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Scottish/American fiddle duo (Fraser and Haas) are joined Scots-born Canadian guitarist McManus. ■ Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy The Old Fruitmarket, Candleriggs, 353 8000. 8pm. £18. One of the quietly brilliant chroniclers of the American folk tradition, Will Oldham has a formidable catalogue of close to 20 years’ worth of melancholic material to draw on for this show. See Five Reasons, page 88. ■ Catford and Eilidh Grant City Halls, Candleriggs, 353 8000. 8pm. £10. Aberdeen folkies take a musical trip to the West coast of the USA in the company of Nigel Hitchcock, and with support from former Danny Kyle Open Stage winner Grant. ■ Ross Martin & Eilidh Shaw and Macmaster/Hay The National Piping Centre, 30–34 McPhater Street, Cowcaddens, 353 0220. 8pm. £11. Traditional West Highland music. ■ Showcase Scotland Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, 2 Sauchiehall Street, 353 8000. 8pm. £13. See Thu 26. ■ Woody Sez Tron Theatre, 63 Trongate, 353 8000. 8pm. £13. Woody Guthrie, troubadour of the Great Depression, seemed like a safely historical figure when Billy Bragg and Wilco brought some of his old lyrics to life back at the turn of the millennium. Now he’s practically singing the headlines. Melting Pot Theatre Company’s production features four actor-musicians dramatising the story of the most cussed, ornery, brilliantly defiant singer-songwriter that ever stuck up two fingers to the laws of copyright. ■ Celtic Connections Festival Club Apollo 23, 11 Renfrew Street, 332 8209. 10pm. £8. See Thu 19. ■ Celtic Connections Late Night Sessions Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, 2 Sauchiehall Street, 353 8000. 10pm. £6. See Fri 20.
Monday 30
Glasgow FREE Danny Kyle’s Open Stage Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, 2 Sauchiehall Street, 353 8000. 5pm. See Fri 20. ■ Bruce Hornsby & Special Guests Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, 2 Sauchiehall Street, 353 8000. 7.30pm. £27.50–£30.50. This Virginia-born singer/pianist is best known for his hit ‘The Way It Is’; the most played song on US radio in 1987, but draws on influences including jazz, classical, bluegrass and Americana. ■ Bridget St John & Lol Coxhill and The National Jazz Trio of Scotland Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, 2 Sauchiehall St, 353 8000. 8pm. £13. A rare appearance from 70s folk-rock singer-songwriter Bridget St John joined by adventurous saxophonist Lol Coxhill. ■ Matt Molloy, John Carty & Arty McGlynn and Eilidh Grant Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, 2 Sauchiehall Street, 353 8000. 8pm. £13. Collaboration between Chieftains flautist Molloy, multi-instrumentalist Carty (on fiddle) and guitarist McGlynn. ■ Rebecca Pronsky City Halls, Candleriggs, 353 8000. 8pm. £10. The Brooklyn native performs Nashville twanging gems from newest album Viewfinder. ■ Woody Sez Tron Theatre, 63 Trongate, 353 8000. 8pm. £13. See Sun 29. FREE Brel Sessions Brel, See Mon 23. ■ Celtic Connections Late Night Sessions Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, 2 Sauchiehall Street, 353 8000. 10pm. £6. See Fri 20.
Tuesday 31 Glasgow FREE Danny Kyle’s Open Stage Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, 2 Sauchiehall Street, 353 8000. 5pm. See Fri 20.
