trad world, and his addition fits right into the strings-heavy lineup. Between him and the rest of the group, you've got five musicians on stage, all playing stringed instruments, which is where that high-energy, acoustic-forward sound comes from.

The show is part of The Cedar's Global Roots Series, which brings in international and traditional music from all over. It's a seated, all-ages evening, so it's as much for a sit-down listen as it is for anyone who wants to hear the strings run. Doors open at 7 PM, and the music starts at 8 PM. The Cedar is at 416 Cedar Avenue in Minneapolis.