About the Boys

Fiddle, a Guitar and two voices. The Whiskey Boys play original and traditional Irish, Old Time, and Bluegrass music reharmonized with Jazz, Rock, and wit. Often rowdy, sometimes tender, The Whiskey Boys are always a crowd pleaser.
David Delaney

Trained in Composition and Violin Performance at Berklee College of Music, David has played the fiddle since he propped his older sister’s violin up against a couch to hold it to his chin. It was love at first screech. He was pleasantly surprised to find a burgeoning traditional music scene at Berklee which offered study in his preferred style of music. David has played his fiddle professionally since the age of 13. He began composing his own reels and jigs at an early age and is published in “The Connecticut Sounds”, a collection of contra dance tunes written by Connecticut composers. David is originally from Connecticut and is now making his home in Boston.

Mark Kilianski

Mark’s guitar playing lends a diverse and energetic edge to the Whiskey Boys sound.  After forming a solid foundation in Rock and Blues music in his teens, Mark went on to study Jazz Composition at Berklee College of Music in Boston.  Upon arriving in Boston, Mark discovered a thriving Folk Music scene, and dove in head first.  With the attitude and rhythmic drive of Rock ‘N Roll, subtle colors and rich chords of Jazz, and a passion for the tradition of American and Celtic Folk Music, Mark Kilianski’s guitar playing is a perfect combination of beauty and power.

Reviews of The Boys

Some kind souls have written nice things about the Boys and their performances and sent them to us. We’ve collected those nice things here.

Whiskey Boys David Delaney and Mark Killianski bring the spirit of Celtic folk music to the forefront on their debut CD, Mary Come To Boston. Delaney is a fine fiddler in the Irish tradition as Killianski adds percussive and rhythmic accompaniment with his acoustic guitar to this fine collection of nine originals and two covers. The duo displays their considerable musical prowess and understanding of the Celtic idiom on the songs "Madeline The Quaker," "Carolina Blue" (written by Margaret Mackay & Jeff Butcher), and "The Sad Reel." Next time your in the city on a beautiful summer day and you hear the sounds of a fiddle and guitar piercing the air, go and check it out. Chances are, it will be The Whiskey Boys pouring listeners a finely concocted elixir of Celtic lore. Good stuff! [D.S.]

Metronome Magazine

With just a fiddle, guitar and their voices, The Whiskey Boys filled the stage with an apparent zest and love for their music.  Their fine technical skills are quickly evident, but their music had the depth and character that only comes from a true appreciation of it's history.  The best thing we can say, is that when their set was over, we both were smiling and were sad that it had ended.

Lynn Tapper

Event & Logistics Coordinator, First Night Hartford

The Whiskey Boys' sound is a infectious mix of Old Time Bluegrass, Irish folk tunes and original melodies with a great pop sensibility. Their songs will leave your foot tapping and a smile on your face!

Sara Beesley

Programming Manager, Joe's Pub

The Whiskey Boys are David Delaney (fiddle) and Mark Kilianski (guitar), who met through the Berklee College of Music and proceeded to put together a sound that draws upon not only Celtic but also American folk and jazz influences. Delaney’s fiddle can evoke the feel and texture of Irish tradition, but also articulate an urban, cosmopolitan and thoroughly contemporary sensibility; by the same token, Kilianski drives the melody along with verve and punch -- and then there’s a chord progression, or a flat-picked counterpoint, that ratchets up the tension until suddenly, you hear harmonies and overtones you simply didn’t expect. While some of their material is from traditional sources, they also write their own – and that includes songs, like “The Pirate Song” (think The Decemberists, stripped down and channeled through Tom Waits and Gilbert & Sullivan), or the whimsical “Eternity.” Delaney and Kilianski also have a winning stage presence, and never forget that they have an audience to entertain – which they do, unfailingly.
If that isn’t enough, The Whiskey Boys’ regular podcasts via their website [whiskeyboys.com] offer stalwart fans and recent converts alike some additional perspective on their various enterprises and activities, as well as a continual supply of tunes and songs. With this new/old dynamic, it’s no wonder The Whiskey Boys have begun building an audience for themselves in clubs, pubs and other venues around Boston – and beyond.

Sean Smith

Co-Organizer, Celtic Music Fest

What a pleasure it was having the 'Boys' come out and play at our festival. The kids loved them! Their witty banter was entertaining as well!

Joanna K

Manager, Belltown Hill Orchards