Quality traditional songs from Chantan singer (and TMSA organiser) Cowie.
I Songs Of Robert Burns Piping Centre. 8pm. £7 (£5). Elspeth Cowie. Jim Malcolm. John Moran and Corrina Hewat sing songs from the latest of the Linn series of recordings of Burns’ songs arranged by contemporary folk groups. Instrumental assistance from Aidan O‘ Rourke. Malcolm Stitt. Marc Duff and Sandy Brechin. Introduced by Fred Freeman.
I Hothouse Flowers Old Fruitmarket. 9pm. £15. Support from Gillian Welch and David Rawlings. An acoustic trio version of the established Irish music folk/rock outfit with support from ’Best Contemporary‘ US country folk duo. From Nashville — Gillian Welch and
David Rawlings. I Festival Club Quality Central Hotel. 1 1pm.
TUESDAY 26
I Danny Kyle's Open Stage Exhibition Hall. 5pm. Free. With Gibb Todd. .
I Horo Gheallaidh Main Auditorium. 7.30pm. £10.50. £8.50. Gaelic song and instrumental music from piper Fred Morrison with his band Ceolas. augmented by Runrig's Malcolm Jones and Capercaillie‘s Donald Shaw. Singers Ishbel McAskill. Alasdair Codona. Karen Matheson. Mairi Maclnnes and Margaret Bennett.
I Eleanor Shanley and Fallen Angels Sunday Times Suite. 8pm. £10. Contemporary songs with their roots showing. performed by Shanley to John McLoughlin‘s (not the Indo/jazz fusionist) classy guitar accompaniment. Eclectic harmony vocals in support from the entertaining Irish all-women quartet. I Archie Fisher Piping Centre. 8pm. £6 (£4). The doyen of Scots folk singers in one of his not-too-frequent gigs. A consummate performer. Support from a young champion of Scots song. Scott Gardiner.
I Eileen Ivers Band and Wrigley Sisters Old Fruitmarket. 9pm. £1 1. Outrageous talent. technique. and musical prowess on the fiddle — twice. US/Irish fiddle champion Ivers is one of the most exciting tiddlers in the world. electric or acoustic. playing traditional reels orjazzing up a classical piece. or flying on top of a rock band. Orkney‘s young Jennifer Wrigley. with sister Hazel on guitar and piano, will give Ivers a run for her money. See preview.
I Festival Club Quality Central Hotel. 11pm.
WEDNESDAY 27
I Danny Kyle's Open Stage Exhibition Hall. 5pm. Free. With Gibb Todd. . I Arlo Guthrie and James Grant Main Auditorium. 7.30pm. £13.50, £11.50. American icon of the Woodstock era. son of Woody. and strong stage performer here with popular ex-Love and Money vocalist. I Celtic Connections Ceilidh Dance Riverside Club. 10pm. £6. lnishowen Ceilidh Band. I Alain Genty Band Sunday Times Suite. 8pm. £10. Breton roots played by top musicians with ace Scots guitarist Tony MacManus and Galician piper Xose Manuel Budino. See preview. I Mackenzie Piping Centre. 8pm. £6 (£4). Support from Gibb Todd. Three singing sisters from Lewis perform. Gaelic song in harmony. In support the Festival Club supremo gets a chance to do his own thing. I Tam White's Blues Connection Old Fruitmarket. 9pm. £11. See Sun 24. III Festival Club Quality Central Hotel. pm.
THURSDAY 28
I BBC Radio Scotland Live Broadcast Exhibition Hall. 2pm. Free. Jock Tamson‘s Baims (Scotland). Cherish the Ladies (US). Slainte Mhath (Cape Breton) and
I Danny Kyle's Open Stage Exhibition Hall. 5pm. With Gibb Todd. Free.
I Cherish The Ladies and Tommy Makem Main Auditorium. 7.30pm. £10.50. £8.50. Great music. song. dance and stagecraft from the deft US/lrish band - back for six consecutive years. Entertaining support from one of the original Clancy Brothers.
I Kavanagh, McNeil, Lupari and Lynch Sunday Times Suite. 8pm. £10. A let's-get-a-band-together convocation of heavyweight folkies. multi- instrumentalists. songwriters and strong singers. Ex-Four Men and a Dog. Battlefield Band etc. etc.
I Rua and Kevin Mitchell Piping Centre. 8pm. £6 (£4). Scots flute and smallpipes player Jimmy Young’s New Zealantl-based band. Support front the Glasgow-based Irish traditional singer with the voice of silver. Kevin Mitchell.
I Wolfstone and Alain Genty Band Old Fruitmarket. 9pm. £11. Howling Ilighland folk/rock meets the great Breton contemporary roots band. See preview.
I Festival Club Quality Central Hotel. 1 1pm.
FRIDAY 29
I Danny Kyle's Open Stage Exhibition Hall. 5pm. Free. With (iibb Todtl.
I Dougie MacLean Band Main Auditoriutn. 7.30pm. £12.50. £10.50. Hugely popular songwriter/gititarist (and a super fiddler). Sell-out last year.
I Celtic Connections Ceilidh Dance Riverside Club. 8pm. £6. (iovan Spoonful.
I Paragon Ensemble: Raising Sparks Sunday Times Suite. 8pm. £10 (£5). World Premiere ofJames MacMillan‘s new piece. and Scottish Premiere of John Maxwell Gedtles‘ (iuitar Concerto. See Classical listings.
