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Tolbooth’s seasonal knees-up returns with an afternoon dance for all ages and an evening shindig for the more seasoned.
Sunday 21
Glasgow ■ Christmas Rhapsody Café Cossachok, Russian Cultural Centre, Albion Street, 553 0733. 9pm. £6. Accordion maestro George Gajjic mixes Eastern European folk and classical traditions of the winter festival. Edinburgh ■ Phil Cunningham’s Christmas Songbook Queen’s Hall, Clerk Street, 668 2019. 8pm. £22. The weel-kent Scottish accordionist/pianist/multi- instrumentalist is joined on stage by a selection of guests (including Eddi Reader, Karen Mathieson, John McCusker, Kris Drever and Kevin McGuire) for his annual showcase of old and new Christmas music. ■ Gordeanna McCulloch & Chris Miles Wee Folk Club, Royal Oak, Infirmary Street, 557 2976. 8.30pm. £3. Authentic, unaccompanied and compelling Scots songs and ballads from two of the country’s great traditional singers.
Monday 22
Edinburgh ■ Phil Cunningham’s Christmas Songbook Queen’s Hall, Clerk Street, 668 2019. 8pm. £22. Eddi Reader, Karen Mathieson, John McCusker, Kris Drever and Kevin McGuire join the accordion star. See Sun 21.
Saturday 27
Glasgow FREE Ceilidhs at Lauries Lauries Bar, King Street, 552 7123. 8pm. Dance to a live band. See Sat 13. Paisley ■ Festive Family Ceilidh Paisley Town Hall, Abbey Close, 887 1010. 7.30pm. £8 (£6). Celebrate the end of 2008 with a traditional ceilidh dance with the Clamjamfrie Ceilidh Band. Early booking recommended.
Monday 29 Edinburgh ■ Ceilidh Club The Lot, Grassmarket, 225 9922. 8pm. £8. See Tue 16.
Tuesday 30
Glasgow ■ Lost Soul Band, Brain Mclachlan and Kevin Young King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut, St Vincent Street, 221 5279. 8.30pm. £12. The local band with Celtic rock and folk influences. Edinburgh ■ Family Hoog Assembly Rooms, George Street, 623 3030. 7–10pm. £15 (under 16s £7; family ticket £40). Clubbing meets ceilidhs as DJs mash tunes with live band Whisky Kiss. ■ Ceilidh Club The Lot, Grassmarket, 225 9922. 8pm. £8. See Tue 16.
Wednesday 31
Glasgow ■ Hogmanay Party Night St Andrew’s in the Square, St Andrew’s Square, 548 6020. 7.30pm–1am. £32.50. Enjoy the full Hogmanay experience at the St Andrew’s in the Square and Cafe Source annual ceilidh dance with the Ardoch Ceilidh Band and piper (includes haggis and a dram). ■ Hogmanay Ceilidh Lauries Bar, King Street, 552 7123. £15. Live music for Scottish dancing to see you into 2009 (includes buffet). Edinburgh FREE Hogmanay Ceilidh National
Folk/Classical Music
Museum of Scotland: Hawthornden Court, Chambers Street, 247 4422. 2pm. Dance music from the Canongate Cadjers Ceilidh Band. ■ The Hoog Assembly Rooms, George Street, 08700 404010. 7pm–2am. £52.50. Hoog it up until 2am with Hogmanay entertainment from rootsy ceilidh band Teannaich, Blaze in the Bothy and plenty of DJ action.
