www.list.co.uk/music Folk Music
Sauchiehall Street, 353 8000. 1.30pm. £7. For beginners looking to build confidence and acquire some skill on the bodhran, this course is led by Andy May. Part of Celtic Connections. ■ Celtic Connections Public Workshops: Open Your Voice Two Royal Concert Hall: Buchanan Suite, Sauchiehall Street, 353 8000. 1.30pm. £7. You can combine this workshop with ‘Open Your Voice One’, earlier in the day, or just attend one of them. This session focuses on the use of Tibetan singing bowls, Navaho drums, rattles, rainmakers and more. No experience required. Part of Celtic Connections. ■ Celtic Connections Public Workshops: Percussion Workshop Royal Concert Hall: Exhibition Hall, Sauchiehall Street, 353 8000. 1.30pm. £7. A chance for adults and older children to get their hands on some noisy samba instruments and try out a few rhythms, guided by the experts from Big Groove. Part of Celtic Connections. ■ Celtic Connections Public Workshops: come&try Gaelic Song Royal Concert Hall: Clyde Foyer, Sauchiehall Street, 353 8000. 1.30pm. £7. Winner of a 2009 Mod Gold medal Darren MacLean leads a workshop in Gaelic singing for singers of all levels. No knowledge of Gaelic required. Part of Celtic Connections. FREE Danny Kyle’s Open Stage Royal Concert Hall: Exhibition Hall, Sauchiehall Street, 353 8000. 5pm. Hosted by Liz Clark, a chance to see new musical talent compete to win a support slot at next year’s festival. Part of Celtic Connections. ■ Hot Club of Cowtown and Red Stick Ramblers O2 ABC, Sauchiehall Street, 353 8000. 7.30pm. £15. Superb US hot jazz/western swing trio Hot Club are joined by Louisiana Cajun dynamos for a grand rootsy hoedown at the ABC. Part of Celtic Connections. ■ The New Folk Tradition Classic Grand, Jamaica Street, 353 8000. 7.30pm. £12.50. A showcase from the blossoming branches of the British folk scene: young English singer Ruth Notman already has three highly praised albums to her name, Devon-based singer- songwriter John Smith combines accomplished guitar playing with gravelly-voiced singing, and Kirsty McGee and the Hobopop Collective are an exciting folk noir/rockabilly/jazz/ Americana proposition. Part of Celtic Connections. ■ A Scottish Songbook Royal Concert Hall: Main Auditorium, Sauchiehall Street, 353 8000. 7.30pm. £20 (£16). A celebration of Scotland’s tradition of song, from the popular national classics, to gems dug up from archives and songbooks, and original songs from an array of singers and performers including McIntosh Ross, Emma Pollock, King Creosote, Kris Drever, Phil Cunningham and Maeve Mackinnon. Each has been given a song chosen especially for them by artistic directors Karine Polwart and Brian McAlpine. Part of Celtic Connections. ■ Skye Night with Arthur Cormack and Friends St Andrew’s in the Square, St Andrew’s Square, 353 8000. 7.30pm. £12.50. Showcasing rich musical offerings from Eilean a Cheo, this concert presents three Mod Gold Medal winners in the shape of Kenna Campbell, Arthur Cormack and Darren MacLean, as well as ex-Runrig accordion star man Blair Douglas. Part of Celtic Connections. ■ The Swell Season and The Lost Brothers City Halls, Candleriggs, 353 8000. 7.30pm. £18. The Swell Season is the moniker adopted by The Frames’ frontman Glen Hansard and Czech pianist and singer Marketa Irglova for their collaboration, which has so far produced three acclaimed albums. Support comes from Irish duo The Lost Brothers. Part of Celtic Connections. ■ Bodega City Halls: Recital Rooms, Candleriggs, 353 8000. 8pm. £10. Young
Scottish band span traditional and contemporary influences, and incorporate Gaelic and Scottish culture into their powerful vocal and instrumental music. Part of Celtic Connections. ■ Niall Vallely & Friends and Seamus Begley & Tim Edey Royal Concert Hall: Strathclyde Suite, Sauchiehall Street, 353 8000. 8pm. £12.50. Outstandingly agile playing from concertina player Niall Vallely and his band, with a range of world music and improvisational influences that go far beyond his Irish traditional roots. He is supported by two superb instrumentalists – Kerry accordionist Seamus Begley (who is also a brilliant Gaelic singer) and fiddler Tim Edey. Part of Celtic Connections. ■ West Highland Safari Tron Theatre, Trongate, 353 8000. 