I Palaver Piping Centre. 8pm. £6 (£4). Support from Karine Polwart. All- women. all-vocal concert rooted in the Scots tradition — but with interesting and entertaining excursions to unusual musical territories.
I Martyn Bennett’s Cuillin Music and Xose Manuel Budino ()ld Fruitmarket. 9pm. £1 1. Two young pipers from Celtic soil. Bennett‘s Scottish bagpipes-and-beats trio take on the club dance scene. Budino‘s Galician traditions and contemporary compositions are brought to life in a six-piece band with guest singer Mercedes Peon.
I Festival Club Quality Central Hotel. 1 1pm.
listings DELTID DDNNEDTIDNS
1
BUMBLEBEES: This band comes with a health warnin . 0K, they play sweet as you like on harp, fiddles, accordion, and even a de icate banjo — but these four Irish women take no prisoners. The '11 leave you under the table. They'll session you to death. They’re stil playing at breakfast time. And I know how they do it. I've seen them do it, the morning after Orkney's Folk Festival: large quantities of vanilla ice-cream as a hangover
cure. Honest. (NC)
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Sunday fimes Suite, Thu 21, Sat 23.
3 SATURDAY 50
I The Cape Breton Connection Sunday Times Suite. 1pm. £6. Slainte Mhath and John Allan Cameron. Populist traditional song and story from Cameron. and vibrant. youthful multi-instrumental music and stepdance. both from Canada and new to Celtic Connections.
I TMSA Competitions Piping Centre. 2pm. Free. Singers and Instrumental Pairs. Men‘s, Women's. Bothy Ballad. and ‘Wee Room‘ trophies. Entry forms up to fifteen minutes before each event. Presented by the Traditional Music and Song Association of Scotland.
I Danny Kyle's Open Stage Exhibition Hall. 5pm. Free. With Gibb Todd.
I Celtic Connections Ceilidh Dance Riverside Club. 8pm. £6. Govan Spoonful.
I Ricky Ross and Friends and Jim Hunter Sunday Times Suite. 8pm. £10. Deacon Blue's front man in an acoustic setting. Support from Glenuig‘s famous blues bard. guitarist and songwriter.
I lock Tamson's Baims Piping Centre. 8pm. £7 (£5). Tradition Bearer: Sheila Stewart. Traditional song and music from the legendary and longest-lasting line-up of any Scottish folk band. Belle‘s daughter Shelia. of the renowned Stewarts of Blair. lives the oral tradition.
others on Mr Anderson‘s Fine Tunes.
GILLIAN WELCH: The singer’s neo-gothic songs and haunting delivery give a dark but distinctly contemporary twist to deep roots in the
luegrass and ballad traditions. Her duo with guitarist David Rawlings has been a breath of fresh air on a count watered down pop and rock versions of t e music, and Welch readily admits that she is quite content with the fact their their maverick style has ‘made it more difficult for people to pin a label on us'. Their Celtic Connections debut is entirely welcome, but I'm not sure supporting Hothouse Flowers is the ideal setting. (KM)
Old Fruitmarket, Mon 25 Jan.
N
at ..
music scene dominated by
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I Horse MacDonald and Splendid Old Fruitmarket. 9pm. £11. With a quartet from the BT Scottish Ensemble. and her own band. Ms MacDonald is a unique. intelligent vocal talent. Support from new Edinburgh band.
I Festival Club Quality Central Hotel.
1 1pm.
i SUNDAY 31
I New Voices Sunday Times Suite. 1pm. £6. Karen Marshalsay. Two harps - two percussionists. All original music. here performed for the first time. See preview.
I The Glasgow Song Scene Piping Centre. 2pm. £6 (£4). With members of Stramash. Adam (Jeely Piece Song) McNaughton tours the 'dear green place‘ in song.
I Danny Kyle's Open Stage Exhibition Hall. 5pm. With Gibb Todd. Free.
I Capercaillie and Alain Genty Band Main Auditorium. 7.30pm. £15. £12.50. (£10 standing). Top bands from Scotland and Brittany. See preview.
I Celtic Connections Ceilidh Dance Riverside Club. 8pm. £6. Govan Spoonful.
I Oyster Band and Lush Rollers Sunday Times Suite. 8pm. £10. England‘s favourite roots/rock band supported by up-and-coming guitar noise and soul harmony from Inverness.
I Belle Stewart Tribute Concert Piping Centre. 8pm. £6 (£4). Some of the very best unaccompanied singers in Scotland gather to pay tribute to one of the nation‘s treasures. here represented by her daughter. and singer. Shiela. A must for anyone with an interest in Scots song and tradition.
I La Bottine Souriante Old Fruitmarket. 9pm. £1 1. Thought by many to the most exhilarating outfit on the planet. La Bottine have to be experienced to be believed. Infectious rhythms. driven by Michael Bordeleau‘s feet. astonishing accordion/mouth organ/vocals. quality arrangements and instrumental work all round. and a brass section (including trombone and bass trombone) that hits you in the stomach - the French Canadian band is wonderful. Brilliant tap/step/clog foot percussionist Sandy Silva (from Kevin Burke's Open House) joins in. and there‘s support from Celtic Canada‘s Slainte Mhath and John Allan Cameron.
I Festival Club Quality Central Hotel.
1 lptn. Final night ticket £5.
For other folk and world music events in Glasgow and Edinburgh this fortnight, see Folk Listings on page 48.
21 Jan-4 Feb THE lIST 23