Music CELTIC CONNECTIONS
Wednesday 19 Glasgow FREE Danny Kyle’s Open Stage Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Sauchiehall Street, 353 8000. 5pm. See Fri 14. ■ The Walkmen and Laki Mera Òran Mór, Great Western Road, 353 8000. 7.30pm. £12.50. New York indie outfit likened to the Pixies and the Velvet Underground play alongside Glaswegian quartet Laki Mera, whose multi-layered ambient soundscapes have drawn comparison with the Cocteau Twins amongst others. See preview, page 60. ■ Alasdair Roberts and Muntu Valdo Tron Theatre, Trongate, 353 8000. 8pm. £12.50. Nu-folk balladeer Roberts squeezes magic from traditional peoples’ classics alongside his own original compositions. Young Cameroonian singer-songwriter and instrumentalist Muntu Valdo, whose work reveals the African roots of jazz, blues and soul music, support him. ■ Glesamericana Night with The Moonshiners and Cahoots The Glasgow Art Club, Bath Street, 353 8000. 8pm. £10. The Art Club is transformed a folk venue to celebrate the rich and diverse Scots folk scene. Hosted by the great Glasgow traditional singer Mick West and featuring bluegrass band The Moonshiners and Clutha regulars Cahoots. ■ Otros Aires and RoughCoastAudio The Old Fruitmarket, Candleriggs, 353 8000. 8pm. £14. Otros Aires’ sound is a fusion of classic Argentinean tango with electronica and urban dance beats that experiments with both traditional instruments such as the bandoneon and cutting-edge music technology. They have toured extensively since their formation in 2003 and have recently released their fourth album. They are supported by Ewan MacPherson’s Norwegian-Scots electro-folk project RoughCoastAudio in their debut performance. ■ World Fiddle Night with Tim Kliphuis, Charlie McKerron, Tim Edey, Frankie Gavin, Koshka and Sharat Chandra Srivastava Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Sauchiehall Street, 353 8000. 8pm.
Tom Jones
£12.50. Fiddlers from five countries – Scotland, India, the Netherlands, Ireland and Russia – showcase their various talents in this international cocktail of traditional styles from reels to ragas. FREE Celtic Connections Late Night Sessions Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Sauchiehall Street, 353 8000. 10pm. See Fri 14.
Thursday 20 Glasgow ■ Celtic Connections Various Venues, 353 8000. Times vary. Prices vary. See Thu 13. ■ Iain Anderson in Conversation: Mike Harding with Archie Fisher Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Sauchiehall Street, 353 8000. 12.30pm. £5. The music and radio men chat about Mike’s autobiography. ■ Karine Polwart and Kim Edgar Glasgow University Concert Hall, University Avenue, 330 4092. 1.10–2pm. Singer/guitarist Polwart performs some of the nation’s favourite Burns songs accompanied by singer/pianist Kim Edgar, with readings by Gerry Carruthers and Kirsteen McCue. FREE Danny Kyle’s Open Stage Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Sauchiehall Street, 353 8000. 5pm. See Fri 14. ■ Ani DiFranco and Support O2 ABC, Sauchiehall Street, 353 8000. 7.30pm. £17.50. The prodigiously successful singer-songwriter has 20 albums and literally thousands of live performances under her belt. ■ The Campbells and Joy Dunlop St Andrews in the Square, St Andrews Square, 353 8000. 7.30pm. £12.50. Na Caimbeulaich (or the Campbells) are one of Gaelic music’s foremost musical dynasties, numbering seven Mòd Gold medallists amongst their recent generation. Five of these medallists perform tonight – siblings Seumas and Kenna Campbell, Kenna’s daughters Wilma and Mary Ann Kennedy and her niece Maggie Macdonald. Supporting this family affair is women’s 2010 Mòd Gold medal winner Joy Dunlop. ■ Kepa Junkera and Friends Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Sauchiehall Street, 353 8000. 7.30pm.
