We were treated to Sierra Hull’s energetic display on mandolin Celtic Connections music festival 2023
SCOTTISH ARTS & MUSIC since 2007. Imagining SCOTIA! Photographer & Blogger - Musicnotes, Poetrynotes, Histories, Celtic Connections, Edinburgh festivals.
Tuesday 31 January 2023
Celtic Connections memories
Capercaillie 2008 |
Opening night 2008 |
Opening night 2023 at Glasgow concert hall. I see young Gaelic singer Kim Carnie walking past with her newly straightened hair, and Liz Clark who hosts the Danny Kyle stage deep in conversation. She has asked to use a photo of mine of the Celtic radio website. I enter the VIP room, normally the press office and chat with Hannah. I remember meeting Dick Gaughan waiting outside here when I asked him what songs he’d be singing for the concert. He’s so honest and down-to-earth.
Karen Matheson |
The baton is being past now to the new generation of folk musicians, while popular festival stalwarts are still here – Karine Polwart, Anna Massie, Michael McGoldrick, Donald Shaw, drummer James Mackintosh – who reminisce on their very first Celtic Connections concert. My first cc was opening night 2008, Transatlantic Sessions and Capercaillie old Fruitmerket.
I grew up with radio, recorded music and also theatre and piano tunes. Later I first encountered the joy of live folk clubs and festivals – it offers a rich intimacy, joy, poignancy and immediacy, that I had not encountered before.
Nicola Benedetti |
Celtic has taken the intimacy of live folk to a bigger stage and broader audience. The festival explores quality musicianship and singers, diverse collaborations and the ever popular lively ceilidh bands.
The festival’s foundations and roots are Celtic folk and Gaelic, while at the same time they embrace other Celtic world roots music and look forwards.
As Noakes once wrote after my comment “the best music is timeless” – “No the best music is very much of its time.” And “a present with no past has no future.”
Our sad recent loss of folk legend Rab Noakes – his music lives on!
CELTIC CONNECTIONS archive 2008 – 2023. Photos Pauline Keightley - https://pkimage.co.uk
Karine Polwart |
Jerry Holland |
Monday 30 January 2023
Peat & Diesel to feature in Disney Extraordinary
Scottish folk sensations Peat & Diesel is to feature in a new Disney series Extraordinary
The Lewis-based band are delighted to be asked by Disney for the use of their music in the superhero comedy series Extraordinary. The show is set in a world where everyone over the age of 18 - except a character called Jen - develops a superpower. It comes after the band have enjoyed success with their fun-loving songs about the life in the Western Isles.
Opening concert Celtic Connections 2023
Opening night at Glasgow concert hall. I see young Gaelic singer Kim Carnie walking past with her newly straightened hair. I remember meeting Dick Gaughan waiting outside here when I asked him what songs he’d be singing for the concert. He’s so honest and down-to-earth. I’m also sad for the loss of the Scots legend songwriter Rab Noakes, who often performed and hosted major tribute concerts at the festival.
The baton is being past now to the new generation of folk musicians, while popular festival stalwarts are still here – Karine Polwart, Anna Massie, Michael McGoldrick, Donald Shaw, drummer James Mackintosh – who reminisce on their very first Celtic Connections concert. My first cc was opening night 2008, with Transatlantic Sessions and Capercaillie old Fruitmarket.
Tonight’s concert was a smorgasbord showcasing the range of talent on offer over one of the world’s largest winter music festival – with events at 24 venues across the city, from the Old Fruitmarket, City Halls, Oran Mor, Mackintosh Church, CCA to the concert hall; the centre hub with its Danny Kyle open stage and much more.
Peat & Diesel |
The opening concert celebrated its 30th year, and after two years of online events tonight’s packed crowd were more than ready to party again. The 35 strong big band are packed with quality strings, brass, fiddles, pipes and percussion did not disappoint.
Maeve Gilchrist |
Liam O Maonial's (of the band Hot House Flowers) dance to his melodic Celtic tunes; Rachel Sermanni's haunting lock down song ‘Lay my heart’; and Mercury nominated Fergus McCreadie played silky, subtly nuanced jazz piano – which won him
Scottish Album of the Year and a Mercury nomination for his 2022 album Forest Floor. There was high drama with the National Youth Pipe band and the Scottish dance theatre's contemporary joyful display, while the big band held sway with original and challenging compositions. A diverse joyful night of live music.
