Showing posts with label Rachel Sermanni. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rachel Sermanni. Show all posts

Friday 27 January 2023

Rachel Sermanni at Celtic Connections.

 


Rachel Sermanni sang her haunting lockdown song ‘Lay my heart’ at the Celtic Connections opening concert. One of Scotland's rising stars. 




Tuesday 25 October 2022

Celtic Connections 30th Anniversary Festival 2023!

Phil Cunningham, Aly Bain, Jerry Douglas

 The festival will run from Thursday 19 January to Sunday 5 February 2023.   @ccfest

Celtic Connections is one of the world’s largest winter festival that celebrates roots, folk and world music. Celtic Connections began in 1994, when it offered 66 events at one venue. Since then it’s grown in adventurousness, experimenting and diversity each year and now offers thousands of events in locations across Glasgow.



Opening Concert will celebrate the festival with artists who’ve featured over the years, along with new folk talent - reflecting Celtic Connections' multi-generational breadth, its Internationalism and collaborative, cross-genre spirit. And includes Karine PolwartSierra HullBascoPeat & DieselTRIPFergus McCreadie & Matt CarmichaelMaeve GilchristRachel Sermanni and more.


With the Big Band, originally conceived 2021 digital festival’s Opening Night - Patsy ReidGraham MackenzieLaura WilkieMichael McGoldrickHannah FisherRoss AinslieAnna Massie, Alyn CoskerJames MackintoshDuncan Lyall and Sorren Maclean, along with guests.

Dance. World premiere of Moving Cloud – a collaboration of contemporary dance and traditional music with a new score by Celtic Connections and Scottish Dance Theatre led by Artistic Director Joan Clevillé  with TRIP, SianGreg Lawson and Alice Allen




**PLUS festival FAVOURITES - Irish-American Cherish the Ladies, Scots strings Blazin’ Fiddles, trad fusion powerhouse Treacherous Orchestra, Colin Hay, of Australia’s Grammy-winning Men at Work.. 

The Irish Chamber OrchestraRóisín ReImagined , with award-winning singer Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh’s renditions of classic sean nós songs, of richly ornamented songs. The (SCO) Scottish Chamber Orchestra returns with Chris Stout (fiddle) and Catriona McKay (Clarsach) (SCO) Scottish Chamber Orchestra returns with Chris Stout (fiddle) and Catriona McKay (Clarsach).African and Gaelic music with Malian’s Trio Da Kali with Gaelic singers Jenna Cummings and Kim Carnie. 


Collaborations. Piper Ross Ainslie, and American Old-Time and roots musician Dirk PowellOrchestral Qawwali will showcase a unique collaboration. The Song Circle show with vocals of Mary Chapin CarpenterKarine Polwart, Julie Fowlis and Robert Vincent at The Theatre Royal.


Festival highlight 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. House band of top Celtic and Americana roots 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.



Braebach



Gaelic. Scottish folk band Breabach album Fàs–meaning ‘growth’, inspired by the natural environment of ScotlandGaelic singer of the Year at the MG Alba Scots Trad Music Award the haunting vocals of Kim Carnie –new album And So We Gather,


Plus live mic at the Danny Kyle stage the Late Sessions and Folk club and much more. 

Showcase Scotland 2023 will see Brittany showcased, to advance opportunities, along with Wales, to celebrates the folk traditions of two of Scotland’s closest Celtic cousins. 

**Tickets for Celtic Connections 2023 will be available from 10am on Wednesday 12th October at www.celticconnections.com.


Rachel Sermanni

Sarah Jarosz

Donald Shaw, Creative Producer for Celtic Connections, said: “Our 30th anniversary is a hugely important moment for the festival, especially considering the last couple of years. We will, of course, be paying homage to the musicians, bands and artists who have contributed, supported and inspired the festival over the last three decades, but importantly this is also a moment to look to the future. The last two years have been incredibly tough for so many musicians and the live entertainment industry in general, so Celtic Connections 2023 is an opportunity to commemorate how far the festival and the Scottish music scene has come, and to also celebrate the fact that we are still here. 

“Celtic Connections is still showcasing some of the best music Scotland and the world has to offer, established and emerging musicians are still here creating and performing, audiences are still here enjoying the cultural exponents of our country and other nations  from across the world. Sharing our music and our arts is a vital part of our human existence, connecting us and enriching lives, and we have missed that. I can’t wait to revel in a live festival once again and celebrate the resilience and the longevity of our sector.”



Thursday 28 January 2016

Rachel Sermanni at Celtic Connections 2016



Rachel Sermanni was the quality support for Grant tonight and in contrast to John Grant's large bass tones - she is delicate, petite and has an ethereal, soft focus voice. 

I have heard her perform a few times with only her acoustic guitar, in fact the first time was at the Celtic Connections Danny Kyle open mic stage a few years back, where as a winner she first received attention for her music. So this was the first time I have heard her with a full, high quality band and with a chance to add more depth to her sound.


Her new album release Tied to the Moon, explores earthier themes and she spoke of how women are tied to the moon's cycles, wheras men are tied to the sun.  
 Her final song was a lullaby, The Camp before the Storm a song about her future self. A beautiful new voice and songstress!

