Blackthorn saw its inception back in 1988 when a small group of ex-pats found a common interest in a music that wasn’t all that common in Vancouver at the time. Since then, the group has travelled through the streets of traditional and not-so-traditional Celtic music, expanding their repertoire and musical skills along the way. Blackthorn’s repertoire celebrates the traditional music of Scotland and Ireland as well as folk music of English and French Canada. This means that they are not only in demand for Robbie Burns and St Patrick’s Day events but also Highland Games, festivals, ceilidhs, concerts, conventions and private functions throughout the year. Blackthorn can rip up a reel, bounce a jig, pull your heart strings with a mournful ballad and have you singing along to a favourite old tune all in the course of a performance. They play in their own style, with their own musical interpretation and it is very apparent when watching them, that they enjoy what they are doing.