Trim the Velvet

A new grouping of four old friends who have a passion for chasing down wild/rare traditional dance tunes from among the many thousands that have come out of Ireland and its far flung diaspora regions. We perform reels, jigs, hornpipes, barndances, marches, and expressive slow airs, also known as laments. We ride a worldwide renaissance of love for this enchanting and ancient music; passed on from musician to musician; handed down through centuries; evolving and growing as many hands continue to shape it. We met at Patrick's Irish Pub in Greeley, where we host a weekly live Irish tunes session, now in its 14th year. Jeff Bain plays the uilleann (elbow) pipes, Blayne Chastain plays keyed wood flute and guitar, Betsy O'Malley plays Irish tenor banjo and fiddle, Dylan Fixmer plays wood flute and guitar. Betsy and Dylan are both singers, collecting some of the most beloved and enduring ballads from the vast lore of Irish folk song.