CELTIC CONNECTIONS/ FOLK Music
FREE Choral Recital for Celtic Connections Glasgow University Chapel, University Avenue, 353 8000. 6pm. Choral music from the University’s Chapel Choir, including Ronald Stevenson’s Medieval Scottish Triptych and William Sweeney’s Wha Kens. ■ Chemikal Underground Brel, 39–43 Ashton Lane, 342 4966. 7.30pm. £5. See Tue 24. ■ Donal Lunny, Liam O’Flynn, Andy Irvine & Paddy Glackin and ‘Outlands’ featuring Fred Morrison Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, 2 Sauchiehall St, 353 8000. 7.30pm. £18–£23. Irish folk history laid bare by these founding and original members of Planxty and The Bothy Band, together again at last, as they say. Scottish piper Morrison performs material from his latest album in the company of respected Americana players Ron Block and Tim O’Brien. ■ Madison Violet and The Whisky River Boat Club O2 ABC, 330 Sauchiehall Street, 353 8000. 7.30pm. £11. The Canadian folk pop duo of Brenley MacEachern and Lisa MacIsaac, supported by a new Scottish country/bluegrass five-piece featuring Salsa Celtica’s Toby Shippey. ■ Savourna Stevenson & Friends: 50th Birthday Concert City Halls, Candleriggs, 353 8000. 7.30pm. £15. Harp innovator Stevenson celebrates her 50th with a concert featuring collaborations with Danny Thompson and the Edinburgh Quartet, who make up the numbers for Stevenson’s own Harp Quintet, which premiered at Celtic Connections 12 years ago and has since been used in the soundtrack to both Sex and the City and Ugly Betty. ■ Eilean Mo Ghaoil The Glasgow Art Club, 185 Bath Street, 248 5210. 8pm. £10. A celebration of The Music of Arran with Angus Lyon, Ali Hutton, Kathleen Graham, Toss Kennedy and Gillian Frame. ■ Litha The National Piping Centre, 30–34 McPhater Street, Cowcaddens, 353 0220. 8pm. £11. Formerly known as 2Duos. ■ Rab Noakes Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, 2 Sauchiehall Street, 353 8000. 8pm. £13. Legendary Scottish ‘rock’n’roots’ singer-songwriter with a career spanning 15 albums, joined by a selection of guests including Tim O’Brien, Rd Clements, Monica Queen, Jimmie Macgregor and more. ■ Woody Sez Tron Theatre, 63 Trongate, See Sun 29. ■ Celtic Connections Late Night Sessions Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, 2 Sauchiehall Street, 353 8000. 10pm. £6. See Fri 20.
Wednesday 1 Glasgow FREE Danny Kyle’s Open Stage Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, 2 Sauchiehall Street, 353 8000. 5pm. See Fri 20. ■ Damien Dempsey, Kitty the Lion and Eoin Glackin O2 ABC, 330 Sauchiehall Street, 353 8000. 7.30pm. £15. Arresting singer-songwriter from Dublin’s Northside with a full-on guttural vocal style which has found favour with Morrissey. Supported by fellow Northsider Eoin Glackin and Glasgow folk pop quintet Kitty the Lion. ■ Louis Abbott Brel, 39–43 Ashton Lane, 342 4966. 7.30pm. £5. See Wed 25. ■ Paul Kelly and Tensheds Òran Mór, 731-735 Gt Western Rd, 357 6200. 7.30pm. £14. Australian singer-songwriter who has collaborated with Aboriginal band Yothu Yindi. ■ World Turned Upside Down Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, 2 Sauchiehall Street, 353 8000. 7.30pm. £18–£23. A distillation of protest song from around the world, as performed by Palestinian singer Kamilya Jubran, Native American singer/songwriter activists Pura Fe and John Trudell, Del Amitri frontman Justin Currie, Karine Polwart and Chris
Wood, winner of the Folk Singer of the Year accolade at the 2011 BBC Folk Awards. ■ Genticorum and The Maggie MacInnes Trio Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, 2 Sauchiehall Street, 353 8000. 8pm. £13. Québécois musical trio based in Montreal featuring Pascal Gemme (fiddle, feet and vocals), Yann Falquet (guitar, jaw harp and vocals) and Alexandre de Grosbois-Garand (wooden flute, electric bass and vocals). ■ Kevin Henderson & Mattias Perez and Dagger & Colin Gordon The National Piping Centre, 30–34 McPhater Street, Cowcaddens, 353 0220. 8pm. £11. Shetland’s Henderson (Fiddlers’ Bid/Session A9) collaborates with Swedish guitarist Perez. ■ The Singing Land The Old Fruitmarket, Candleriggs, 353 8000. 8pm. £16. Old Blind Dogs mark their 20th birthday with this celebration of the music of their native north-east Scotland, a region dubbed ‘the singing land’ by musicologist and ballad collector Francis James Child. ■ Woody Sez Tron Theatre, 63 Trongate, 353 8000. 8pm. £13. See Sun 29. ■ Celtic Connections Late Night Sessions Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, 2 Sauchiehall Street, 353 8000. 10pm. £6. See Fri 20.
