The Wolfe Tones delivered an unforgettable surprise to lucky fans ahead of their historic final London show at Finsbury Park.
On Sunday, April 28, traditional Irish music legends The Wolfe Tones performed a secret gig at The Faltering Fullback, a much-loved Irish pub in London, to 200 unexpecting fans. Amongst the audience on the night were fellow Irish icons Aisling Bea and Fontaines D.C.
During the intimate gig, The Wolfe Tones treated the crowd to a night of soul-stirring melodies and rousing anthems, which have enthralled generations of Irish music fans across the world for 60 years.
The band performed a selection of classics and fan favorites, such as "Come Out Ye Black & Tans" and "My Heart Is In Ireland", and even debuted a brand-new song, a heartfelt tribute to their loyal fans as they commence their farewell tour.
Their historic final London show at Finsbury Park on July 5 is set to be the largest gathering celebrating traditional Irish music in the UK.
What an honour it was last night to witness the one and only @wolfetones amongst a few hundred people @ The Faltering Fullback unreal. After 60 years they can still smash it! So great to meet Brain Warfield & Tommy Byrne also. Such a great night ???☘️#TheWolfeTones pic.twitter.com/GPCaaralkl
— Shea Rafferty (@shearaffmusic) April 29, 2024
Last year the Irish trio that makes up The Wolfe Tones - Tommy Byrne, Brian Warfield, and Noel Nagle - announced their farewell tour on their website.
“All great things must come to an end," they said, "but we plan to celebrate The Wolfe Tones' amazing 60-year career with a fitting tribute in 2024, as their fans in Ireland and around the globe bid farewell to arguably the world's most loved balladeers!”
They performed a string of 'farewell' shows in Chicago, Boston, New York, and Philadelphia in March 2024 and will then be playing special 60th-anniversary concerts in Belfast and Dublin in October 2024.
Despite forming nearly six decades ago, The Wolfe Tones have enjoyed a resurgence in popularity in recent months, thanks in part to a new, younger generation of fans.
On Spotify, the Irish band has more than 452k average monthly listeners. Their rendition of "Grace" and their song Come Out Ye Black and Tans" have both been streamed more than 13 million times.
About The Wolfe Tones
The Wolfe Tones named themselves in honor of Theobald Wolfe Tone, the 18th-century Irish nationalist leader who was condemned to death by the occupying British forces but cheated the hangman the night before he was to be executed by cutting his own throat. The band says the name and the symbol it evokes in Irish history and republicanism has inspired them since.
In 1965, the year after the group went professional, The Wolfe Tones released their first album. They made their first of many trips to America in 1966.
In 1968, three years on from the release of their first album, The Wolfe Tones were voted the second most popular group in Ireland.
While their popularity boomed in Ireland, a New Year's Eve show in New York in 1969 helped spark their success in the US, which continues to this day.
Throughout their career, The Wolfe Tones have performed old Irish songs while writing a few new ones.
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