One band that is fast becoming a Yukon favorite is Castletown, a high energy Celtic duo made up of Robert Richter and Heidi Beth Sadler. (If you’re a geography major, you’ve probably figured out that the band gets its name from the former capital of the Isle of Man off the coast of Ireland.)
Robert was a rocker about 12 years ago, when someone said “Try some of this Celtic stuff.” He did and the rest, as they say, is history.
Heidi is the fiddler in the band. She’s a Northwest native who has lent her playing and singing to a wide variety of musical styles for over 25 years.
- The Castletown due of Heidi Beth Sadler and Robert Richter.
The band performs classic Celtic tunes as well as their own original compositions. They also enjoy giving their Celtic touch to cover tunes in most every musical genre. “We’ve even rocked up Tennessee Ernie Ford’s 16 Tons”, says Robert. “It’s fun the see the expression on people’s faces as they realize they are hearing one of their favorite songs with a Celtic twist.”
Blending rock and jazz helps Castletown appeal to a wider audience, and has made them a local favorite on the local Portland music scene. In fact, Castletown has the distinction of being the first Celtic band to perform during KINK radio’s Summer Noon Tune series at Portland Pioneer Square.
Castletown has also perfumed at the Oregon State Fair, the Vancouver Recycled Arts Fair, the Portland Rose Festival, Gold Beach Brew and Arts Festival and the Astoria Seafood Festival – just to name a few.
- Castletown performs for a wide range of audience. Some of their most appreciative audiences are seniors and those with special needs.
Still there’s something magical about playing in the local neighborhood bar. As Robert says, “We love playing venues like Mock and the Yukon. These smaller places fill up fast, and we we rarely see an empty seat in the house.”
So polish up your clogs and make sure to catch Castletown the next time they’re near you. North Portlanders can find Castletown at Yukon’s sister pub, Mock Crest Tavern, every third Thursday of the month. Or checkout their Facebook Events Calendar.
Happy clogging!
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