It's sad about Celtic Connections having to cancel some concerts, but they are now offering a Digital festival from 26th January.
THE ORGANISERS Celtic Connections music festival have announced that several shows will be cancelled due to the uncertainty around Covid.
FM Nicola Sturgeon announced that she hopes to be able to lift the current restrictions on indoor events on January 24 2022, so hopes are growing that this month's Celtic Connections festival, January 20, can go ahead to some extent, while some events have already been cancelled.
Celtic Connections have announced it was with "a heavy heart" that they were confirming a number of shows within the programme are no longer able to go ahead. They are in the process of contacting impacted artists regarding cancellations and expect the majority of shows to be affected by restrictions in some way.
"Our ambition for the 29th edition of the festival was to bring everyone together once again, however the uncertainty and disruption caused by the Omicron variant has meant it is not feasible for us to continue with our existing plans on the scale we had originally hoped.
"Artists and ticketholders for the shows affected so far are being contacted directly and we would like to thank everyone for their ongoing support and patience. We have not come to these decisions lightly and are committed to presenting a form of the festival which brings the connection and joy of Celtic Connections to audiences, while being both feasible and safe for all involved.
"We are currently working through many different scenarios and options and reviewing all shows in line with existing event restrictions. We will continue to keep our audiences up to date as the plans for Celtic Connections 2022 evolve."
The opening concert, ‘Neath The Gloamin’ Star, was to feature younger musicians and songwriters.
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| Cara Dillon |
Before Christmas organisers said restrictions and the timeline against future reviews presented significant challenges for the festival. However, with restrictions placed onaudience numbers for indoor events at just 200 for all-seater shows and 100 for standing, and one-metre distancing, shows have sadly been cancelled.
The event, promoted by Glasgow Life, the charitable trust which runs the city's culture and leisure services, was due to be held in Glasgow from January 20 to February 6, with an 18-day programme featuring traditional folk, roots, Americana, jazz, soul and world music. More than 1,000 musicians were due to take part in the 29th edition of the concert series.
The online version of the festival in 2021 sold more than 27,000 tickets and attracted audiences from over 60 different countries, with more than 10.5 million minutes of musical entertainment viewed over a 19-day programme. Previous festivals have featured Robert Plant, Laura Marling, the Chieftains, Bobby Womack to name a few - and more than 100,000 attendances.
https://www.celticconnections.com
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| Adam Holmes |
**Some events have already been cancelled, however. Below is a list of the affected performances.
Roaming Roots, Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, January 23
Dean Owen at CCA, January 28
Geraint Watkins Band and Emma Jane, Drygate Brewery, January 21
Shetland 550, The Mackintosh Church, January 21
Ceilidh With The Peter Wood Band, National Piping Centre, January 22
The Lonesome Ace Stringband & The Magpies, Mitchell theatre January 22
Elephant Sessions 10th Anniversary Special, Glasgow Barrowland, January 22 (re-scheduled for September 23)
The Conundrum: International Piping Night, Glasgow Royal Concert Hall (New Auditorium), January 22
Neal Francis and Unoma Okudo, Drygate Brewery, January 22
An Tobar: 25 Years, Drygate Brewery, January 23
Megan Henderson with Ainsley Hamill: Not Just Ship Land, Mitchell Theatre, January 23
Frankie Gavin and Màirtìn Ò Connor and Stundom, Glasgow Royal Concert Hall (New Auditorium), January 23
Le Vent Du Nord, Old Fruitmarket, January 28
Ian Fraser with Josie Duncan, Mitchell Theatre, January 28
Spiers & Boden, Òran Mór, January 28
Astrid and Ewan Macfarlane, Drygate Brewery, January 27
Lera Lynn and Donovan Woods, CCA, January 27
Allison Russell and Ala de Liona and Emily Scott Robinson, Saint Luke’s, January 26
Breabach with Beòlach, Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, January 26
Jason Wilson’s Ashara, CCA, January 29
Leventime: A Tribute To Jackie Leven, Òran Mór, January 29
Stina Marie Claire, CCA, January 30
Andrew Wasylyk and Twelfth Day, Mitchell Theatre, January 30
Hamish Henderson Night: Ballad Of The Banffies, Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, January 30
Jill Jackson and Lady Nade, Old Fruitmarket, January 30
Annabelle Chvostek and Elaine Lennon, Glasgow Royal Concert Hall (Strathclyde Suite), January 31
Kate Rusby, Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, February 1
Rachel Baiman and Cahalen Morrison, Glasgow Royal Concert Hall (Strathclyde Suite), February 1
Catriona Price, Mitchell Theatre, February 2
Amadou & Mariam, Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, February 2
Darlingside, Saint Luke’s, February 2
Dervish, Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, February 3
Tom Oakes, National Piping Centre, February 3
The Mastersons and Julia Taylor, CCA, February 4
Ryan Young and Chris Amer with Janice Burns and Jon Doran, National Piping Centre, February 4
Roddy Hart And The Lonesome Fire, Saint Luke’s, February 6
