Highlights of the 2016 Celtic Connections programme | The List Highlights of the 2016 Celtic Connections programme Errors, Robert Plant, Admiral Fallow,Siobhan Wilson and Anne Carrere to perform at annual Glasgow festival Source: The List comments Siobhan Wilson / Credit: Gemma Dagger Celtic Connections , Glasgow’s annual celebration of Scottish and world folk music, returns to the city in the New Year. Launched in 1994, the festival is now in its 13th year, and its 2016 programme will see thousands of performers from across the globe take to the stage in venues across the city. One of the star attractions at the festival is a one-off appearance by Robert Plant – the former Led Zeppelin frontman is performing as part of a tribute to the influential Scottish musician Bert Jansch, who passed away four years ago. Plant takes to the stage alongside former Suede guitarist Bernard Butler and Jansch’s former bandmate Jacqueline Shee (Old Fruitmarket, Sun 31 Jan). Plant calls his debt to the Glasgow-born guitar legend ‘enormous and longstanding’.

Piaf: The Show (Theatre Royal, Wed 27 Jan) is another highlight of the 2016 festival. Part of the final weekend’s Showcase Scotland programme, it celebrates the centenary of the iconic French singer, bringing her well-known songs to the stage, including ‘La Vie en Rose’, ‘Milord’ and ‘Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien’. The show is partially based on the Oscar-winning 2007 biopic with Marion Cotillard. In the stage version, which has been performed across three continents, the starring role is played by Anne Carrere. Other tribute nights to keep an eye out for are Edinburgh band Bwani Junction’s performance of Paul Simon’s renowned album Graceland (Old Fruitmarket, Sat 23 Jan, 8pm, £16) and PILGRIMER: A Reimagining of Joni Mitchell’s Hejira (Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Sat 16 Jan). The latter was devised by novelist and poet James Robertson, who’s adapted the singer-songwriter’s classic ’70s album into both Scots and a Scottish setting. The cast includes Julie Fowlis, Dick Gaughan and Grammy-winning guitarist Larry Carlton.

Meanwhile, indie rockers Admiral Fallow are set to bring their folky tones to the Mackintosh Church (Fri 15 Jan). The five-piece released their third album Tiny Rewards earlier this year. Their Celtic Connections show Common Ground, sees them premiere a new Steve Forman commission, alongside arrangements of Admiral Fallow rarities by Lau’s Aiden O’Rourke and composer Gareth Williams, with chamber group The Auricle Ensemble. Speaking of 21st-century Scottish stars, Siobhan Wilson is graciously providing her mesmerising sound to the festival along with some friends (St Andrew’s in the Square, Sun 17 Jan) and electronica trio Errors are showcasing their cutting-edge beats at the O2 ABC (Sat 16 Jan). Also, BBC Radio Scotland have teamed up with the festival again, and are kindly putting on free live shows at the CCA. Janice Forsyth (Thu 14 Jan), Vic Galloway (Mon 18 Jan) and Edith Bowman (Wed 13 Jan, Thu 21 Jan, Wed 27 Jan) are among the radio stars hosting these special shows featuring performers and music from across the festival.

Tickets will be free and released on Mon 4 Jan on the BBC Shows and Tours website. Plus, if you’re the kind of person that likes to participate rather than sit and watch, the festival is also putting on a range of workshops to satisfy creative souls. With classes on different instruments (from the bodhran to the ukulele), it’s the perfect time to discover a hidden musical talent. Who knows, maybe you’ll be one of the headline acts at next year’s festival. Celtic Connections, various venues, Glasgow, Thu 14 Jan–Sun 31 Jan. Celtic Connections: Glasgow’s annual folk, roots and world music festival—The Beginnings | FUSION Celtic Connections: Glasgow’s annual folk, roots and world music festival—The Beginnings Iain Anderson Scottish Feature Back in the winter of ’93 – sounds like a song – I took a phone call from Campbell McDougall of the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall. I was then in the old BBC Scotland HQ at Queen Margaret Drive in Glasgow’s leafy West End. GRCH were looking to diversify at a time when wall-to-wall pantomime dominated the city landscape and alternative entertainment was simply unavailable. What, pray tell, was Campbell proposing?

The mere possibility of a Celtic Music Festival in the dark weeks of January as a break from pantomime Dames and Principal Boys! Sounded good to me as the Presenter of the early evening programme on BBC Radio Scotland—and negotiations began. The Director of GRCH, the late Cameron McNicol was sceptical but interested, and the need to look elsewhere was not without a high priority. GRCH did not do pantomime! My first act of being asked to furnish a festival template was to get on board my then Radio Producer, Donald McInnes who brought to the table excellent background knowledge and a considerable awareness of the hot acts of the Celtic world, acts which would sit most comfortably in a Glasgow winter festival. Lots of people in the business thought we were quite frankly bonkers, but there was a serious confidence back at the ranch that Celtic Music was on a cusp and that its links with what has now become known at Americana were both profound and fascinating! Hence the prospect of a developing audience. Lots of things to consider; first, the music content of course but also the promotion of such a festival. What might it be called? Should it have a logo? How long would it last?