Rachel Sermanni |
Sierra Hull |
Liam O Maonial' |
Kim Carnie |
Basc |
Celtic has taken the intimacy of live folk to a bigger stage and broader audience. The festival explores quality musicianship and singers, diverse collaborations and the ever popular lively ceilidh bands.
The Opening concert Big Band - Duncan Lyall, Sorren Maclean, Fraser Fifield, Patsy Reid, Graham Mackenzie, Laura Wilkie, Michael McGoldrick, Hannah Fisher, Ross Ainslie, Anna Massie, Greg Lawson,Alice Allen, Alyn Cosker, James Mackintosh.
PHOTOS - https://pkimage.co.uk
Fergus McCreadie |
Karine Polwart |
Kathleen MacInnes |
National Youth Pipe band |
Friday 27 January 2023
Maeve Gilchrist Celtic Connections 2023
Rachel Sermanni at Celtic Connections.
Wednesday 18 January 2023
CELTIC CONNECTIONS OPENS!
Alongside the usual varied musical selection, visitors can enjoy ceilidhs, workshops, talks, exhibitions and more over the 18 days.
The festival will run from Thursday 19 January to Sunday 5 February 2023. Follow the conversation at @ccfest.
Europe’s premier winter music festival, Celtic Connections opens in Glasgow today, Thursday 19th January, showcasing performances from some of Scotland and the world’s brightest emerging musical talent alongside stalwarts of the scene and returning favourites, and runs to Sunday 5th February. Thousands of musicians from across the world - USA, Ireland, Mali, Morocco, will perform across Glasgow over its two weeks as it celebrates 30 years of pushing the boundaries of traditional folk, roots, Americana, jazz, soul and world music.
With thousands of visitors passing through the doors of Celtic Connections each year, the festival’s contribution over the last three decades to Scotland’s cultural landscape and international reputation, and the Glasgow economy during the dark month of January, cannot be understated. Since the festival’s inception in 1994, the number of events staged at Celtic Connections has quadrupled and the number of venues has grown 25-fold.
Education program. Since its learning programme was established in 1999, more than 200,000 children and young people have taken part in its cultural events. This year sees the return of its educational arm in earnest, with three free school concerts and 44 workshops set to be delivered to school children throughout Glasgow.
The festival’s legacy for championing emerging talent with the much-loved Danny Kyle Open Stage and has showcased 146 finalists comprising 440 artists and the festival’s New Voices strand, which allows young musicians to develop and perform brand new compositions, will this year top 76 stunning commissions. Celtic Connections is also supported by a team of 100 volunteers.
Mercury-nominated jazz pianist and Scottish Album of the Year Fergus McCreadie and acclaimed harpist Maeve Gilchrist team up with Mr McFall’s String Quartet for a performance at The Mackintosh Church, while Ian Carr & The Various Artists and Madeleine Stewart Trio at Drygate Brewery.
This weekend’s packed schedule includes festivals legends Saltfishforty along with award-winning Scandinavian band Basco; Treacherous Orchestra, alongside VÍÍK, who combine Scandinavian song tradition, progressive jazz and alternative rock. Colonel Mustard and The Dijon 5 , and the legendary John McCusker will celebrate 30 years with a host of special guests at City Halls.
*Highlights include - Shetland musicians Jenna Reid and Harris Playfair, celebrating the upcoming release of their long-awaited duo record; When Mountains Meet / Jub Milain Pahaar: A musical adventure from Scotland to Pakistan combines Scottish and South Asian influenced music, storytelling, and striking visual images to recount the true story of Anne Wood as she sets forth on a voyage from the Scottish Highlands to the Himalayas.
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall’s Strathclyde Suite will host dementia-friendly concerts, with Josie Duncan and Owen Sinclair, and Robyn Stapleton and Claire Hastings showcasing the power of music and its ability to kick-start the brain and unlock memories.
