Kier Byrnes & The Kettle Burners keep ‘er lit with ‘Dances By Firelight’
Boston-based accordion-driven Americana sextet continue to expand its sound on lively new EP out Friday, June 27
Release party at New England Americana Festival at Bellforge Arts Center on June 29
LISTEN: April EP ‘Before The Fall’ on Bandcamp
The Kettle Burners tour Belgium and The Netherlands for 14 shows in July
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Photo Credit: Courtesy of the band
BOSTON, Mass. [June 27, 2025] – It’s often noted that Kier Byrnes & The Kettle Burners rarely slow down. Now they’re about to speed things up to an even more impressive pace.
Earlier this spring, the high-octane Boston-based Americana band and its face-melting accordion and chicken pickin’ electric guitar stylings released a new EP in April’s Before The Fall, coming fresh off a sprint of seven live shows in five days, culminating with a wild 10-hour marathon set on St. Patrick’s Day.
Now, the sextet is set to release an immediate follow-up in Dances With Firelight, a spirited EP that arrives on Friday, June 27 – just ahead of the release show at the 14-band New England Americana Festival on Sunday, June 29 at Bellforge Arts Center, where Kier Byrnes & The Kettle Burners headline. Right after that, the band sets off on a whirlwind tour of The Netherlands and Belgium from July 3 to 13, playing 14 shows in 14 days.
A constant stream of live shows and this barrage of new releases – including March’s In The Key of Guinness EP of traditional Irish music – are all part of the Kettle Burners’ ethos, the type of band that one listens to all day at home or at work before going raising a glass with the band at one of their raucous live shows at night (or heck, even at a matinée).
“If we didn't think it was going to be fun, we wouldn't be doing it,” Byrnes says with a laugh. “The best moments are when we connect with a crowd. When we play a show, nothing invigorates us more than when our music connects with someone.”
That’s what the recipient of Americana Act of the Year at the 2024 New England Music Awards has been doing since forming a few short years ago. Mixed by Rafi Sofer at Q Division Studios in Cambridge, Massachusetts, mastered by Mike Quinn, and featuring artwork by renowned Boston illustrator and tattoo artist Ian Adams, Dances With Firelight continues to widen the Kettle Burners spectrum of sound, composed of three new original songs and a pair of covers of familiar Sturgill Simpson and Billy Strings tunes.
True to Kettle Burners form, the EP showcases a broad stroke of Americana, with a vibrant overarching cohesion bridging each song from one to the next.
“I think this EP is just scratching the surface of The Kettle Burners’ sound,” Byrnes says. “We are carving out our own niche and at the same time, wearing our influences on our sleeve. We are staking our flag into the ground and saying ‘Here we are!’ as we sip from a flask filled with outlaw country, rock, Americana, Irish, and Slavic folk music.”
Part of what makes the Kettle Burners explore such vast sonic territory is the chemistry and creativity of its members, with co-vocalist and acoustic guitarist Byrnes rounded out by lead guitarist and co-vocalist Dan DiBacco; accordion player Jason McGorty (who also plays a Hammond organ through a Leslie speaker on three of the EP tracks); washboard player Monica Sager; bassist Joe Miller; and drummer Brian Lilienthal. From the floor-shaking party tunes to the yearning ballads, each member’s contribution is felt throughout Dances By Firelight.
“We are an unapologetically eclectic band. To have things fit in wouldn’t fit in for us,” Byrnes adds. “But I think that mindset also touches on the nature of Americana. In some ways the term ‘Americana’ is a catch-all term for many different styles of music; country, rock, folk, etc. However, blended together, Americana is its own thing, completely unique from its influences.”
Byrnes has been sitting on a ton of material that he’s been refining, rewriting and rewriting again for over a decade. After a personal accident eight months ago where he tumbled down a flight of stairs and needed surgery to walk again – hence the prior EP’s title, Before The Fall, as it was crafted just before the injury – he’s been eager to release many of the songs stuck in his head for years. And to do that, he leans on the Kettle Burners’ talents to bring the tracks to fruition.