Thursday 2 Glasgow FREE Danny Kyle’s Open Stage Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, 2 Sauchiehall Street, 353 8000. 5pm. See Fri 20. ■ Blues of the World featuring Moussu T, Pura Fe & John Trudell and Errol Linton O2 ABC, 330 Sauchiehall Street, 353 8000. 7.30pm. £15. A showcase of differing blues traditions. Marseille-based quartet Moussu T e lei jovents sing in their native Occitan tongue, Pura Fe and John Trudell blend native and black American traditions and Brixton’s Errol Linton adds reggae and ska to the mix. ■ Hidden Orchestra and Chapelier Fou Òran Mór, 731-735 Great Western Road, 357 6200. 7.30pm. £14. Jazzy cinematic soundscapes from Hidden Orchestra (Formerly Joe Acheson Quartet). ■ Jonathan Wilson The Arches, 253 Argyle Street, 565 1000. 7.30pm. £14. Alt.country with a 70s vibe. ■ Transatlantic Sessions Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, 2 Sauchiehall St, 353 8000. 7.30pm. £25–£28. A Celtic Connections staple, these Sessions bring together musicians from the Celtic and Americana traditions for a night of fresh collaborations between familiar faces. Musical directors for this year’s sessions are Shetland fiddle legend Aly Bain and dobro star Jerry Douglas, singers include Raul Malo, Declan O’Rourke, Eddi Reader, Karen Matheson and Bruce Molsky. ■ Andy White The Glasgow Art Club, 185 Bath Street, 248 5210. 8pm. £10. A little bit of politics and a lot of wit from the perennially likeable Irish folk rock singer-songwriter. ■ Kathryn Tickell Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, 2 Sauchiehall Street, 353 8000. 8pm. £13. Lively fiddle music and haunting pipes in this special ‘Northumbrian Voices’ show in collaboration with theatre director Annie Rigby. ■ Travelling Folk BBC Scotland, 40 Pacific Quay, 353 8000. 8pm. Free but ticketed. See Thu 26. ■ Woody Sez Tron Theatre, 63 Trongate, 353 8000. 8pm. £13. See Sun 29. ■ Four Men & a Dog Big Band and Broken Strings The Old Fruitmarket, Candleriggs, 353 8000. 9.30pm. £16. Popular Irish outfit of some 22 years standing, who actually number eight good men for this appearance. Danny Kyle Awards winners Broken Strings are a
teenage instrumental seven-piece from Orkney. ■ Celtic Connections Festival Club Apollo 23, 11 Renfrew Street, 332 8209. 10pm. £8. See Thu 19. ■ Celtic Connections Late Night Sessions Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, 2 Sauchiehall Street, 353 8000. 10pm. £6. See Fri 20. FOLK Events are listed by date, then city. Submit listings at least 16 days before publication to henry@list.co.uk. Listings are compiled by Henry Northmore. ✽✽ Indicates Hitlist entry
Thursday 5
Glasgow FREE Tango Libre La Bodega Tapas Bar, Dance with Attitude Studios, 1120 South Street, 581 3401. 7.30pm. A weekly ‘Tango Salon’, with live music to dance to and of course tapas to fuel those moves. Edinburgh ■ Unpeeled The Jazz Bar, 1 Chambers Street, 220 4298. 8pm. £5. Showcase of four new acts of any genre from rock and indie to folk and acoustic. FREE Open Folk/Trad Session The Ale House, 18–22 Clerk Street, 629 0275. 9pm. Informal folk/trad session.
Friday 6 Edinburgh FREE The Ale House Open Mic Night The Ale House, 18–22 Clerk St, 629 0275. 9pm. Mixed open mic night with folk, blues, pop and more. Each slot is 15 mins or three songs, recordings will be available on the group page following each open mic. Sign up at 8.30pm or text 07792 716013 to book a slot.
Sunday 8
Glasgow ■ Lev Atlas Café Cossachok, Trongate 103, 10 King St, 553 0733. 9pm. £6. Popular Russian folk tunes from the violinist. Playing favourites from Sviridov’s ‘Romance’. Tuesday 10
Edinburgh ■ Ceilidh Club The Bongo Club, Moray House, 37 Holyrood Road, 558 7604. 8.30pm. £6. Ceilidh dancing, furious fiddlers and callers to lead you through the steps. Featuring Norman MacKay’s Ceilidh Experience.
Wednesday 11 Edinburgh FREE Easy Chair The Jazz Bar, 1 Chambers Street, 220 4298. 6.30pm. Laid-back folky sounds from Graham Laird and Mike Bennet.
Thursday 12
Glasgow FREE Tango Libre La Bodega Tapas Bar, Dance with Attitude Studios, 1120 South St, 581 3401. 7.30pm. See Thu 5. Edinburgh FREE Open Folk/Trad Session The Ale House, 18–22 Clerk Street, 629 0275. 9pm. See Thu 5.
Friday 13
Edinburgh ■ Café Voices Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43–45 High Street, 556 9579. 7pm. £5. A relaxed session of oral storytelling, poetry by memory, music and song. In the middle of the month of Janus, the two-faced god who looks forward and back, storyteller Helen East celebrates the old and the new. 5 Jan–2 Feb 2012 THE LIST 95