Ceo

Irish Traditional Music

Blake Ritter & Alina Larson

Driving rhythms and intricate textural soundscapes are the hallmarks of Ceo's musical style. Blake & Alina are both dance musicians at heart, playing lively tunes in tight synchrony, while not shying away from spontaneous variations.

Ceo (pronounced "kYOH" & meaning fog/mist in Irish Gaelic) describes the atmospheric conditions shared between Ireland and the Northern California coastline. Irish traditional musicians Blake Ritter and Alina Larson both grew up within walking distance of redwood forests, which thrive in foggier climates.

Ceol sa Cheo (pronounced "kYOL suh hYO" & meaning "music in the fog") is a name we often go by when hosting sessions and playing for set and céilí dances with other friends in their musical communities.

Upcoming Gig Schedule

JUNE 2026

6/11 (5-8pm) CONCERT at Private Event in SF, CA

6/12 (7-10pm) CONCERT at Cafe Mokka in Arcata, CA

6/13 (5-7pm) HOUSE CONCERT at Residence in Eureka, CA*

6/20 (12-4pm) CONCERT at Private Event in Berkeley, CA

6/27 (2-5pm) SESSION at O’Reilly’s Pub in SF, CA*

6/28 (5:30-7pm) SESSION at Starry Plough Pub in Berkeley, CA

JULY 2026

7/11 (4-6pm) CONCERT at Moonstone Crossing in Trinidad, CA

Corvallis Celtic Festival ~ July 17–19

7/17 (9pm-12am) SESSION at The Brass Monkey

7/18 (10-11am) 💪WORKSHOP at Dragon’s Whistle

7/18 (12:30-1:30pm) 🎻WORKSHOP at CBC Public Library

7/18 (3-4pm) CONCERT on the Main Stage

7/19 (10-11am) CONCERT at the Old World Center

7/19 (1:30-2:30pm) 🎻WORKSHOP at New Morning Bakery

7/25 (2-5pm) SESSION at O’Reilly’s Pub in SF, CA*

7/25 (7-11pm) CÉILÍ + SET DANCES at Shannon Arms in SF, CA

7/26 (5:30-7pm) SESSION at Starry Plough Pub in Berkeley, CA

Grass Valley Celtic Music Campout ~ July 31–August 2

7/31 (6-10pm) CONCERT at the Wild Eye Pub*

8/1–2 (All Day) SESSIONS with Guy & Bonnie Prudhomme*

Times in PST & CA Locations unless otherwise specified!

* = Advanced Registration/RSVP Required: Contact Us

💪 = uilleann (elbow) pipes & 🎻 = fiddle

Check back regularly for updates & find more event details on our online calendar, linked above!

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Blake & Alina Bios

Blake ~ fiddle & concertina

Blake Ritter is an accomplished Irish traditional musician & teacher based in Humboldt County. He started playing traditional and classical music in early childhood, with performances that took him across the country & abroad to England & Ireland through his teens and early 20s.

As an All-Ireland fiddle champion in traditional slow airs, it comes as no surprise that Blake Ritter is able to pull an incredible, sometimes other-worldly tone out of his instrument...

Alina ~ pipes & whistles

Alina Larson is a musician, singer, dancer, and a scholar. She regularly performs Irish traditional music on uilleann pipes & whistles around the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond.

Since completing her PhD in 2019, Alina has traveled to Scotland and Ireland a number of times. She started playing her Michael Hubbert uilleann pipes on May 21st 2020, and has been practicing every day since...