EP opener “Little But More, Little Bit Less” is an upbeat, call-and-response bluegrass barnburner that sets a lively tone, and should translate well to the live show as its lyrics playfully invite the audience closer to the stage, and perhaps even buy the band a beer. The deliberate, golden-hued yearn of “Don’t Let Perfect”and its hypnotic low-end features fiddle-playing by Valerie Rachel of Wayward Vine and David Delaney of The Whiskey Boys, and is buoyed by a propulsive backbeat and percussion from drummer Brian Lilienthal.
And the gentle gallop stomp of “Further Down the Road,” its scratchy guitarwork adding to the intensity and intrigue, takes the band into the world of chain gangs, marriage, the church, truckers – and what Byrnes calls “all of life’s little mysteries, I guess… we never really know when the road will end, or how it ends.” That track, along with “Little Bit More, Little Bit Less,” feature gang vocals by Joe Pleiman, Pete Nersesian, Shane O'Neill, and Elisa Smith.
Each of these songs, brimming with its distinct personality, exists in its own lane, though “Don’t Let Perfect” has a connective narrative that permeates through the entire record.
“The message is, don't let ‘making something perfect’ get in the way of ‘making something good.’ So many people, myself included, get stuck in the cycle of trying to achieve something perfect, that it handcuffs them from doing anything. I get stuck in my head all the time,” Byrnes adds. “But I don’t want to be that person. I actively try to make the choice to embrace imperfection. My life isn’t a perfectly curated Instagram story. My music is like my life, full of wrong notes, terrible advice and bad decisions.
He adds: “This goes against the world we are in these days. Music is being flawlessly produced by AI, musicians play along with click tracks and backing tracks instead of letting the music just flow, organic and raw, a beautiful moment in time, nuances and all. That wild, untamed spirit flows through all our songs.”
The EP closes out with a pair of inspired covers, a hymnal-like rendition of Sturgill Simpson’s “Turtles All the Way Down” that glows with a weathered bravado; and a riveting romp through Billy Strings’ “Dust in a Baggie,” which sonically connects the EP back to opener “Little But More, Little Bit Less,” creating an infinite loop where the record plays on repeat with a natural flow.
“‘Dust in a Baggie’ was one of the first cover songs we jammed as we were trying to figure out the direction and feel of the band,” Byrnes says. “Our guitarist Dan DiBacco brought it in and really nailed it. It's become one of his signature songs we consistently slip into our live set that always crushes, so it was only a matter of time before we captured this one on tape.”
Byrnes continues: “For ‘Turtles All the Way Down’, we were part of an annual ‘Cover Song Challenge’ organized by Fil Pacino. The way it works is that each band enters a random cover song into a hat. Then, each band draws out a cover song that one of the other artists submitted. We got ‘Turtles’. It's such a beautiful song and the lyrics have a vibe that really resonates with me. So, we plunked that one down and it had such a spontaneous energy I thought it would make a good addition.”
That type of energy should fuel the band through the rest of the year. After the New England Americana Festival, a free, all-day, outdoor fest that welcomes 13 other bands and artists to the historic landmark setting of Medfield’s Bellforge Arts Center, and the tour across The Netherlands and Belgium, the band plans more shows, more parties, and even more music.
“When we come back,” Byrnes says with pure excitement, “we are playing a slew of summer concert series in various towns as well as a handful of brewery festivals – including Octoberfests for Jack’s Abby and Anheuser Busch. And, hopefully, we will squeeze one more EP out as well before the year is done.”
When it comes to Kier Byrnes & The Kettle Burners, don’t bet against it.
Media Contact: Please direct press inquiries to Michael Marotta at michael@knyvet.com,
and reach Kier Byrnes at band@kierbyrnes.com.
