ORANGEVALE — A fusion of Irish reels, Scottish ballads and high-energy folk rock returns to The Boardwalk this Saturday night as Tempest celebrates 37 years of Celtic rock with a performance rooted in tradition and amplified by decades of touring.
Formed in 1988, Tempest has built an international reputation for blending traditional Celtic and British Isles melodies with rock instrumentation and world music influences. Over more than three decades, the San Francisco Bay Area-based band has released eighteen critically acclaimed albums and performed more than 2,500 live shows, earning a place as a mainstay on the global folk-rock circuit.
The current lineup reunites the original members, rekindling the chemistry that helped shape Tempest’s distinctive hybrid sound. Founder and lead vocalist Lief Sorbye, a native of Oslo, Norway, remains the driving force behind the band. As an electric mandolinist and frontman, Sorbye has long been recognized as a key figure in modern folk-rock, launching Tempest after years of performing and recording on the folk circuit.
He is joined by guitarist Rob Wullenjohn, a Bay Area native, and bassist Ian Butler of San Diego. Both musicians rejoined Tempest following an impromptu reunion show in Berkeley that reignited the band’s original spirit. Their return restored the interplay that defined the group’s early recordings and live performances.
Fiddler Jon Berger, born in Vermont, first joined Tempest in 1993 and has returned once again to the lineup. Known for his deep connection to Celtic and British Isles traditional music, Berger’s fiddle work anchors the band’s traditional elements while pushing arrangements into energetic territory.
Behind the kit is drummer Adolfo Lazo, a Cuban-born percussionist whose inventive rhythms and steady pulse have been a constant since joining the band more than three decades ago. Lazo has never missed a Tempest performance, bringing both consistency and flair to the band’s evolving sound.
Tempest’s global reach extends well beyond club stages. The band has appeared at major festivals including The Philadelphia Folk Festival, Denmark’s Skagen Festival, Britain’s Cropredy Festival and The Winnipeg Folk Festival in Canada, along with countless American Celtic festivals throughout the years.
During its tenure with Progressive Rock label Magna Carta Records, Tempest released several critically acclaimed albums that expanded its international audience. More recently, the band returned to its independent roots with the release of “Going Home,” produced on its own label and described as one of its strongest efforts to date.
Saturday’s show offers fans a chance to experience the band’s expansive catalog live — from driving folk rock instrumentals to traditional ballads reimagined through electric energy.
The performance begins at 8:30 p.m. Tickets and additional details are available atwww.rocktheboardwalk.com. All ticket sales are final.
The Boardwalk, located at 9426 Greenback Lane in Orangevale, remains one of the region’s longstanding live music venues, hosting national touring artists, tribute acts and local showcases in an intimate setting that keeps audiences close to the stage.
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