This is a must-see performance not to be missed during the Fleadh Cheoil 2026

Kla & Brass &Special guest Clare Sands
Friday 7th August
Mandela Hall
Belfast
Tickets 28.50+bf
Doors 7pm / Starts 8pm

Please note that this is a standing event.

Formed in Dublin in the late 1980s, KLA are one of Irelands most innovative and genre-defying bands. Rooted in tradition yet constantly evolving, their sound blends Irish folk influences with global rhythms and contemporary energy, creating a unique style often described as contemporary Irish world music.

Their seven members draw from diverse musical backgrounds spanning traditional Irish, classical, and rock, combining instruments such as fiddles, uilleann pipes, whistles, bodhrn, bones, and Irish-language vocals with djembe, congas, brass, and electric instrumentation.

Renowned for their exhilarating live performances, Kla also have an acclaimed body of work in film and television, including award-winning scores such as Arracht and collaborations on Cartoon Saloons Oscar-nominated films The Secret of Kells, Song of the Sea, and Wolfwalkers.

Witnessing this full-throttle performance is a true sonic celebration. Paul Frosts arrangements fuse funk, mambo, and New Orleans jazz with Klas compositions, adding an extra layer of heat and swing to their already electrifying catalogue. The result is a brass-infused explosion of rhythm and melody, designed to lift audiences into a euphoric, movement-filled state.

Iconic trad-fusion band KLA return for the Fleadh Cheoil 2026 in Belfast with a bombastic live show featuring a 4-piece brass ensemble. This event will be one of the standout highlights of the Fleadh Cheoil 2026, offering a rare chance to experience their unique fusion of traditional Irish music and brass-driven arrangements, unlike anything else on the contemporary live circuit.

Renowned for their exhilarating performances, Kla are at their most powerful in collaboration with Paul Frosts brass ensemble. Frosts inventive arrangements blend funk, mambo, and New Orleans jazz with Klas original compositions, while the brass sections explosive energy and Klas signature rhythmic drive combine to create a riotous, dance-fuelled experience that leaves audiences in ecstatic abandon.
Make sure to secure your tickets early to avoid disappointment.

Clare Sands is a sixth-generation fiddle player and bilingual singer from Cork, Ireland. Rooted in traditional Irish music and inspired by global influences, she blends folklore, language, and contemporary sound into a bold, distinctive style. Her music carries a fierce, expressive energy, deeply connected to place and identity. Outside of music, she is also a cross-continental swimmer and black belt martial artist, with multiple world medals.

Raised in Cork with family roots in Wexford and the North of Ireland, Clare began fiddle at age three, learning traditional music from her father and blues influences from her mother. She studied Music and Italian at UCC, followed by a Masters in Composition and Creative Practice at the Irish World Academy, developing as a bilingual songwriter and multi-instrumentalist across more than ten instruments.

Her debut album was named in The Irish Times Top 5 Folk Albums of 2022 and received a Best Folk Singer nomination at the Irish Folk Awards. Projects such as Trdhreacha agus Fuaimdhreacha and Gormacha explore Irish language, landscape, and mythology through a contemporary lens.

A powerful live performer, Clare has appeared at Glastonbury, Cambridge Folk Festival, Festival Cervantino, and more. She has collaborated with artists including Hothouse Flowers, Paul Brady, Susan ONeill, and Sharon Shannon.

With a new album arriving in Autumn 2026, Clare Sands continues to emerge as one of Irelands most vital contemporary voices, bridging tradition and innovation with striking originality.