We were treated to Sierra Hull’s energetic display on mandolin Celtic Connections music festival 2023
Tuesday, 31 January 2023
Celtic Connections memories
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| Capercaillie 2008 |
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| 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.
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| Karen Matheson |
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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.
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| 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
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| Karine Polwart |
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| Jerry Holland |
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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.
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| Rachel Sermanni |
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| Sierra Hull |
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| Liam O Maonial' |
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| Kim Carnie |
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| Basc |
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
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| Fergus McCreadie |
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| Karine Polwart |
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| Kathleen MacInnes |
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| National Youth Pipe band |
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