The Boston Globe says Lucy Kaplansky is “becoming the troubadour laureate of modern folk”. Before she launched her own solo career, she was (and still is) the favorite singer partner of the likes of Nancy Griffith, Shawn Colvin, and John Gorka. Her concerts in Lawrence, on her own and with Cry Cry Cry, have made her a West Side Folk fan favorite. Her music blends folk, roots rock and alternative country into powerful and thoughtful songs. The New Yorker calls her “a truly gifted performer.”

Milwaukee native Peter Mulvey honed his craft busking on the streets of Dublin, and the Irish Times calls him “A phenomenal performer with huge energy, a quickfire, quirky take on life, and an extraordinary guitar style… a joy to see.” Blending rock, jazz and folk, Mulvey delivers his songs with a voice “both sophisticated and intimate.” (The Washington Post)

Visit Lucy Kaplansky’s web site | Peter Mulvey’ web site | West Side Folk site home

Catie Curtis has a gorgeous CD called “Acoustic Valentine,” and now you have the very special privilege to celebrate Valentine's Day with Catie. As Scott Alarik of the Boston Globe wrote, “Any fool can write a love-gone-wrong song; it takes a real genius to write a love-gone-right one. No urban songwriter does that better than Curtis.” Called by the New Yorker “a folk-rock goddess,” she blends her intimate, personal songs with an unflinching commitment to social justice. She and Mark Erelli won the grand prize (out of 15,000 entries from 82 countries) of the International Songwriting Competition (the judges included Tom Waits, Loretta Lynn and Sonny Rollins) for “People Look Around,” addressing the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Her songs have appeared in television shows as diverse as Grey’s Anatomy, Dawson’s Creek, Felicity, and Alias, and films such as 500 Miles to Graceland and A Slipping Down Life.

Visit Catie Curtis’ web site | West Side Folk site home

Known for his wicked wit and sterling live performances, Andy M. Stewart is among the finest singers in the Scots/Irish traditional genre, with a voice that “conveys more emotion in one line than most singers do in a lifetime.” (Beacon Herald). Stewart became famous in the Celtic music world as lead singer and banjo player with the acclaimed band Silly Wizard, and is known both for his gorgeous interpretations of traditional Irish and Scottish songs and as a master of song-writing in the traditional style.

County Clare native Gerry O'Beirne’s songs have been recorded by the likes of Maura O'Connell, Mary Black and Cathie Ryan, and he's toured the world as both a solo artist and with the Sharon Shannon band, Patrick Street, Kevin Burke and many others. The Sunday Times says “A self taught master of the 6 and 12 string guitar, the playing of O'Beirne is superlative and subtle beyond words.”

Visit Andy M. Stewart’s web site | Gerry O'Beirne’s web site | West Side Folk site home

Patty Larkin has been redefining the boundaries of folk-urban pop music for more than 20 years with her inventive guitar wizardry and uncompromising vocals and lyrics. Acoustic Guitar hails “her soundscape experiments” while Rolling Stone praises her “evocative vocals, and subtle sonic shading.” She has been described as “riveting” (Chicago Tribune), “hypnotic” (Entertainment Weekly) and “drop-dead brilliant” (Performing Songwriter). The Boston Globe says “Larkin transmits eccentric magic with taut, amused gems delivered in a rich alto” and calls her “an uncommonly articulate guitarist” while the New York Times tabs her as “A virtuoso guitar player and mood-shaper… She is also a superb slide guitarist whose mature work is comparable to the best of Bonnie Raitt and Lucinda Williams.”

Visit Patty Larkin’s web site | West Side Folk site home

Stacey Earle got her start in music touring with her brother Steve Earle's band. Mark Stuart honed his craft in what he calls “The School of Honky Tonks and Beer Joints” around Nashville starting at age 15; by age 17 he was touring and playing lead guitar with Freddy Fender. They met at a songwriter’s night in Nashville in 1991, and were married the next year. Their songs are the powerful diaries of their lives together, both good times and bad. They've been featured artists on the largest folk festivals, and have opened shows for everyone from Joan Baez and Willie Nelson to Richard Thompson and Ralph Stanley. Country Standard Time says Stacey is “a distinctive and remarkable artist in her own right. Part of her charm - and she is nearly irresistible - is that she's almost impossible to pin any one label on. Alt.-country, straight-up-hard-core-country, folk, singer-songwriter, Americana - all of these and more hit the mark at one point or another.”

Opening for Small Potatoes, Charisse & Steve Kahler offer a signature dual guitar sound, mandolin, and sweet harmony wrapped around award-winning original songs and a few great (but generally obscure!) cover tunes. Left: Charisse and Steve at the Mountain Music Shoppe. (Photo courtesy of Jim Curley)

Visit Stacey Earle and Mark Stuart’s web site | Charisse and Steve’s web site | West Side Folk home

Season Tickets save money & give you reserved seats front and center at each concert! (All other seating is general admission only). Plan ahead to get them for the Fall season - we are already sold out of season tickets for this Spring.

Ticket Outlets: 
Tickets for the Spring concerts are available now via mail order, online with credit card and at Mass Street Music in Lawrence. Send mail orders, with checks made out to West Side Folk, to: West Side Folk, c/o Megan Willsen, 327 E. 19th St., Lawrence, KS 66046. Please include an email address and/or phone number so we confirm receipt of your mail order. Mail order tickets will be held at door, unless you include a SASE.

Credit card orders: Tickets purchased online via credit card will require presentation of photo ID and the original credit card, or government-issued photo ID at the door.