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Kier Byrnes & The Kettle Burners are:
Kier Byrnes: Lead vocals and acoustic guitar
Dan DiBacco: Lead vocals and electric guitar
Jason McGorty: Accordion and vocals
Monica Sager: Washboard
Joe Miller: Bass and vocals
Brian Lilienthal: Drums, percussion, and vocals
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‘Dances By Firelight’ EP artwork:
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Summer 2025 tour of The Netherlands and Belgium:
3 July: Gierle, Den Eik
4 July: Tinte
4 July: Huizingen, De Muziekmolen
5 July: Na Fir Bolg
5 July: Gilze, Gerard
5 July: Breda, Cafe Rebel Yell
6 July: Hulsen, De Peezet
7 July: TBA
8 July: Paroza, Berchem
9 July: Turnhout, Barzoen
10 July: Liezele, Bar Baraque
11 July: Elsloo, De Dikke Stein
12 July: Asten Heusden, het Spektakel
13 July: Emblem, Tramhalt
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‘Dances By Firelight’ production credits:
Performed by Kier Byrnes & The Kettle Burners
Mixed by Rafi Sofer at Q Division Studios, Cambridge, MA
Mastered by Mike Quinn
Jason McGorty also plays a Hammond organ through a Leslie speaker on ‘Further Down the Road’ ‘Turtles all the Way Down’ and ‘Little Bit More, Little Bit Less’
Joe Pleiman, Pete Nersesian, Shane O'Neill and Elisa Smith perform gang vocals and beer on ‘Further Down the Road’ and ‘Little Bit More, Little Bit Less’
Valerie Rachel of Wayward Vine and David Delaney of The Whiskey Boys perform fiddles on ‘Don't Let Perfect’
EP artwork is part one in a series by Ian Adams
EP artwork designed by Dan DiBacco
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Kier Byrnes & The Kettle Burners alt press photo:
Photo Credit: Courtesy of the band
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Media praise for Kier Byrnes & The Kettle Burners:
“Not much room on a six-song E.P. to include all the world-spanning styles and universal beats that soundtracks Kier Byrnes & The Kettle Burners, though as a kindness to listeners, the band plug in a musical blender of sounds. …With a secret weapon of chicken-picking guitar and heatseeking missile accordion, Before the Fall continues to curate multiple styles under the unified sound of the band.” _The Alternate Root
“After listening to this six-song EP… well, first after the almost-frantic tempos of some of the songs, you’ll want to thank the band for stopping after six songs so you can catch your breath. Then you’ll probably start from song one again. And you’ll look to see when you can catch a live show because if it’s anything like this EP, it’ll blow the doors off.” _Geoff Wilbur’s Music Blog
“Immersing oneself in the joyous sounds that comprise new EP 'Before The Fall' and we find notes of Rockabilly, a little bit of Emo, and even some worldly profound Punk throughout making for an enlightened listen if you’ve never heard Kier Byrnes & The Kettle Burners previously.” _Rock And Roll Fables
“A magnificent collection of music.” _The Whole Kameese
“I loved this release and it should come with a sticker that says F**k Life’s problems Let’s Dance !!” _Maximum Volume Music
“[The Kettle Burners] defy genre and time with an all-time mix of folk, Irish folk, punk and what not. ...in each song the band convinces. 'Before The Fall' is an EP that deserves attention.” _WoNoBlog
“...traditional Celtic fire and rock…” _Patriot Ledger
“Kier Byrnes & the Kettle Burners’ newest EP romps through time and place. Before the Fall is both an escape to thrilling times long past and an ode to the unique anxieties of the contemporary everyman. In it, the tribulations of love, youthful malaise, and artists' woes collide with high-speed showdowns and shady backroom drama. Its existence is also a tribute to the band’s ability to rally and muster forth through adversity. The EP’s name hails from a serious accident that could have derailed the project.” _The Some Publication
“Kier Byrnes & The Kettle Burners are warming up the crowd with their unique blend of Celtic, country, and rock — a sound that seems perfectly at home amid the avant-garde designs and boundary-pushing aesthetic… [The band has] built their identity on musical fusion. [it] creates something wholly original yet strangely familiar. This adaptability serves the band well in Boston’s diverse music scene, allowing them to fit comfortably in various contexts — from Celtic festivals to rock clubs, from beer festivals to high-fashion events.” _Boston Man Magazine
“[Kier Byrnes’ prior band] Three Day Threshold may have been compared to the Dropkick Murphys by some, but where the Dropkicks meld Celtic traditional sounds with punk rock, 3DT tended more to mix country/Celtic/bluegrass elements with more mainstream rock… A quick listen to some of the half dozen or so Kettle Burners videos currently on Youtube reveals that the sound is close to 3DT, but also different, with more depth and instrumental variety due to the interplay with the accordion.” _Patriot Ledger
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Press Contact: Michael O’Connor Marotta at michael@knyvet.com
Artist Contact: Kier Byrnes at band@kierbyrnes.com
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