Sunday Night Traditional Irish Seisiún
Every Sunday, Every Sunday night is our Traditional Irish Seisiún. It is one of the longest running seisiúns in NYC and is hosted by Tony DeMarco (fiddle). Other guest musicians join in as the night goes on. In the past the seisiún has been the subject of an article in the NY Times and Tony appeared on “Live From Here” with Chris Thile on NPR. Without a doubt one of the best things you can do on a Sunday Night in NYC!
11th St Bar510 E 11th St, New York 10009
On Sunday night, 11th St Bar’s Traditional Irish Seisiún brings its long-running weekly session back to the East Village. Fiddler Tony DeMarco hosts, with guest musicians joining as the evening unfolds, so the lineup develops in real time rather than following a fixed band format. The focus is traditional Irish music played as a shared session, making room for DeMarco’s fiddle at the core and visiting players as they arrive.
DeMarco is a Brooklyn-born fiddler of Italian and Irish descent, known for his command of the Sligo fiddle style and called the “Tradfather of the New York sessions scene.” The weekly gathering has run for more than 25 years and is counted among New York City’s longest-running seisiúns. It has drawn attention from The New York Times, while DeMarco has appeared on NPR’s Live From Here with Chris Thile. The session draws musicians from around the tri-state area and an audience from across the city, built around an acoustic, participatory tradition rather than a fixed concert lineup.
A basement club in the East Village, 11th St Bar is a steady fixture for live music, hosting regular house band sets and long-running residencies. The room is a modest space where the audience sits on wooden benches, close enough to hear every note from the front row. Shows typically run from 8:30 PM to 11:00 PM, with multiple sets and a relaxed, conversational atmosphere. The bar is present, offering drinks to accompany the music, and the evening is a night out where people listen, talk, and share in the energy of the performers. It's a place where local musicians play with authenticity and warmth, and the audience is there to experience the music, not just watch it.