And the 3 performing spaces within GRCG were all significantly different. Where ought the various acts be placed? In the middle of all this, we lost Campbell McDougall – how and why I know not – consulted with Mark Sheridan, then Head of Music at Strathclyde University and made the acquaintance of Colin Hynd of GRCH – who was to become the future Festival Director. However, for the time being Anderson and McInnes were calling the shots and the following were the Artists who took to the several stages in the January of 1994 to fulfil the first edition of what was to become known as Celtic Connections. (Full details on the web site). Www.celticconnections.co.uk under History. The first Festival had been a year in the making during which time the BBC had sought a change in their radio scheduling. My evening programme had now become the afternoon slot and was to be called Mr Anderson’s Fine Tunes, mixing classical and Celtic music. In the January of 1994 at the first Celtic Connections Festival, there were several live editions of the programme during the course of an afternoon with an audience who enjoyed free admission to various great acts.

This was an initiative which continues to this day and which has been hugely successful, although the tenure of the Fine Tunes is sadly no more. The author’s current programme now provides a late night format, and the wee small hours are his only remaining refuge! However, 20 years ago, the acts that we had set some store by were Cherish The Ladies and The McGarrigles, neither of whom had ever appeared in Scotland before. The later, of course, were pretty well known; their discs had been receiving regular airplay for many years. The McGarrigles had been widely recognised with awards and critical acclaim for their bittersweet original songs of love and loss. Their roots were vaguely Irish, but they were bilingual, French and English, having been brought up in Montreal. But now it was Glasgow’s turn, and Glasgow just loved their delicate delightful performance. The reception was great and one box had been well and truly ticked! Cherish The Ladies (back in Glasgow this year) are an Irish-American all female band who had attracted our attention from their sole CD, which we had played regularly on the evening programme.

They were led by Joannie Madden, who was immediately granted Scottish Citizenship and now rejoices in the name Chief Cherish. She also plays flute, introduces the band, confers with the audience, and has been known to step dance to some acclaim. They were first up, opening for the great Irish band De Danaan, a combination of male and female virtuosity. But there was a problem! Actually quite a serious problem. Cherish The Ladies set the bar so high that even a band with credentials such as De Danaan found it hard to get their noses in front. “Cherish The Ladies,” said a slightly inebriated Glasgwegian who had never set eyes on them before. “Cherish the effing Ladies——–wow!” In the last two decades these Ladies have missed the annual Glasgow gig only once. Their name is indelibly linked with the festival known as Celtic Connections and in the January of 1994 Donald McInness and I had ticked another box.

Post navigation Celtic Connections Music Festival 2016 - The Irish World Celtic Connections Music Festival 2016 Facebook January 8, 2016 The Chieftains Glasgow’s Celtic Connections festival starts this Thursday with more than 2500 musicians – including Led Zeppelin’s Robert Plant – expected to take part in 18 days of concerts up until the end of the month The event is worth around £10 million to the Glasgow’s economy and this year will take a special look at migration and child migration as festival director Donald Shaw and various artists ask ‘At what point did the world close the gates?’. On Friday a century of Irish culture since the Easter Rising will be celebrated by The Chieftains and guests, including former Dubliners fiddler John Sheahan and singer Declan O’Rourke. But the line-up also includes rock legend Robert Plant – who has more recently moved to country music –and tributes to Joni Mitchell, Edith Piaf and Paul Simon’s Graceland album. Plant’s one-off appearance is a tribute night to late Scottish guitar legend Bert Jansch, who died four years ago.

His performance at the 1000-capacity Old Fruit Market – with indie-rock guitarist Bernard Butler and Glasgow-born Jansch’s former Pentlangle bandmate Jacqui McShee is one of the hottest tickets of the 18-day event, held across 26 stages. South African township musicians who played on Paul Simon’s Graceland album will appear in a special concert marking 30 years since its release at the Royal Concert Hall, and will be fronted by Edinburgh band Bwani Junction. LONDON – Circa 1969: Photo of Scottish guitarist Bert Jansch (1943-2011) from folk band Pentangle posed in a London park circa 1969.(Photo by David Redfern/Redferns) Scottish author James Robertson will join folk singers Karine Polwart, Dick Gaughan and Annie Grace to “reimagine” Joni Mitchell’s classic album Hejira to mark its 40th anniversary, while some of of her other best-known songs will also be performed.

