Three years ago, I stopped in at a small tent at the outskirts of the Milwaukee Irish Fest grounds and heard a singer who changed everything I thought I knew about Irish music. Emma Langford wasn’t the traditional Irish folk singer that I was used to hearing – although rooted in the trad music of her country, her voice and her lyrics were fresh and contemporary. I learned later that this was called nu-folk, but all I knew in that moment was that everyone should hear her and I wanted to host her in a performance at my house. During the pandemic, I hosted Emma virtually as part of World Voice Weekend. I’ve shared her music (both to listen to and to perform) with my students. But I still hoped for the day that I could bring her to Baltimore in person. And now, it’s happening! On Friday, August 12, 2022, as part of her international Birdsong tour, Emma Langford and Alec Brown will be performing at my home in Baltimore at 7:30pm. Weather permitting, we’ll be out in my backyard (weather not permitting, we’ll be inside the house). Doors will open at 6:30pm, and an Irish-themed buffet will be served.