It just wouldn’t be a Tosa Tonight season without a Milwaukee Irish Fest Preview Night presented by our friends Celtic MKE and Milwaukee Irish Fest Foundation.

This night we’ll be previewing a few amazing artists who transcend traditional Irish/Celtic music. Both Shane Hennessey and JigJam have successfully crossed over into the Americana/Bluegrass genres on an as-needed basis.

Shane has graced our stage before, and perhaps you have seen him at Milwaukee Irish Fests since. But once Shane is seen and heard, he is not easily forgotten.

Shane Hennessy is a virtuoso fingerstyle guitarist, singer/songwriter, and composer. With an upbringing in the world of Irish traditional music, Shane has been captivating audiences globally for the past few years, with sell-out solo tours in Europe and North America under his belt, as well as regular appearances at major international music festivals including MerleFest (NC), Walnut Valley Bluegrass Festival (Winfield, KS), Sound of Europe Festival (Düsseldorf, Germany), and Milwaukee Irish Fest (WI). He has released four albums of original music, and his most recent studio album ‘Rain Dance’ was hailed as “a triumphant reaffirmation of his virtuosity and compositional excellence” by Irish Music Magazine. Shane has collaborated with Tommy Emmanuel, worked with Grammy-winner Bill Whelan (composer of Riverdance), and made his début on the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee in March 2023.

You know, considering that Tosa Tonight is hosting Greg Koch earlier in the year, along with Shane Hennessey on this preview evening, one could say this is the going to be the year of guitar heroes at Tosa Tonight. What an amazing couple of guitarists we’re going to have on our stage in 2026!

Ace musicianship will not end this evening with Shane.

When virtuoso Irish playing jumps the pond running naked through the wide open fields of bluegrass/Americana, JigJam is born. Bluegrass and American Folk music originated from the group’s home, and now JigJam is here to take it back!

JigJam made its Grand Ole Opry Debut in Nashville in March 2023 to critical acclaim receiving a standing ovation from a sold-out crowd on Country Music’s biggest stage. The group was joined on the night by Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood, Steve Earle, Lauren Alaina, and many more. This Offaly and Tipperary-born band has started the first wave of attack in the new Irish invasion of Americana.

‘Foot stomping’, ‘high energy’ badassery is what you’re in for when you see this musical powerhouse live in concert.
What a fantastic kickoff to the Milwaukee Irish Fest weekend this evening will be. We can’t wait. In fact, we can’t wait for the entire Milwaukee Irish Fest weekend where we will be able to see both of these great artists/bands even more.

With any luck of good weather in 2026, this evening will conclude our series in 2026. However, if any of our evenings get cancelled, look to the Tosa Tonight schedule for one more week following this one where we will host a rainout makeup date.