Tan and Sober Gentlemen + Wilson Springs Hotel

Saturday, Feb. 22nd

Charleston Pour House

Deck Stage

5pm doors /5:30pm show

$15 advance /$18 day of show

Born and raised in North Carolina, the Tan and Sober Gentlemen began taking the songs, stories, and tunes that make up their beloved state’s musical tradition before they could talk. The music of the Carolinas, (and Appalachia in general) stems from the marriage of the Irish fiddle and the African banjo, which first met in the American South before the Revolution. The Tan and Sober Gentlemen aim to bring these traditions full circle. They play Irish tunes, ballads, and pub songs right next to the Appalachian fiddle tunes of their youth, melding the two into what they call “Irish-American hillbilly music.” Meanwhile, they have earned a reputation as one of the South’s hardest-hitting live acts, playing at blazing tempos, and putting every last bit of energy they possess into the show. The result is a raucous celebration of the Carolinas’ Irish heritage, with drinking, dancing, and merriment galore. 

Since their formation in 2017, the six-piece band has toured the US and Ireland, headlining legendary Irish clubs such as Whelan's and the Roisin Dubh. Stateside, their resume includes festivals such as Bristol Rhythm and Roots, Appaloosa Festival, Tartan Day South, and Shakori Hills. In January of 2023, in their home of Alamance County, they sold 800 tickets to their show at the Haw River Ballroom. They released their sophomore record, Regressive Folk Music, in June 2022, and their debut record, Veracity, was named by Shite'n'Onions as one of the five best Celtic punk records of 2019 and 2020.

Homegrown in the rich music scene of Virginia, Wilson Springs Hotel is a band brought together under a genreless flag; A folk band committed to rock and roll, and a rock band committed to classic country. After forming in 2021, Jacob Ritter (guitar/songwriter/lead vocals), Victor McManus (lead guitar), Brendan Boylan (fiddle), Sebastien Richard (drums) and Andrew Carper (bass), released two albums in quick succession and are once again releasing new music in 2024. Their first single “Pulling Weeds”, available now, explores the struggle with repetitive mental loops, like attempting to get nutrients out of the same spent garden. Their new songs are a split between a classic country, and a more rock influenced sound, finding the band still unwilling to conform to a single genre, and instead celebrating the many influences that brought them to where they are today.

* Show is for all ages. Attendees under 18 must be accompanied by a parent. Attendees under 21 will be subject to a $5 surcharge. The surcharge must be paid in cash at the door on the day of the event.

Host or Publisher Charleston Pour House