The answer: All have unusually strong fan bases in Utah, to the point that no concert tour is complete without a show in Zion.

For the Los Angeles-based Young Dubs, stopping in Utah once or twice a year is a total no-brainer, whether at bars such as The Depot or the now-defunct Zephyr Club or at big, free outdoor shows such as the Living Traditions Festival or Park City's Mountain Town Stages summer series, where the band reportedly drew 6,000 Utahns to a show last summer.

"It's one of those places that people always ask us, 'Oh, Salt Lake, what's that like?' " said Young Dubliners leader Keith Roberts in an interview as the band was about to head out for a St. Patrick's season tour that stops in Salt Lake City on Saturday.

"We always laugh because some of our best parties have been in Salt Lake. When people ask 'Why do you go to Salt Lake so much?', we say, 'It's easy! We go where we think we're wanted.' "

The list of those places that want the Young Dubs to visit has grown exponentially through the past two decades as the band of Irish transplants and L.A. locals has toured relentlessly while releasing albums of Celtic-influenced rock such as 2005's "Real World" along the way.

For the group's latest album, Roberts and company decided to tackle a slew of the Irish traditionals they often drop into their live shows, as well as songs by more modern Irish faves such as The Pogues. "With All Due Respect: The Irish Sessions" was recorded in a whirlwind 17-day rush in December so it would be out in stores in time for the band's current road trip.

Fans at the band's concerts have always asked for an album like this, Roberts said, and while The Young Dubliners have typically included a cover or two on studio albums in the past, doing a whole album of them was something that excited the band.

"This was the first record when we didn't want to put ourselves through those pressures that we go through on an original record. We just wanted to do a good job and do it fast and make it real," Roberts said, noting that the band has long struggled to capture its manic live energy in a studio setting.

The Young Dubliners come close to capturing that live vibe on "The Irish Sessions," and songs such as The Pogues' "If I Should Fall from Grace With God" and rocked-up Irish traditionals such as "Weila Waile" will easily fit into the Young Dubs set list for years to come.

"We had to work very hard [to learn the songs quickly and record them], but at the same time we wanted them to sound natural," Roberts said. "It ended up turning out even better than we thought it would."

Dubliners in SLC

The Young Dubliners, with Simple People opening, play The Depot, 400 W. South Temple, Salt Lake City, Saturday at 9 p.m. Tickets are $15 in advance, $17 day of show, at the venue and SmithsTix outlets.