(She might introduce her songs more I wondered.)  http://rachelsermanni.net


Monday 9 July 2012

Rachel Sermanni, Katie Sutherland and Laura Marling

Laura Marling

Rachel Sermanni
Katie Sutherland

 

Folk vs Pop? – the different routes into the business.
I first saw Rachel Sermanni at a Celtic Connections Open Mic at the Concert hall a couple of years back and noticed then her lovely voice and songs. That year she won the open mic at the festival.http://www.rachelsermanni.net/

Also here in Glasgow I went to gigs by Katie Sutherland in 2009, another 22 year old Scottish singer with a lovely vocals and catchy songs who also looked good. Katie, who was then calling herself ‘Pearl and the Puppets’, had put her songs up on myspace where they drew the attention of record labels. Katie has a mesmerising honey toned voice live. http://www.katiesutherland.co.uk/
I know of several other young people given major record label deals a few years back – the thing is they are little more than an advance and young people should be warned of the pitfalls here.
This year Katie has been recording an album and using Pledge Music to fund this and Rachel is playing several UK festivals this summer. I can’t help wondering comparing the two that going via the folk route can bring more ‘respect’ generally in the industry but can also mean less attention sometimes. It’s a very strange thing music. At the end of the day it should be all about the talent.  

Then there is also the very young Laura Marling – who sings slightly folk influenced songs. She has a distinctive image and sound which is also key and her father runs a studio. She is also Neil Young influenced and her voice has edge and depth in it. She has managed that valued cross over between being respected and also having commercial successes. Laura is from Hampshire and drew attention on the London folk circuit and it seems to be easier for younger artists in London to get the right label deals into the industry. Marling is playing at the London Albert Hall this weekend. http://www.lauramarling.com/

Even more worrying is the lack of many young male singer songwriters with much depth or much to say- where are they? Marling became prominent with the London folk scene, she has also toured with a number of well-known indie artists in the UK. Her debut album Alas, I Cannot Swim and her second album I Speak Because I Can were nominated for the Mercury Music Prize in 2008 and 2010 respectively. She won Best Female Solo Artist at the 2011 Brit Awards.

Thursday 23 June 2011

NEW artists June 2011


It always excites me the discovery of new emerging talent here. Recently James Vincent McMorrow from Dublin I heard live on Jools Holland just a few weeks ago.   

Young singer songwriter James Blake from London I heard at the Oran Mor Glasgow - he has an awesome voice.  Blake review below.  The first girl rock band that I have taken photos for called Warpaint, (Stag and Dagger review) I enjoyed their ethereal sound.

And - Emeli Sande! from Aberdeen.
I first heard Emeli back in 2007 at her CD launch at the Oran Mor and thought she had  strong voice and presence.  http://www.myspace.com/emelisande
I love her new song 'Heaven'.  She releases her first album this year. Look out for her! 

Plus New folk Artists -  Singers Alistair Ogilvy and Rachel Sermanni and band Rura - I heard all three Scottish artists here at Celtic Connections festival Glasgow
   
The INCREDIBLE voice of Emeli Sande singing her single due for release in August 2011. 

Thursday 26 May 2011

Stag and Dagger Festival Glasgow 2011

--> This was the third Glasgow Stag and Dagger event and it was held at 7 venues across the city - O2 ABC1, O2 ABC2, The Art School, The Vic Bar, Stereo, Nice n Sleazy, Captains Rest.  The ticket price of £8 included a wrist band which gave access to all the gigs.  Stag and Dagger hold their main event in London, so it is good to know that they choose Glasgow as their second event.  I read recently that Glasgow is second only to London in the numbers attending Cultural events (this study induced theatre, galleries and concerts)  I headed first to the main venue the ABC and there I heard Clinic, Admiral Fallow, Rachel Sermanni, Withered Hand and headliners Warpaint from LA, the first girl band I've taken shots of.   I then made my way up to the Art School venue to see Broken Records, Sons and Daughters and Chad Valley
I had first heard Rachel Sermanni at the Celtic Connection Festival open mic in 2009 and I was impressed there with her subtle voice. Rachel was able to hold the packed venue with her guitar, songs and voice. She also performed one duet song with the lead singer from the band Admiral Fallow, Louis Abbott.
I've taken photos of Broken Records at several gigs in both Edinburgh and Glasgow over the past years. I always enjoy their set with their charged, melodic sound and brothers Jamie and Rory have good stage presence.  Admiral Fallow I had seen live before at King Tuts and in 2010 they picked up attention at the T Break Stage. They have good musicianship, melodies and vocal harmonies. Warpaint impressed the audience and they played an ethereal sound and the band describe themselves as experimental art rock. They were in soft-blue stage lighting which wasn't so easy to photograph! 
http://www.warpaintwarpaint.com/ 
Later I met Jamie Sutherland of Broken Records at the Art School and wished I'd had prints for him - and what a charming guy he is too!  After which I saw part of Chad Valley's energised and fun electronic set in the Vic Bar.
--> One of the main reasons I do music photography is for the emerging artists I follow. I enjoy artists that have honesty and something new to say with their voice and songs. While I also enjoy many older artists. Fortunately for Scotland we have a healthy grassroots music scene , which is respected the world over. Glasgow also offers a good number of accessible small and mid-size venues.