City Awakening: Colin MacIntyre is reviving Mull Historical Society at ABC
Celtic Connections Schools Concerts
- Laura Veirs
- Friday 3 February, 11:00am
- Free for Schools & Home Educators
- Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Main Auditorium
Laura Veirs grew up in Colorado Springs, Colorado where she often spent summers camping with her family and where a lot of her songwriting inspiration comes from. Veirs' seventh album July Flame was released in January 2010 on her own record label Raven Marching Band Records (in North America) and on Bella Union (in Europe and the rest of the world)
Tumble Bee is the first children's record from the prolific Laura Veirs. Her last release, July Flame, was dubbed "a perfect Sunday afternoon record" by The Oxford American and "sweet and irresistible" by Rolling Stone. The recording covers a wide range of folk songs from early 20th century work songs to the ballads of Jimmie Rodgers, Woody Guthrie, Peggy Seeger and Harry Belafonte.
Suggested stages: P4 - S2
Danny Kyle's Open Stage
- Friday 3 February, 5:00pm
- Free
- Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Exhibition Hall
Hosted by Danny Kyle's good friend Liz Clark, the Open Stage is a chance to see new musical talent as they try to win a coveted support slot at next year's festival - and all absolutely free!
The Boy and The Bunnet
- Friday 3 February, 7:00pm
- £13
- Tron Theatre
Conceived as Scottish traditional music's answer to Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf, with the aim of introducing audiences to key instruments and their roles, and to Scotland's languages, via vivid, character-driven narrative, The Boy and the Bunnet unites the formidable talents of Booker-nominated author James Robertson and pianist/composer James Ross. Robertson's Scots text, narrated by Gerda Stevenson, spins a lively contemporary fairy-tale about a young boy's adventures while lost in the woods, where he encounters an array of real and supernatural creatures, each characterfully conjured by Ross's typically imaginative, lyrical score. Originally premiered in Aonghas MacNeacail's Gaelic translation at the 2011 Blas festival, this inaugural Scots performance again features Ross with Corrina Hewat (harp and voice), Patsy Reid (fiddle), Neil Johnstone (cello), Angus Lyon (accordion) Fraser Fifield (pipes) and Signy Jakobsdottir (percussion).
Average White Band with Special Guests
- Friday 3 February, 7:30pm
- £25, £22, £20
- Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Main Auditorium
Four decades since the Average White Band was born, emerging from the late-60s ferment of British jazz, R&B and Atlantic, Stax and Motown imports, Scotland's least likely bestselling export makes its Celtic Connections debut. One recent commentator perceived their "tight, fiery sound" as "belying their Scottish heritage" - but we know all about tight and fiery around these parts, even if AWB's musical heartlands were the soul/funk capitals of Detroit, Memphis and Philadelphia. While best remembered for their 1974 US-chart-topper Pick Up the Pieces, the band, who reformed in 1989 after a seven-year split, have remained a hot property on the live circuit ever since, meanwhile reaching new audiences via the rare-groove movement: an entire wall of their studio today is covered with record sleeves from the 200-plus artists who've sampled their work. Founding bassist/vocalist Alan Gorrie and guitarist Onnie McIntyre step up tonight with their longtime US bandmates, plus special guests including Dundee bard Michael Marra and outstanding Scottish jazz singer-songwriter Niki King. Also performing tonight are Hue and Cry who have enjoyed a number of UK chart hits in their long and distinguished career including Labour of Love which reached number six.
Laura Veirs and Emily Barker
Friday 3 February, 7:30pm
£14
The Arches
A very warm welcome back to Colorado singer-songwriter Laura Veirs, who last played Celtic Connections just at the birth of her acclaimed seventh album, 2010's July Flame, and shortly before that of her first child. With July Flame offering a lusher echo of her early acoustic arrangements, new release Tumble Bee comprises children's songs drawn from US folk tradition, some of them centuries old: in Veirs's words, "a sampling that reflects our richness as a people."
Hailing from Bridgetown, Western Australia, Emily Barker will be supporting tonight. She has been described as a compelling songwriter with a gift for weaving melody and words.
The Spey in Spate
- Friday 3 February, 7:30pm
- £13
- St Andrew's in the Square
Named after a classic tune by Scottish fiddle icon James Scott Skinner, tonight's line-up cherry-picks from the flood of exceptionally gifted, highly distinctive fiddlers currently inundating the Scottish scene, featuring well-kent names alongside players less often seen on the concert circuit. Each performing with a sole accompanist of their choice, they include Shetlander Kevin Henderson of Fiddlers' Bid fame; Orkney's Kristan Harvey in her penultimate performance as the reigning Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year; the classical-tinged lyricism of Anna-Wendy Stevenson; and Galloway-born Amy Geddes, previewing material from her forthcoming solo album, plus other special guests.
Rock Salt & Nails and support
- Friday 3 February, 7:30pm
- £13
- Oran Mor
Powerhouse Shetland outfit Rock Salt & Nails made their name at the forefront of Scotland's new folk wave in the 1990s, marrying their rich native traditions with bluegrass, country and excellent roots-pop songwriting. To launch their 21st anniversary year, founder members Paul Johnston (guitar/vocals), Fiona Johnston (keyboards/vocals), John Clarke (bass) and Russell Gair (drums) lead an extended line-up featuring some of the many top Shetland and mainland musicians who've worked with the band over the years. Long famed for their rock'n'roll approach to live performance, they'll raise the roof on Celtic Connections' final Friday night in signature Shetland style.
