BILLINGS — For nearly 20 years, a group of local musicians has been playing traditional Irish music at various bars in Billings, transporting listeners straight to a pub in Ireland.
Each week, Sláinte/Pug Mahon's Traditional Music Session, a group of anywhere from five to ten players, meets at Bar MT at 2314 Montana Ave. each Tuesday night. From 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., they play a variety of tunes and songs with instruments like guitars, a cello, violins, and an accordion in a casual setting.
“It's musicians sitting around the table having a beer, chit-chatting a little bit between sets, and then just launching into a tune and seeing where it goes," said Patrick Kuntz, button accordion and concertina player.
Kuntz is one of the earliest members. He joined in 2005 not long after it was formed that year. He found them playing at Pug Mahon's, a former downtown Billings Irish pub, joined with his button accordion, and was immediately hooked.
“If I'm feeling down or if I'm feeling great, I can't wait to come here and play. I wouldn't miss it unless I have to, you know, because it just is very rejuvenating," said Kuntz. “It's one of the most important things in my life.”
The name, Sláinte (pronounced slawn-che), is fitting as it is a common toast in both Irish and Scottish Gaelic.
“When we go out and play other places when it's not just a sit-down session, we go out and play by the name of Sláinte, which means cheers to your health," said Steve Zediker, singer and guitar and fiddle player.
After Pug's closed in 2019, the group moved to Craft Local. Several weeks ago, they found a new home at Bar MT. The group says the interior has given them that real Irish pub feeling and the acoustics to hear each other better.
“This space is fantastic. There's all this wood and all this hard stuff, and so it just makes everything vibrate," said cello player Rebecca Jackman.
Over the years, the group has grown and evolved. They do not view themselves as a band, but instead as a session—anyone who can play the music is welcome to join. Though the core group has stayed mostly the same, the open-invitation nature of the session means the music is always fresh.
"It just starts to gel and click. There's a certain, in a lot of circles they call it 'nya.' It's that feeling of when things come together and just really drop into a groove. There's nothing like it," said Zediker. “A lot of us have been together long enough to really kind of have a second nature. We have a good core of tunes that just go, and we don't even have to think about them."
Despite the long play time, they do not play with sheet music. Each player practices at home and has the music memorized without the use of improvisation. However, the most important skill they have is listening to each other and using their musical intuition. The tunes themselves vary from session to session. Some nights, new songs are brought in by one of the musicians, while other times, the group sticks to familiar melodies that have become staples of the session.
"You can't be playing from the dots on paper and playing authentically, so you have to have it in your fingers playing and being able to listen because there's subtle fluctuations in the music and we're all trying to play together," said Kuntz. "It's all about the melody. You have to play the melody at a pretty quick pace because this is dance music. That's the big challenge of the music, and that's why it's kind of humbling and also interesting to play because there's just so many tunes and they're all different.”
For Irish native Padraig Keane, joining the band two years ago has given him one of the closest connections to his home country. He is originally from Newtownshandrum in North Cork and is impressed with the level of sophistication and style Sláinte plays at.
“If this band fell into a traditional Irish bar in Ireland, they would do extremely well. It sounds like and feels like home, which is amazing," said Keane.
He plays the bodhrán, an Irish drum, and the Irish tin whistle, guitar, and harmonica. While the pace is faster than he is used to, he has learned to match their energy.
“Having a good ear and listening is super important. These guys are super good. They're real musicians," said Keane. "I'm just really honored to be a part of this group."
For others, the weekly sessions serve as a much-needed escape from the stresses of life. Whether it’s a chance to unwind and have a pint after a busy day or to connect with friends, Sláinte’s Tuesday night sessions have become a mental and emotional sanctuary.
“It is my sanity saver. It truly is. It makes me feel good. I enjoy everybody who's part of it, and we've just had a lot of good times," said Jackman. "I always want to come because I know it's going to be a good time, and it's going to just be musically satisfying."
Their love for the music and the community they’ve built together is what makes the group special and shines through in every tune and jig they play.
“The joy that the music brings to you, it's definitely a feeling. None of us are the world's best instrumentalists, but we love what we do. When we get together, that camaraderie, that feeling, it's just something that can't be matched,” said Zediker.
