Toronto’s Beyond the Pale Find Southern Exposure for Freewheeling Balkan Klezmer Sounds on Spring 2018 US Tour
“The music of the southeastern US is not so different from the music of southeastern Europe. Black Mountain is really not as far as you might think from the Black Sea.”
So says Eric Stein, co-founder and mandolin player of Beyond the Pale, the award-winning Canadian acoustic-roots ensemble known for their unique take on klezmer, Balkan and Romanian music. The Toronto-based quintet is bringing its string- and reed-powered sound to the American South this March with an 11-day tour of festivals, theaters and clubs across seven different states. While they are kicking off their 20th anniversary year together, and have toured extensively in other parts of the US, these will be their first shows below the Mason-Dixon line. The occasion has prompted Stein’s consideration of how the band’s music relates to the region.