Afro Celtic Connections - Saint Luke’s play host to Rise Kagona, with lead guitarist of the Zimbabwean band The Bhundu Boys, Diwan, who bring an exuberant fusion of funky mbalax and Afrobeat grooves, with ska, rock and Senegalese soul led by Senegalese singer Samba Sene, and Chief Cheb, a celebrated African philosopher, poet storyteller and teacher.
Tramway will host the world premiere of Moving Cloud – a collaboration of contemporary dance and traditional music created by Celtic Connections and Scottish Dance Theatre, with a new score performed by a 14-piece folk ensemble with TRIP and Sian along with Greg Lawson and Alice Allen.
Celtic Odyssée perform atz Glasgow Royal Concert Hall along with the Festival Interceltique de Lorient, with 18 artists from the eight European Celtic nations coming together in a celebration of a shared heritage. Musical Director is Breton piper Ronan Le Bars, along with Denez Prigent (Brittany), Karen Matheson (Scotland), Karan Casey (Ireland), Cerys Hafana (Wales), Fransy Gonzàlez (Galicia), Sylvia Quesada (Asturias), Lauren Chandler (Cornwall), Finlay MacDonald (Scotland) and many more. They will share the stage with Scottish fiddle-led four-piece FARA, who will bring their unique mix of intricate fiddle harmonies and skilled storytelling.
Troubadour Jim Malcolm, trad singer Susie Malcolm, their daughter, Beth Malcolm, and fiddle legend Pete Clark will celebrate Burns Night with an evening of song at The National Piping Centre, while record label Last Night will host a show at Oran Mòr, celebrating three of the label's most recent successes: wojtek the bear, Sister John, and Album Club.
James Grant and The Hallelujah Strings will perform at the beautiful Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum this year, not once but twice, after a second date was added due to demand. Audiences will be treated to James’ signature rich vocals and outstanding guitar work, his incredible back catalogue performed alongside the Hallelujah Strings, a 14-piece string section led by Greg Lawson.
The festival will draw to a close on Sunday 5 February when the hotly contested BBC Young Traditional Musician of the Year competition reaches its conclusion, while Transatlantic Sessions celebrates its 20th year of showcasing the shared traditions of Scotland, Ireland and the US, and the GRAMMY Award-winning Fantastic Negrito plays tracks from his new album, supported by talented Nashville-based singer-songwriter and performer Tommy Prine.
Donald Shaw, Creative Producer for Celtic Connections, said: “Sharing our music and our arts is a vital part of our human existence – it allows us to feel rooted in place and connected to one another, enriching our lives in the process. Over the last 30 years, this is what Celtic Connections has always been about. As we take a moment to recognise and appreciate what we’ve managed to achieve over the last three decades, we go into this year’s festival with feelings of immense determination, pride and gratitude.
“As ever we’re incredibly excited to be welcoming people from across Scotland and the world to Glasgow to enjoy the very best in Celtic, folk, roots and world music. I know our musicians and everyone involved in the festival is ready to make this another incredibly special one in the calendar. With an incredible array of entertainment on offer, audiences can expect to be amazed wherever they find themselves across the city. It’s amazing how when the atmosphere in a venue is so warm and the music so restorative, you don’t notice the January rain or the wind outside.”
Bailie Annette Christie, Chair of Glasgow Life, said: “The curtain rising on Celtic Connections’ showcase of outstanding musical talent from Scotland and all over the world, with its vibrant programme of wonderful live performances in our city’s venues, is always exciting. And it’s a particularly special occasion this year as we celebrate the 30th anniversary of the festival and acknowledge the huge contribution it has made over three decades to Glasgow’s rich cultural offer.
“The richly deserved, exceptional reputation Celtic Connections has earned as Europe’s leading traditional music festival - and the event’s great importance to the city as a much-loved highlight that attracts thousands of visitors, enriching the lives of local, national and international audiences - is something that Glasgow takes great pride in. We are very much looking forward to welcoming everyone taking part in this year’s festival.”
Culture Secretary Angus Robertson said: “Celtic Connections shines a bright cultural light in the winter darkness and I’m delighted the Scottish Government is able to support this year’s 30th anniversary event. This year’s stunning line up of musicians reflects the huge amount of talent we have in Scotland and also the festival’s standing internationally as world-famous artists travel to Glasgow to take part in the celebrations.”