Shetland fiddler Aly Bain will be honoured with a 70th birthday party, which will also mark the 30th anniversary of his partnership with accordionist Phil Cunningham. One of the Scotland’s leading young singers, Siobhan Miller, will lead a showcase of leading vocal talents for the festival’s opening night gala, noting fifty years of Scotland’s Traditional Music and Song Association. Edith Piaf tributes as Celtic Connections 2016 The city’s opera house, the Theatre Royal, will host a show devoted to the life and music of Edith Piaf , born 100 years ago in December, as part of a major showcase of French music. North America music will be represented by They Might Be Giants, Rickie Lee Jones, John Grant, Frazey Ford, Lucinda Williams, John Grant, and Martha Wainwright. Flying the flag for so-called World Music will be stars like the Senegalese singer Baaba Maal, Mongolian group Anda Union, Soumik Datta, a virtuoso on the Indian sarod instrument, who will perform with Austrian percussionist Bernhard Schimpelsberger, and the Afro Celts.

Scottish Album of the Year winner Kathryn Joseph makes her debut at the event with established Scottish favourites Admiral Fallow, Skerryvore, Eddi Reader, Lau, Rachel Sermanni, Blazin’ Fiddles and James Yorkston. Long-time Artistic Director of the festival Donald Shaw, a musician himself, said at the October launch of this week’s lineups that he was thrilled to secure the 67-year old Robert Plant as he had wished to achieve it for some time. “We talked about doing a Bert Jansch night the year after he died (in 2011), but the timing was not quite right and the idea got shelved. “We spoke with his family and said we would try to do something another time. I knew that Robert Plant was a fan and was hugely influenced by him. He was always in my mind for the show. “I’ve met him a couple of times and he has been very complimentary about the Transatlantic Sessions shows that we do. I wanted him to hang about for them, but we couldn’t quite make the dates work for him to do that as well,” he said.

He said Celtic Connections would also be honouring Joni Mitchell, who was treated in hospital last year for a brain aneurysm. Joni Mitchell tributes at Celtic Connections 2016 “Joni Mitchell has always been in my thinking for the festival ever since I got this job 10 years ago. I realised two or three years ago that it was highly unlikely we would ever get her to come, due to the fact she was pretty much hiding away and not really performing. “When she got ill I just thought that I didn’t want be doing a tribute to Joni in two or three years time. I had the idea of doing some kind of homage to her music. “I had met James Robertson a couple of times and he had expressed an interest in the lyrics of Joni Mitchell. “He has recreated the songs from her Hejira album into Scots folk song. The text is amazing – the songs have all be rewritten from a Scottish perspective.

“What’s going to quite authentic is that we’re bringing in the great guitarist Larry Carlton, who played on Hejira, along with Felix Pastorius, the son of the Weather Report bass player Jaco Pistorius, who was also on the album.” The festival will be reflecting on the refugee crisis and the clampdown on migrants with a theme of pilgrimage, including the annual indie night Roaming Roots Revue, which will celebrate the great musical troubadours and a live performance of an album looking at Britain’s history of child migration. A special multi-media show will tell the story of Shetland crofter Betty Mouat, who was accidentally cast adrift in the North Sea in the 1880s and ended up being washed ashore in Norway, but survived her ordeal. Mr Shaw said: “I was thinking about the whole refugee issue and you suddenly wonder: ‘At what point did the world close the gates?’ “As a musician you think of that idea of free movement of people around the world as being something that is a huge catalyst to how music evolves. “People come together and they hear the music of other nations. World music could never have evolved to the level that it has.

“When you think of what Paul Simon did at the time, people were telling him that he couldn’t come to South Africa because of apartheid but his argument at the time was that music goes beyond all boundaries and all politics. “It is a really sobering thought that it is actually not possible to travel freely around the world.” • Celtic Connections runs from 14-31 January. Tickets are available here: Other highlights of the festival: 14 January The Carrying Stream: Siobhan Miller, one of Scotland’s leading singers, assembles a one-off tribute to mark 50 years of the Traditional Music and Song Association of Scotland. 16 January Pilgimer: The 40th anniversary of Joni Mitchell’s classic Herija album reimagined for Celtic Connections, with original guitarist Larry Carlton part of the line-up. 19 January The Ballads of Child Migration: John McCusker, Jez Lowe, Boo Hewerdine, Chris While and Julie Matthews perform premiere of an album of specially-commissioned songs about a little-known aspect of British history.

20 January Le Grand Anniversaire: A huge party to mark the 70th birthday of Shetland fiddler Aly Bain and 30 years of performing with regular sparring partner Phil Cunnigham. 23 January Graceland: Several South African township musicians who featured on Paul Simon’s original groundbreaking album perform it with the Edinburgh band Bwani Junction. 23 January Roaming Roots Revue: Roddy Hart’s fourth annual indie music night at the festival turns the spotlight on the musical troubadour, with guests including Del Amitri’s Justin Currie and Edinburgh singer Blue Rose Code. 23 January Concerto for Banjo: Grammy winner Bela Fleck and the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra join Irish uilleann piper Liam O’Flynn for the European premiere of a concerto originally commissioned by the Nashville Symphony. 25 January Scottish National Jazz Orchestra with Eddi Reader: The Burns Night favourite performs songs by the Bard. 31 January They Might Be Giants,: Quirky American rock band stages two, including a child-friendly matiness, at the O2 ABC .

