Caludo bring ‘Swissicana’ to Matt’s

BLUEGRASS TRIO Vincent Zurkinden, Catie Jo Pidel and Stefan Behler of Caludo.

Forget yodelling, alphorns and lederhosen, this Swiss band is all about bluegrass. Dubbing their sound ‘Swissicana’, Caludo perform a mix of original material, both vocal and instrumental, as well as some new takes on old favorites in the bluegrass, Americana and old-time realm. The band – comprised of Stefan Behler on vocals and guitar, Catie Jo Pidel on vocals and fiddle, and Vincent Zurkinden on vocals and upright bass – will perform in Matt Molloy’s, Westport, on Monday night, July 29.
Behler was raised in northern Germany, where he learned Bluegrass music by listening to a distant FM radio station in Hamburg. He began to play five-string banjo at the age of 15. No teachers, no internet … just instructional books and records. He finally met like-minded musicians, and trained his musical skills at jams and bluegrass concerts. In recent years, Stefan has toured with the folk band Mala & FyrMoon in Switzerland, Germany, Netherlands, Sweden, Ireland and the US, and he also produced a folk album of his own.
Energetic and fiery fiddle player Pidel is currently studying for a master’s degree in Zurich, but she originally comes from Minnesota, where she grew up in a rich bluegrass community. She has played the fiddle since she was nine years old, and she has played across the US at various concerts and festivals, and appeared on the popular radio show, A Prairie Home Companion, a number of times.
Zurkinden, who spent part of his childhood in the French-speaking part of Switzerland, has played bass with various folk, rock and pop bands. He is also one of the rare acoustic bass players who uses the instrument’s body for percussion. A polyglot, he also composes thoughtful and entertaining songs in English, French and Greek.

Doors open 8pm, admission €10