Tickets for Celtic Connections 2023 are available from www.celticconnections.com.
Sunday 15 January 2023
Celtic Connections 30th 2023!
Transatlantic Sessions |
Celtic Connections music festival returns this January with one of its most diverse and exciting programs.
The festival is one of the world’s largest winter festival celebrates roots, folk and world music returns this January for its uplifting warm music nights! With outstanding musicianship, challenging collaborations, innovative composers, alongside musical traditions and heritage, Gaelic song and famous orchestras.
1200 musicians will take to the stage for 300 events at more than 25 venues across the city, with shows spanning traditional folk, roots, Americana, jazz, soul and world music.
Its good to see the new generations coming up and given a bigger platform at Celtic Connections. There is a growing confidence in Scotland’s arts and media, and its traditional music scene – which is world class. Celtic Connections plays an integral role as our major folk and roots festival the past 30 years.
Violinist Duncan Chisholm - “We’re at a point now that is the most exciting, for traditional music here, that there has ever been. Our music is spinning off in all sorts of directions. It is definitely in a much better place than it was when cc started 30 years ago, and I think that is to do with the festival itself.”
The Opening Concert celebrates both past and new artists, international and local, collaborative and cross-genre spirit - with Karine Polwart, Sierra Hull, Basco, Peat & Diesel, TRIP, Maeve Gilchrist, Rachel Sermanni and Michael McGoldrick, Hannah Fisher, Ross Ainslie, Anna Massie, Alyn Cosker, James Mackintosh, Duncan Lyall and Sorren Maclean.
Duncan Chisholm |
Aly Bain |
Martha Wainwright |
Transatlantic Sessions celebrate 20th Anniversary with all-star line-up - Martha Wainwright, Hothouse Flowers frontman Liam Ó Maonlai, Capercaillie’s Karen Matheson and Amethyst Kiah. Plus house band of Celtic & Americana talent – Phil Cunningham, John Dole, Michael McGodlrick, John McCusker, Donald Shaw, James Mackintosh and Daniel Kimbro and masters of ceremonies Sherland fiddler Aly Bain and dubro master Jerry Douglas.
PLUS favourites - Irish-American Cherish the Ladies, Scots strings Blazin’ Fiddles, trad fusion powerhouse Treacherous Orchestra, Colin Hay, Australia’s Grammy-winning Men at Work, Quebec’s Vent du Nord. Piper Ross Ainslie & American roots musician Dirk Powell. The Song Circle show with Mary Chapin Carpenter, Karine Polwart, Julie Fowlis & Robert Vincent at Theatre Royal. Duncan Chisholm and Kim Carnie at the concert hall.
And the live mic at the Danny Kyle stage the Late Sessions and Folk club and much more. Showcase Scotland will see Brittany showcased, to advance opportunities, along with Wales, celebrates the folk traditions of two of Scotland’s closest Celtic cousins.
The festival encourages both innovation and traditions, quality musicianship and authenticity. To follow a natural artistic path, to be genuine. Along with welcoming our important connections from elsewhere. Scots have been one of the most travelled nations and they took their music across the world – particularly to America.
**Tickets for Celtic Connections 2023 at www.celticconnections.com.
Blazin Fiddles |
Audience Old Fruitmarket |
Braebach |
Donald Shaw, Creative Producer for Celtic Connections, said: “It feels remarkable that in just a matter of days the 30th edition of Celtic Connections will kick off in Glasgow, celebrating all genres of music, a variety of world cultures, and bringing communities together from across the globe. A huge amount of work and preparation has gone into this year’s festival; it is testament to the strength and tenacity of the Scottish music industry, which has successfully overcome an incredibly tough period."
“We are so appreciative of the musicians and artists who have contributed in all manner of ways to Celtic Connections over the past three decades, and we will pay homage to them throughout the 2023 festival, as well as looking forward towards a bright and hopeful future. We look forward to seeing venues full, artists doing what they do best and the musical community thriving right across the city in a week’s time.”