By Lisa Ramsden
A Newcastle musician is looking forward to taking to the stage in front of his home crowd this weekend.
Having performed as a solo artist for 13 years, Stephen Rafferty became a part of Wolfhound, a cutting-edge Irish folk and trad band, at the start of the year.
Whilst no stranger to performing, this will be Stephen’s debut Wolfhound performance on super-local home soil. He says he is “proud and excited” about this weekend’s gig, as this will be a very special night for him.
In a sense, it’s a case of going full circle, as this Saturday night’s venue, The Anchor, was where he staged his very first headline show and he can’t wait to take to the stage with his bandmates.
Wolfhound – with its trailblazing blend of traditional and modern performances – are set to take to the stage around 9pm.
The band evolved from the award-winning and widely acclaimed group The Knights. Today, they are seen as the new musical powerhouse in the Irish folk and trad landscape.
Stephen and his bandmates perform an electrifying combination of time-honoured tunes and modern compositions – all wrapped up, as he puts it, “in a fusion of raw energy and exhilarating musical talent”.
The band have been on TV and radio, captivating audiences across the globe while touring extensively across Ireland, the UK, Europe, USA and Middle East.
It is these live performances, Stephen adds, where Wolfhound “really come to life,” offering “a high octane” showcase that consistently leaves crowds “spellbound”.
Joining a band that fast-tracked its way to the top of the Irish folk scene, Stephen said he and his bandmates are proud and excited to “redefine” the genre and be a key player in “the unstoppable Folk and Trad revolution”.
Looking forward to what lies ahead, including festival performances at the forthcoming Fields of Éire festival in Liverpool and the Irish Openair in Switzerland this September, plus a host of events across Ireland this summer, Stephen added that he is currently writing and recording fresh music.
He said it was an honour when approached by the band to join as their lead singer and guitarist.
“We took just two rehearsals and that was it, we just gelled together, and everything fell into place,” he said.
“They had heard my voice, knew how I perform, and as soon as we started it was like it was meant to be.”
This ‘stars aligning moment’ was, in a sense, still a difficult one as Stephen has had to prioritise Wolfhound over his flourishing solo career.
However, he said that with his family’s support and encouragement, he knew he had to make this move.
“This is certainly not something you pass up on, this really was an offer that was too good, and I know that dedicating this time to the band will be amazing.
“It’s been a tough thing to do, but I have to look at the bigger picture.”
He said he is proud of what he has achieved these past 13 years and eagerly looks to the future.
“When this message came via Facebook, it was literally an essay on how the band had been following my socials, that they really liked my voice and thought I’d be well suited. I initially thought ‘How am I supposed to juggle this when I have so much on’ but I was near instantly grinning from ear to ear, and I just knew I had to go for it.”
Stephen added that he and his bandmates, who hail from counties Armagh and Tyrone, are looking forward to the rest of 2026 and have big plans to get writing and recording, with hopes for single launches next year.
He said their music “is what you would expect to hear at a folk and trad night, with a lot of popular songs, with those that have our own unique and energetic twist on them”.
He said performing as part of Wolfhound “is class and there is no other feeling like it”.
He concluded: “Saturday night’s performance will be something else, and I can’t wait to take to the stage.”