✽✽ Glayva Ceilidh in the Gardens East Princes Street Gardens,
Princes Street, 473 2000. 8pm–1am. £35. Dance your way into 2009 with Hugh MacDiarmid’s Haircut, The Occasionals, Sensational Jimi Shandrix Experience, Sandy Brechin and Blueflint. ■ Shooglenifty, Grace, Hewat, Polwart, Malinky and Chuting Blancs The Picture House, Lothian Road, 0844 847 1740. 8pm–2am. £22.50. Count in the New Year with a top night of Scots folk and roots band grooves with Shooglenifty, a trio of harmony vocalists with pipes, harp and guitar in Annie Grace, Corrina Hewat and Karine Polwart, and the new hi-energy ceilidh trio of Calum McCrimmon, Mike Vass and Anna Massie. ■ Sunday Brunch Club New Year Ceilidh Sheraton Grand Hotel, 1 Festival Square, 229 9131. 8.30pm–1am. £52 (£47 before 24 Dec). Da Hooley Ceilidh Band provide the live music, haggis, neeps and tatties are included in the ticket price and there’s a view of the fireworks at midnight.
✽✽ The Peatbog Faeries, Moishe’s Bagel, Burach and
Watergraw The Mound Stage, The Mound, 9pm. Street pass £10. Celtic, funk, rock, trance fusion from the Faeries headline a powerful folky, jazzy, gypsy and klezmerik line-up as part of Edinburgh’s official Hogmanay party. ■ Departure Lounge Hogmanay Special The Caves, Niddry Street South, 557 8989. 10pm–5am. £25. Jazz grooves, Latin rhythms and funky global beats’ as DL take over the Caves for their fourth Hogmanay special, joined by live band Orkestra del Sol, Gecko 3, Mungo’s Hi-Fi featuring MC Soom T, The Sorries, Dom Servini and residents Astroboy and Mr Zimbabwe with Cammy on percussion. Jedburgh ■ Hogmanay Ceilidh Town Hall, Abbey Place, 01450 870664. 8pm. £12.50. Party and dance away the old year and bring in the new with the brilliant young fiddler leading the Louise Douglas Band. Part of The Land, The Light, The Locals.
Stirling ■ Hogmanay Ceilidh Albert Halls, Dumbarton Road, 01786 473 544. 8pm. £40. See in the New Year with the Ian McCallum Scottish Dance Band and a two course meal with champers, hosted by singer Moira Kerr.
Thursday 1
Edinburgh FREE New Year’s Day Music National Museum of Scotland: Hawthornden Court, Chambers Street, 247 4422. 12.45pm, 1.45pm & 2.45pm. Relieve the hangover with live music from Scotland’s talented young traditional musicians. In association with Live Music Now! Scotland.
Saturday 3 Glasgow FREE Ceilidhs at Lauries Lauries Bar, King Street, 552 7123. 8pm. See Sat 13.
Sunday 4 Edinburgh ■ Andy Chung Wee Folk Club, Royal Oak, Infirmary Street, 225 1155. 8.30pm. £3. Traditional and original songs/guitar by the local hero frae Fife.
Classical Events are listed by date, then city. Submit listings at least 14 days before publication to suzanne@list.co.uk. Listings are compiled by Suzanne Black and Carol Main. ✽✽ Indicates Hitlist entry
Thursday 11
Glasgow FREE School Choirs at Christmas Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum, Argyle Street, 276 9599. Noon. Pupils from primary schools around Glasgow celebrate Christmas with a concert of festive music. ■ Westbourne Music The Merchant House, 7 West George Street, 226 4444. 12.45pm. £7 (£3–£6). Extrovert percussion virtuosi Oliver Cox and Owen Gunnell in a Christmas extravaganza. FREE Kelvingrove Organ Recitals Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum, Argyle Street, 276 9599. 1pm. Free daily lunchtime organ recitals. (Excludes 25, 26 & 31 Dec and 1 & 2 Jan.) ■ BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra: Russian Winter 4 City Halls, Candleriggs, 353 8000. 7pm. £10–£23 (£8–£21). Stravinsky’s punchy The Rite of Spring alongside the original version of Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No 4, with outstanding pianist Yevgeny Sudbin. Pre-Concert Prelude and Post-Concert Coda. ■ Opera Scenes Alexander Gibson Opera Studio, RSAMD, 100 Renfrew Street, 332 5057. 7.15pm. £12 (£8). Postgraduate students perform scenes from a selection of operas. Always popular, so please book early.