31 January Bert Inspired – A Concert for Bert Jansch: Robert Plant, Bernard Butler, Archie Fisher and Jacqui McShee pay tribute to the late Glasgow-born guitarist. Facebook About | Celtic Connections About Page Content “If there’s one thing that makes wintertime in Glasgow great then it’s Celtic Connections.” The Guardian, 12th January 2015 Glasgow’s annual folk, roots and world music festival, Celtic Connections celebrates Celtic music and its connections to cultures across the globe. From 19 January – 5 February 2017​, 2,100 musicians from around the world will descend on Glasgow and bring the city to life for 18 days of concerts, ceilidhs, talks, art exhibitions, workshops, and free events. Celtic Connections is programmed by Artistic Director (and founding member of Celtic supergroup Capercaillie) Donald Shaw, and features more than 300 events across multiple genres of music. The festival is renowned for its strong spirit of collaboration, bringing together one-off line-ups for very special one night only collaborative shows.

The camaraderie between musicians continues into the wee small hours at the late-night Festival Club – home of legendary musical collaborations and spontaneous sessions. “There are situations that you’ll see where people are playing that you’ll never see again, or if you do, it’s because it worked here first.” Donald Shaw, Artistic Director The festival has broadened its reach and in 2012 brought a taste of Celtic Connections to the Isle of Skye as part of the Year of Scotland’s Islands, as well as visiting Chicago as part of Year of Creative Scotland to programme various musical performances throughout the Ryder Cup, including the Opening and Closing ceremonies along with a number of other hospitality events. In 2014, with the support of Homecoming Scotland, the festival staged a special one-off collaboration in the SSE Hydro, an exciting new large scale venue in Glasgow. This concert was part of the busiest weekend ever for Celtic Connections in which 25,000 music fans attended performances in the space of 48 hours.​ The festival also programmed a number of outdoor performances for Culture 2014 - the spectaular cultural celebrations surrounding Glasgow 2014.

In 2015 the festival won the Art and Culture Award at the Inspiring City Awards ceremony organised by the Herald and Glasgow Chamber of Commerce in association with People Make Glasgow. The awards were created to celebrate the people and organisations that make Glasgow great. We'll keep you informed Sign up for the latest news and updates. Email Address I agree with Fair Processing Notice We'll keep you informed 21st Celtic Connections Festival Kicks Off | Clyde 2 - The Greatest Hits for Glasgow and The West of Scotland. 21st Celtic Connections Festival Kicks Off Posted on Thursday 16 January 2014 musicians from around the world gather in Glasgow for annual festival CELTIC CONNECTIONS FESTIVAL STARTS Musicians from around the world will be in Scotland's biggest city over the next 18 days for the Celtic Connections festival, which opens today. The festival in Glasgow is celebrating its 21st year and will feature everything from folk, roots and world to indie, blues and jazz. The event gets under way with an opening concert at Glasgow Royal Concert Hall this evening at which award-winning violinist Nicola Benedetti will perform, as will Julie Fowlis, Aly Bain and Phil Cunningham.

Glasgow's new SSE Hydro venue will host two shows, including Del Amitri playingtheir first UK show since 2002. It will also be the setting for the Celtic Connections International Burns Night on January 25, with a line-up including Capercaillie, Rachel Sermanni and Dougie MacLean. Donald Shaw, artistic director of Celtic Connections, said: "The festival is really coming of age this year, as can be seen from the expansion into Scotland's new leading venue and also in the diversity of this year's programme. "Although Celtic Connections still stays true to its roots, it has definitely become more adventurous and brings music from all over the world to Glasgow's stages. "The festival also continues to embrace other musical genres as can be seen in the line-up of this year's opening concert. "Who'd have thought 20 years ago that one of the world's most incredible classical musical stars would be premiering new collaborative work alongside Scottish traditional musicians at the opening night of the festival?'' The festival will feature music from around the world, including Quebecois accordionist and singer Yves Lambert and a Breton Night with Barzaz and Ronan Le Bars Group.

Cameroonian saxophonist Manu Dibango and Balkan Beat stars the Boban & Markovic Orchestra are also among the performers. Acts from the Welsh folk scene - DnA, Gwyneth Glyn and Bob Delyn a'r Ebillion - will perform at an event celebrating the Celtic kinship between Scotland and Wales. Celtic Connections runs until February 2 with the programme including ceilidhs, talks, workshops, free events and late-night sessions. