On the Lash
November 13 @ 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Irish quartet brings traditional songs, inventive arrangements and vocal harmonies
On the Lash brings its arrangements of Irish songs and instrumental tunes to Bishop Hill Creative Commons on Friday, November 13, 2026, combining flute, fiddle, plucked strings and vocal harmonies in an intimate concert setting. Crossroads Cultural Connections will present the 7 p.m. concert at 309 N. Bishop Hill Street, with an optional potluck and social hour beginning at 6 p.m.
The group’s debut EP, Fireside, offers a useful introduction. Released in April 2025, the five-track recording moves between songs and instrumental pieces, including “John Riley” and the paired tunes “Timmy Clifford’s / Rookery.” Its credits bring the sound into focus: Elizabeth June LaPeer on lead vocals and flute, Joel Tyrone Myers on octave mandolin, John Robey on violin and Patrick Hartson on guitar, with the instrumentalists also contributing backing vocals.
The musicians came to the project with different backgrounds in classical, folk and pop music. In arranging Fireside, they drew on artists who had shaped their playing while leaving space for those separate experiences to influence the results. Irish tradition remains the center of the music, but the quartet’s interest extends to other world styles. The recording gives newcomers a way into that approach without requiring any previous familiarity with Celtic music.
There is a local connection behind the invitation. Crossroads organizer John Taylor met On the Lash at the Association of Celtic and Irish Festival conference in 2024. The Bishop Hill date brings that introduction home, giving area listeners an opportunity to hear the group in the Commons’ intimate setting.
The quartet has also reached public-radio listeners through WVPE’s The Sauce Live. A 2026 episode featured its performance at The Acorn in Three Oaks, Michigan, documenting the band’s work in front of an audience. For listeners who enjoy hearing musicians trade instrumental lines and build vocal arrangements together, the Bishop Hill concert offers that experience close at hand.
All ages are welcome. The suggested donation is $20–30. Guests joining the optional potluck are invited to bring a dish to share; those coming just for the concert may join at 7 p.m.
Reservations: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/on-the-lash-bishop-hill-il-tickets-1985019464654
Presented by Crossroads Cultural Connections, this concert continues the organization’s mission of bringing meaningful, high-quality live music experiences to Henry County and surrounding communities.
Contact:
John Taylor
john.r.taylor@gmail.com
(309) 299-4999
