Award-winning Derina Harvey Band comes to Friday Harbor

Published 1:30 am Thursday, June 11, 2026

From knee-slapping fun to more emotional tunes, Celtic rock band Derina Harvey Band brings a fresh take on traditional folk music to the San Juan Community Theatre on June 13 at 7:30 p.m.

“ I love a cozy theatre venue where I can tell a few stories between songs to broaden the experience and share a little history behind the music. Most of all, we love getting the chance to meet people after the show and hear how they connected with our songs and stories,” lead singer Derina Harvey told the Journal when asked what some of their favorite venues have been. This will be the band’s first time in the San Juans, and they are excited.

“We have performed in Washington before, and we are very excited to come back. The beauty of the land, the ocean, and the generosity of the people there make for a joyful and memorable trip every single time,” Harvey said.

When asked what drew her to Celtic rock specifically, Harvey began with her family, which is full of artists and musicians with very strong ties to Ireland.

“Celtic music was part of every birthday, every family trip, and all the weddings and wakes. It is full of rich stories of love, loss, and a fair bit of foolishness,” she said. “I started performing with my family onstage at age five, and although I have dabbled in other styles of music, I always keep coming back to my roots.”

Band members Harvey; Steve Pinsent, drums; Scott Greene, electric guitar, banjo, bouzouki and vocals; Edward Smith, bass, piano and vocals; and Jessica Blenis on violin and vocals met in college, and later all settled in Edmonton, Alberta. Each musician was working in different sectors of the music industry.

“I was performing at a Celtic-themed venue on weekdays when a band scheduled for the weekend had to cancel. The bar manager said, ‘Derina, you are good and I would give you the weekend spot, but I need a band for the weekend!’ I quickly replied, ‘I can put a band together pretty fast!’ You see, we had already been working together in several formats—as session musicians and live performers across a wide variety of genres,” Harvey explained, as well as in sound engineering, stage lighting, music equipment sales and teaching. “Because of that, there was an immediate comfort and familiarity onstage. We had a lot of fun, and I feel that is a large part of our success. We always try to have fun and see how many folks in the audience will come along for the ride!”

The band officially formed in 2008, and they “have been so fortunate to tour, record, and share our music ever since,” says Harvey.

All five members of Derina Harvey Band are from Canada’s east coast, steeped in Celtic traditions. Each studied classical, jazz, folk, country, bluegrass, blues, rock, alternative and metal. “Because we bring this entire bag of tricks to our music, we can perform each song to its absolute fullest,” Harvey said.

They offer a very relaxed atmosphere with plenty of opportunities to sing and clap along to traditional favorites and original songs of the sea, according to Harvey. There are lots of upbeat tracks to keep your toes tapping, but there are also some softer, quieter moments in the show.

“We hope to make you laugh, and if you happen to need to shed a tear, I can help you there, too. But don’t worry—I’ll make you laugh again before I send you home,” Harvey assured.

The band will perform a few shanties during the show, including their cover of Tom Lewis’s “The Last Shanty,” which has found its way onto many of their fans’ playlists.

“ It was originally written as an a cappella song about the changes experienced by sailors over the past century, but we adapted it to accommodate a full stage of instruments. It became a big hit for us on music platforms and remains a crowd favourite,” Harvey told the Journal.

Their original song “Rove and Go” tells the story of communities being abandoned during the “Resettlement Era,” and how the residents actually took their houses with them when they left. Another original, “Up All Night,” describes the joy of coming home for a visit. It captures all the fun of sitting around a kitchen table or a campfire, rekindling old friendships and counting the stars.

To learn more about the Derina Harvey Band, visit derinaharvey.com.

“We are so very excited to share our music with your audience,” Harvey says.

Tickets are $55 for adults, $30 for students or student rush at the door is $5. Visit https://www.sjctheatre.org/ to buy them online, or call the box office at 360-378-3210.