£18–£23. Basque accordionist and Celtic Connections favourite Kepa brings his trikitixa (sort of giant xylophone), his band, and new young female choir Leioa Kantika Korala back to the stage. An international artist and cross-genre collaborator, he’s also bringing along a couple of special guests for the occasion. ■ Brian Kennedy and Nell Bryden City Halls, Candleriggs, 353 8000. 8pm. £18.50. Celtic Connections veteran Brian Kennedy is the Belfast chap whose transcendent vocals have garnered him a loyal clutch of fans. Last year he collected the Lifetime Achievement accolade at Ireland’s prestigious Meteor Music awards for his work not only in music but also as a successful novelist and TV presenter. ■ Ceol’s Craic at Celtic Connections CCA, Sauchiehall Street, 353 8000. 8pm. £12.50. Gaelic session featuring musical selections from pupils of Glasgow’s Gaelic School and singer- songwriters Iain Morrison and Brian Ó hEadhra, piping from the Armagh Pipers Club and spoken word performances from Irish wordsmith Gearoid McLaughlin and Gaelic poet Daibhidh Martin. ■ Paddy Keenan and Special Guests Tron Theatre, Trongate, 353 8000. 8pm. £12.50. Influential and iconic uillean piper Keenan, one of the founder members of the Bothy Band, performs with some top-secret support acts that are likely not to disappoint any fans of traditional Irish music. ■ Steele the Show The Old Fruitmarket, Candleriggs, 353 8000. 8pm. £16. An evening of music in tribute to the Scottish singer Davy Steele, who died ten years ago. As a member of Caledon, Ceolbeg, Urbn Ri, Drinkers’ Drouth, Clan Alba and the Battlefield Band, he was a significant figure in the world of modern Scottish traditional music, not least in his solo songs celebrating his beloved East Lothian home. Tonight Phil Cunningham and Ian McCalman host a concert of his songs performed by some of his favourite singers, including Karine Polwart, Dick Gaughan, Sally Barker, Kate Rusby and Andy M Stewart. ■ The Tannahill Weavers and Lurach Glasgow Royal Concert Hall,
Long-known for his crooner’s voice, devilish charm and unbelievably hirsute chest, Tom Jones managed to pull off quite a coup towards the end of last year when he released Praise & Blame, a really-rather-good album comprising gospel, blues and spiritual songs – more Grand Ole Opry than the Caesar’s Palace Ballroom, Jones’ traditional stomping ground. The album garnered much critical acclaim (including a four star rating from ourselves), so it’s a pleasure to see Jones giving it the mileage it deserves and playing it from start to finish here. ■ Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Monday 17 Jan, part of Celtic Connections. 74 THE LIST 6–20 Jan 2011
Sauchiehall Street, 353 8000. 8pm. £12.50. Formed in Paisley back in 1968, the Tannies have had an enduring influence on the development of the modern Scottish folk music scene and the rise of its popularity abroad. In a rare performance on home soil, they are joined by 2010 Danny Kyle Open Stage award winners Lurach, a young Scottish quartet who combine shared vocal duties with whistles, fiddles and tenor banjo tunes. FREE Celtic Connections Late Night Sessions Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Sauchiehall Street, 353 8000. 10pm. See Fri 14.
FOLK Events are listed by date, then city. Submit listings at least 14 days before publication to henry@list.co.uk. Listings are compiled by Henry Northmore and Norman Chalmers. ✽✽ Indicates Hitlist entry
Thursday 6 Edinburgh FREE Live Music Now: Jennifer Port National Gallery of Scotland, The Mound, 624 6200. 6pm. Classy clarsach (Scottish harp) music, including some arrangements of songs by Burns.
Friday 7
Glasgow ■ Russian Orthodox Christmas Café Cossachok, 10 King Street/Trongate 103, 553 0733. 9pm. £6. Operatic arias, Russian and Armenian romances and folk songs performed by vocal stars from around the world including Anush Hovhannissyan, Bjartmar Sigurdsson and Maria Atlas. Kinross ■ Dick Gaughan The Green Hotel, Muirs, 01577 863467. 9pm. £14. The great Scots socialist troubadour, ballad singer and guitarist.
Saturday 8 Glasgow St Mungo’s Multi-Cultural Gala Concert St Andrews in the Square, 1 St Andrews Square, 559 5902. 7.30pm. £10 (£8). A mix of traditional Scottish and world music featuring The Ideal Band, Adam McNaughton, Maggie MacInnes, Akaya West African Drummers & Neilson Pipe Band, Four Provinces Irish Ceili Band and Glasgow African Highlife Band. FREE Ceilidhs at Laurie’s Laurie’s Bar, King Street, 552 7123. 8pm. Traditional Saturday night shindig at Laurie’s Bar.
Sunday 9 Glasgow ■ Power Of The Accordion Café Cossachok, 10 King Street/Trongate 103, 553 0733. 9pm. £6. Cossachok favourite Georgie Gajjic presents an eclectic repertoire of classical and Eastern European accordion music.
Edinburgh ■ Lurach Wee Folk Club, Royal Oak, Infirmary Street, 557 2976. 8.30pm. £5. 2010 Danny Kyle Open Stage award winners Lurach are a young Scottish quartet who combine shared vocal duties with instrumentals on whistles, fiddles and tenor banjo.
Tuesday 11 Glasgow FREE The Blas Collective The Rio Café, Hyndland Street, 334 9909. 8.30pm. ‘Folk flavoured sessions’ from this collective led by Jenn Butterworth.