Most bands will fall apart if the founder and lead singer moves away. The unstoppable local ensemble known as the Devillies, on the other hand, just keep rolling along. After over 20 years, they continue to bring traditional Irish and American songs and tunes to audiences around the region.
The band was founded back in the early 2000s by Irish expat Derek Duffy and guitarist Ed Hoban. At first, they were known as “The Devilly Brothers.” Over the years, they added several other musicians including Angus McLane on bass, Margaret Driscoll on fiddle, Steven Rystrom on the whistle and mandolin, and Brian Anderson on percussion, while Hoban dropped out.
In 2022, when Duffy announced he was headed back to Ireland, the remaining members decided there was no reason not to keep going under the name. Steven took over most of the singing and frontman duties, bringing a wide repertoire of both Irish and American folk songs.
Part of the reason they were so confident in continuing was they knew the demand was out there. Their sound is consistently in demand for all kinds of events, including a regular gig at Kulshan Brewing. The newly revitalized Uisce will also be a major home base for them.
Around Saint Patrick’s Day, The Devillies will play some absolute marathons, with three or four multi-hour gigs each day in different venues all over Whatcom and Skagit counties. Steven and Margaret are also involved in the local Irish scene hosting sessions, or gatherings of traditional musicians, including a Wednesday instrumental session at Menace Brewing. Local folk musician Sky Leuba runs and organizes the every-other-week trad song session at Menace/Uisce with co-hosting by frontman Steven Rystrom of the Devillies.
Last year the band even went to Ireland to reunite with Derek and play shows, keeping that connection to the roots of their inspiration. They describe their music as being useful for all sorts of moods: “dancing, laughing and crying.” If that sounds fun to you, they will be performing at the Bellingham Celtic Festival local band showcase on Saturday, Sept. 21, or just keep an eye on my music calendar.
As long as people want to hoist a pint and sing along to Irish folk music, The Devillies will give them what they want.
News
The second edition of the Bellingham Exit festival is coming right up, from Oct. 10–13, and they’ve made a second round of lineup announcements. This time around they’ve added a bunch of locals to the mix, including folks like Biff Got Killed, The Rhetorician, Robert Sarazin Blake, Dank Zavala and Checker Bloom. Unlike last year, when local shows and shows featuring touring acts were kept mostly separated, they’ve got at least a few locals opening bigger shows in 2024. Needless to say, I’m hugely in favor of this change. If you haven’t yet, make sure to check out their schedule to see if you want to do the festival pass.
There is a big upcoming show that might be in danger of passing under some folks’ radar. Sixties folk legend Judy Collins is going to be playing WWU’s Performing Arts Center on Wednesday, Sept. 18, and tickets are still available. This isn’t the sort of performer they normally have up there, so I wanted to make sure none of her fans miss out on it.
Jesse Stanton's music column, The Beat Goes On, appears weekly. Reach him at jsbhammusic@gmail.com; @JSBhamMusic. Check with individual venues to make sure events are still taking place as scheduled. Live music events in Whatcom County: http://www.cascadiadaily.com/category/living/arts-and-entertainment/music/music-calendar