8pm. £12.50. A words-and-music journey through South Africa and the Scottish Highlands in the company of Lochaber fiddler Aonghas Grant and South African guitarist Tony Cox. They are accompanied by cellist Christine Hanson, multi-instrumentalist Euan Henderson and accordionist Paul Connelly. Part of Celtic Connections. ■ Balkanarama The Old Fruitmarket, Candleriggs, 353 8000. 9pm. £14. The festival’s first ever club night takes over the Old Fruitmarket with the gypsy/Balkan/klezmer madness of Balkanarama. The all-round experience includes homemade baklava, graphic projections, belly dancing, Balkan Beats DJs, Hungarian guest headliners Besh o droM and house band Black Cat. Part of Celtic Connections. ■ Celtic Connections Late Night Session Royal Concert Hall: Exhibition Hall, Sauchiehall Street, 353 8000. 10pm. £5. See Fri 15. ■ The Celtic Connections Festival Club The Art School, Renfrew Street, 353 8000. 10.30pm. £8. See Fri 15. ■ Celtic Connections All-Star Ceilidh Band Royal Concert Hall: Main Auditorium, Sauchiehall Street, 353 8000. 10.45pm. £12. Strip the Willow and strut your Gay Gordon to a soundtrack provided by Phil Cunningham, Donald Shaw, Fergie MacDonald, Alasdair MacCuish, Gary Innes, Eilidh Shaw, Archie McAllister, Alasdair MacLeod and Fraser MacInnes. Dance into the wee small hours in the Main Auditorium, where the seating is stripped out to leave a huge dancefloor for the ultimate Scottish party night. Part of Celtic Connections. Edinburgh ■ Scots Music Group Ceilidh St Bride’s Centre, Orwell Terrace, 346 1405. 7.30pm. £8–£10 (£6–£7). Da Hooley provides the live music for this night of traditional music and dancing.
Sunday 17 Glasgow ■ Celtic Connections Public Workshops: Kids Percussion Workshop for Wee Ones Royal Concert Hall: Exhibition Hall, Sauchiehall Street, 353 8000. 11am. £4. See Sat 16. ■ Celtic Connections Public Workshops: come&try Fiddle Royal Concert Hall: Clyde Foyer, Sauchiehall Street, 353 8000. 11am. £7. Tutors from Glasgow Fiddle Workshop will have you playing a wee tune. Instruments supplied, no experience required. Part of Celtic Connections. ■ Celtic Connections Public Workshops: come&try Mandolin Royal Concert Hall: Lomond Foyer, Sauchiehall Street, 353 8000. 11am. £7. The Lanarkshire Guitar and Mandolin Association comes to share its enthusiasm for this versatile instrument. They have plenty of mandolins with them, so there’s no need to bring your own, or any previous experience. Part of Celtic Connections.
Sat 16 Jan@ City Halls, Grand Hall The Swell Season and The Lost Brothers The duo behind to 2007’s hit indie film Once.
Sun 17 Jan@ Òran Mór Laura Veirs & the Hall of Flames and Cataldo and The Old Believers “One of indie pop’s most literate and adventurous songwriters” (California Chronicle on Laura Veirs) Tue 19 Jan@ O2 ABC Glasgow Scott Matthews and Foy Vance “The most promising home-grown singer songwriter to emerge in years” (Q magazine on Scott Matthews)
Wed 20 Jan@ O2 ABC Glasgow Fyfe Dangerfield and Stornoway The Guillemots’ frontman Fyfe Dangerfield showcases material from his debut solo album Fly Yellow Moon.
Wed 20 Jan@ Glasgow Royal Concert Hall Way To Blue: Songs of Nick Drake Drake’s producer Joe Boyd is joined by a stellar line-up to celebrate Nick Drake’s enduring legacy. Thu 21 Jan@ Òran Mór Sandi Thom and Alex Cornish Merchants and Thieves, due out in spring 2010, marks an exciting new independent direction for Sandi Thom.
Fri 22 Jan@ City Halls, Recital Room Roddy Hart “A more ambitious album that gels beautifully...with hints of Springsteen, Ron Sexsmith or Ryan Adams” (The Sunday Mail)
Wed 27 Jan@ O2 ABC Glasgow Gandalf Murphy & The Slambovian Circus of Dreams “Mightily impressive and hugely original...” (Maverick Magazine) Thu 28 Jan@ Old Fruitmarket The Low Anthem and Fraser Anderson “Theirs is a gloriously romantic vision of America that sits somewhere between Dylan and Waits.” (Mojo on The Low Anthem)
Fri 29 Jan@ O2 ABC Glasgow Imelda May and The Deadly Gentlemen “An expressive, sparky voice and sincere commitment to the boogie.” (Q magazine on Imelda May) Sun 31 Jan@ O2 ABC Glasgow Chemikal Underground Celebrating 15 years of the legendary record label with: The Phantom Band, Lord Cut Glass, Emma Pollock, Aidan Moffat, Zoey Van Goey and more.
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