FARMINGTON – Two Old Friends will perform Irish traditional music and old-time music at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 22, in Nordica Auditorium.

The performers are literally two old friends to area audiences. Mac McHale and Emery Hutchins, affectionately known as Mac and Hutch, have recently joined forces to sing and play songs from Ireland, the mountains and the sea. The two were founders of the Irish band Northeast Winds. They traveled and recorded with that band for nearly 18 years.

For the last 17 years, McHale has headed up the Old-Time Radio Gang, a successful traditional country music band, and Hutchins has been an important part of the Angel Band, New England’s premier Celtic-music string band.

They will be performing some favorite tunes from their days in The Northeast Winds, as well as some old-time traditional country music. The program is sure to include some favorite Irish and sea songs and some great singalongs.

The musicians will play the banjo, guitar, mandolin, concertina, bodran and the octave mandolin.

Opening the evening will be The Smith Brothers, from Industry. Jay Smith, 16, won his first fiddle contest at age 8 and has been performing since he was 7. Shane Smith, 14, plays rhythm guitar and also picks the lead of several numbers. Their fiddle music is mostly bluegrass and old-time as well as Down East and Celtic with some modern tunes.

The Smith Brothers have entertained audiences at the National Folk Festival in Bangor, the Maine Festival at Thomas Point Beach, Maine Pioneers of Country Music and as special guests with Mac McHale and the Old-Time Radio Gang.

The concert is presented by the Arts Institute of Western Maine, an affiliate of the University of Maine at Farmington.

Admission: $7/$5, children under 16 admitted free.