Mull Historical Society and Washington Irving
- Friday 3 February, 7:30pm
- £15
- O2 ABC Glasgow 1
After two albums under his own name, most recently 2009's intimately stripped-down, much-lauded Island - recorded at his old primary school, now Tobermory's An Tobar arts centre - Colin MacIntyre re-embraces both the urban and his former alias as he launches a new Mull Historical Society release, City Awakenings. Produced by Dom Morley, who won a Grammy for Amy Winehouse's Back to Black, its ten new MacIntyre originals pay tribute to Glasgow, London and New York from a Mulleach's perspective. Tonight's other MHS members are Fiona Shannon (keyboards), Sorren MacIean (bass) and Ross McFarlane (drums).
Glasgow six-piece Washington Irving's rousing, raucous richly-hued indie-folk has won comparisons with Arcade Fire, The Band, The Waterboys and The Pogues.
Skipinnish and Fridayends
- Friday 3 February, 8:00pm
- £13
- Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Strathclyde Suite
Crowned as Scottish Dance Band of the Year at the 2009 Scots Trad Music Awards, Tiree-based Skipinnish - centred on the founding partnership of accordionist Angus MacPhail and piper Andrew Stevenson - return to Celtic Connections with a newly revitalised and expanded five-piece line-up, including the superb young singer/guitarist Robert Robertson, plus Ali Murray (drums/pipes) and Scott Wilson (bass/piano/accordion). As befits a proper ceilidh - and the proprietors of two leading Highland music venues - they'll also be introducing a selection of the best young artists they've programmed this past summer, plus Gaelic singer Rachel Walker and other special guests.
Barbara Dymock Band
- Friday 3 February, 8:00pm
- £10
- City Halls, Recital Room
Founder member of Ceolbeg, Barbara Dymock was raised in the vocal traditions of her Scots/Irish background. After a break from the music scene to pursue a medical career and raise a family, a voice described as "one of the Scottish folk scene's best" (The Herald) is back with a new quartet line up.
BBC Radio Scotland 92-95FM & 810MW Live Radio Broadcasts
Another Country With Ricky Ross
- Friday 3 February, 8:00pm
- Free but ticketed
- BBC Scotland Pacific Quay
Ricky Ross presents a special show featuring Americana and alternative country artists playing live from BBC Radio Scotland's foyer in Pacific Quay. Live on BBC Radio Scotland.
Voices in Scotland
- Friday 3 February, 8:00pm
- £10
- The Glasgow Art Club
Experience a collection of stories from around the world, complete with musical accompaniment, told by storytellers from Scotland, England Ireland, Japan, Africa, America and Canada, all of whom now reside in Scotland.
Friday 3rd: Mara Menzies, Marion Kenny and Lawrence Tulloch (storytellers), Mairi Campbell, Jamie Kenny, Joel Sanderson, Sarah McFadyen, Sandy Wright, Dougie Hudson, Andy Cooke, Stuart Dinwoodie and Pete Vilk (musicians)
Sat 4th: Claire McNicoll, Mio Shapely and Chuck Warren (storytellers), Donald Hay, Jamie Kenny, Mary Macmaster, Leo McCann, Mugenkyo Taiko Drummers, Marion Kenny, Dougie Hudson and Eddie McGuire (musicians)
Omar Sosa and Ibrahim Maalouf
- Friday 3 February, 9:30pm
- £16
- City Halls, Old Fruitmarket
Joyously transcending the realms of jazz, world and classical music, the multi-award-winning pianist, composer and bandleader Omar Sosa combines deep allegiance to his Afro-Cuban roots with a boundlessly adventurous exploration of African, American and European traditions. He has worked with global music luminaries as diverse as Trilok Gurtu, Jacques Morelenbaum, Miguel 'Anga' Diaz, Tim Eriksen and Paolo Fresu, and released 22 albums as a leader. Justly renowned as a thrillingly inspirational live performer, he appears here with regular touring outfit the Afreecanos Quintet, featuring fellow Cuban Leandro Saint-Hill on saxophones, Mozambiquan bassist Childo Tomas, live drum'n'bass pioneer Marque Gilmore and German trumpeter Joo Strauss.
The Lebanese-born, Parisian-based trumpeter Ibrahim Maalouf, who's worked with the likes of Amadou and Mariam, Sting, Salif Keita and Toumani Diabaté, recently completed a triptych of albums with his new release Diagnostic, extending his creative conversation between Arabic music and jazz, classical, funk, Latin, electronic and even heavy metal sounds.
Celtic Connections Late Night Sessions
BBC Radio 3's World on 3 Live hosted by Mary Ann Kennedy
- Friday 3 February, 10:00pm
- £6
- Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Exhibition Hall
Mary Ann Kennedy will present four special editions of BBC Radio 3's World on 3, broadcast live from the Exhibition Hall featuring special live performances from top artists appearing at Celtic Connections 2012.
Celtic Connections Festival Club
- Friday 3 February, 10:00pm
- £8
- Apollo 23
Our late night club ensures that there is even more music to enjoy after all the gigs are over. With inspired line-ups that are never divulged before the night - the Festival Club is a late-night jam session to end all jam sessions.
Sparkling host Kevin Macleod will guide you through proceedings and you never know who you'll bump into as you join the throngs in the bar.
Beat Bothy featuring Halcyon, Niteworks and DJs
- Friday 3 February, 10:30pm
- £10
- The Arches
Glasgow's most fabled club venue, The Arches will be dancing to a different drum tonight, feasting on a massive late-night spread of cutting-edge beats, tunes and grooves. For your booty-shaking delectation, we present the debut outing by three of Croft No.5 and the Treacherous Orchestra's chief culprits - guitarist Barry Reid, accordionist John Somerville and fiddler Adam Sutherland - in their bangin' new electro/dance project Halcyon; Skye's young champions of Celtic/clubland fusion Niteworks, and all discerning folkies' favourite DJ Dolphin Boy. Also from Skye, there's the small matter of Mylo with a specially created set, and from France the 21st-century one-man-band that is Chapelier Fou.
