The Celtic Social Club

The Celtic Social Club is a Franco-British Celtic rock band. Formed in 2013 and led by Manu Masko, the group is made up of a collective of French and Irish musicians, often featuring guests linked to the Celtic world or world music. Inspired by the adventures of their predecessors, the Buena Vista Social Club and the New Orleans Social Club, they aim to popularise Celtic music by opening it up to rock and contemporary music.

Their music is an adaptation of traditional Celtic tunes revisited by the seven musicians and their chosen guests, selected for their diverse backgrounds such as rock, blues, folk, reggae, kan ha diskan, and hip-hop. Enticed by the idea, several stakeholders (a festival, a concert venue, a tour promoter, and a record label) collaborated to produce an eponymous album and a show, which became the new creation for the Festival des Vieilles Charrues in its 2014 edition.

Originally planned for only this single concert, the band ultimately embarked on two French tours in 2015 and 2016, as well as a series of concerts in Europe, Asia, and the United States. A second album, titled New Kind of Freedom, was released in May 2017. The subsequent international tour extended until October 2018.