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Ceol Sa Cheo
Ceol Sa Cheo
Blake Ritter & Alina Larson
Blake Ritter & Alina Larson
Driving rhythms and intricate textural soundscapes are the hallmarks of Ceo's musical style. Blake Ritter & Alina Larson are both dance musicians at heart, playing lively tunes in tight synchrony, while not shying away from spontaneous variations.
Ceo – pronounced "kYOH" & meaning fog/mist in Irish Gaelic – describes the atmospheric conditions shared between Ireland and the Northern California coastline. Irish traditional musicians Blake Ritter and Alina Larson both grew up within walking distance of redwood forests, which thrive in foggier climates.
Ceol sa Cheo – pronounced "kYOL suh hYO" & meaning music in the fog – is a longer name we often go by when hosting sessions and playing for set and céilí dances with other friends in their musical communities.
Upcoming Gig Schedule
Upcoming Gig Schedule
SEPTEMBER 2026
9/5 (6-9pm) Arts Alive! CONCERT at Schlueter Gallery, Eureka, CA
9/13 (12:30-3:30pm) HOST SESSION at O’Reilly’s Pub in SF, CA*
9/13 (7-10pm) SET DANCES at O’Reilly’s Pub in SF, CA*(RSVP)
9/18 (7-10pm) CONCERT at Cafe Mokka in Arcata, CA
9/20 (11am-12pm) CONCERT at North Country Fair in Arcata, CA
9/24 (5-8pm) SET DANCES at Plough & Stars in SF, CA
9/26 (3-6pm) PERFORM at Gibson's Irish Pub in Walnut Creek, CA
9/27 (5:30-7pm) HOST SESSION at Starry Plough in Berkeley, CA
OCTOBER 2026
Oct 8–11 (TBD) Bellingham Celtic Festival, WA
Oct 16–18 (TBD) Fairfax Irish Festival, CA
Times in PST & CA Locations unless otherwise specified!
* = Advanced Registration/RSVP Required: Contact Us
💪 = uilleann (elbow) pipes & 🎻 = fiddle
Check back regularly for updates & find more event details on our online calendar, linked above!
You can also subscribe to our monthly newsletter via Substack
Blake & Alina Bios
Blake & Alina Bios
Blake ~ fiddle & concertina
Blake ~ fiddle & concertina
Blake Ritter is an award-winning fiddler from Humboldt County whose powerful yet soulful playing has made him a favorite at Irish music gatherings throughout Northern California.
An All-Ireland champion in the slow airs tradition, Blake combines technical brilliance with a deep understanding of the emotional heart of Irish music.
Whether performing for dancers, sessions, or concert audiences, his music reflects a lifelong dedication to the rich traditions of Ireland and the Celtic world.
Alina ~ pipes & whistles
Alina ~ pipes & whistles
Alina Larson is a musician, singer, dancer, and a scholar. She regularly performs Irish traditional music on uilleann pipes & whistles around the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond.
Since completing her PhD in 2019, Alina has traveled to Scotland and Ireland a number of times. She started playing the uilleann pipes on May 21st 2020, and has been practicing every day since...
In 2024, Alina got a job at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh Scotland. While there, Alina & Blake attended and often hosted sessions at Sandy Bell's and The Long Drop on a regular basis for the better part of a year. They managed to sneak away to Ireland for several week-long visits, stopping in for sessions wherever they went.
Now that they're back in California, they're excited to bring their energy and love for the music to a wider audience as Ceo! You can frequently find Blake & Alina hosting sessions, playing music for local dances, and performing at weddings, festivals, and house concerts all over the West Coast ~ sign up for our newsletter for updates, and to follow us on the session trail . . .
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