Edinburgh FREE Live Music Now: Jennifer Port National Portrait Gallery, 1 Queen Street, 624 6200. 6pm. Jennifer Port performs a selection of seasonal works with clarsach and voice. ■ The Band of her Majesty’s Royal Marines Assembly Rooms, 54 George Street, 623 3030. 7.30pm. £15 (£12). A musical extravaganza covering everything from Elvis to opera. Dundee ■ Tayside and Fife Health Services Christmas Carol Concert Caird Hall, City Square, 01382 434940. 7.30pm. £10. Norman Beedie directs organist Stuart Muir, The Mike Bennett Brass Ensemble, St Paul’s Academy Madrigal Group and the High School of Dundee String Ensemble in a Christmas carol spectacular.
St Andrews ■ St Andrews Chorus Carol Concert Younger Hall, North Street, 01334 462226. 7.30pm. £2 (free). Christmas music and carols conducted by Gillian Craig.
Friday 12 Glasgow FREE School Choirs at Christmas Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum, Argyle Street, 276 9599. Noon. See Thu 11. ■ RSAMD String Ensemble, RSAMD, 100 Renfrew Street, 332 5057. 1pm. £9 (£6). Elizabeth Layton directors a tuneful lunchtime programme including Holst’s St Paul’s Suite and Lullaby by Gershwin. ■ Agon Piano Trio Milngavie Town Hall, Station Road, Milngavie, 7.30pm. £10 (£5; school children free). Trios, both No 2, by Shostakovich and Rachmaninov alongside the more rarely-heard Ignaz Pleyel. ■ The Glasgow Phoenix Choir:
Seasonally the Phoenix Royal Concert Hall, 2 Sauchiehall Street, 353 8000. 7.30pm. £8–£15. The choir’s Hitlist THE BEST CLASSICAL & OPERA*
✽✽ Scottish Chamber Orchestra: Points of View The 80th birthday of Scottish composer Thea Musgrave is celebrated by the SCO with the Scottish premiere of Points of View, which features different musical elements personified by members of the orchestra. City Halls, Glasgow, Fri 12; Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh, Sat 13 Dec. ✽✽ Scottish Ensemble: Green More celebrations of Edinburgh born Thea Musgrave, who is now resident in the US. Newly commissioned by the Ensemble for their American inspired concert tour, Green is about conflict, expressed by the clash of opposing musical forces, the title possibly representing the world’s plant life on which it depends. City Halls, Candleriggs, Thu 18 Dec; Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh, Fri 19 Dec. ✽✽ Royal Scottish National Orchestra: Viennese Gala Start the New Year in traditional style in the very capable hands of a conductor who was born to it. 28 year-old David Danzmayr, the orchestra’s Assistant Conductor, from Salzburg, makes his first appearance this season. Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow, Sat 3 Jan.
annual festive concert celebrates Christmas with a varied programme with the help of the award-winning West Lothian Schools Brass Band and the National Youth Choir of Scotland Area Choir from Falkirk.
✽✽ Scottish Chamber Orchestra: Points of View
City Halls, Candleriggs, 353 8000. 7.30pm. £12. Thea Musgrave marks her 80th birthday with a new concerto for orchestra, Points of View, here receiving its Scottish premiere along with that of Magnus Lindberg’s formidable Violin Concerto, performed by soloist Jack Liebeck. Works by Mozart and Handel also feature. Nicholas Kraemer conducts. Pre-concert talk at 6.30pm. ■ University of Strathclyde Christmas Concert RSAMD, 100 Renfrew Street, 7.30pm, 332 5057. £8 (£6). The University’s annual musical Christmas celebration. Edinburgh FREE Faculty of Advocates Christmas Concert Queen’s Hall, 87–89 Clerk Street, 668 2019. 8pm. Favourite carols and Christmas readings with the choir’s 13th annual Christmas concert. All donations go to the Edinburgh City Mission.
11 Dec 2008–8 Jan 2009 THE LIST 93