The Black Irish Band provided its audience with a history lesson to go along with the music it performed at the Ted Falasco Arts Center Friday night.

The concert was the third event in the Los Baños Arts Council's annual subscription series.

Council President Dean Young opened the program by commenting on the standing-room-only crowd.

"I don't see a lot of empty chairs," he said, indicating his pleasure with the night's attendance.

The band played a variety of maritime and railroad music, as well as polkas, jigs and Cajun selections.

Band leader Patrick Karnahan told stories between songs. Before the band played "Paddy Worked on the Railroad" Karnahan told the tale of how it became the first Irish railroad song. He spoke of Irishmen working on the railroads in England in the 1820s and later bringing their skills to America. The song was sung while they did the hard, often painful, physical labor, Karnahan said.

The Black Irish Band also performed a piece that was played for General George Custer's Calvary just before the battle of Little Big Horn.

"It was probably the last song he ever heard," Karnahan joked.

The Black Irish Band formed in 1989 after Karnahan and fellow founding member Richard Restivo met on the set of the last in the series of "Back to the Future" movies. A day after the band chose its name at its first official meeting the Loma Prieta earthquake occurred in the Bay Area. In commemoration the band named its 10th anniversary CD "The Day the Earth Shook."

Friday night the band played "Oh Susanah," a Hank Williams Jr. song, a Bill Hailey tune and a myriad of other pieces. The band further showed its versatility by having one of its members, Jim Nelson, do some yodeling.

"Our first gig was in Juneau, Alaska. I think what saved the day was this man is such a fantastic yodeler," Karnahan said.

The audience seemed to enjoy the hour and a half performance. A couple people expressed their delight during intermission.

City resident Dick Gerbi said many arts center events aren't as well attended as the Black Irish Band performance.

"This one is fun," he said”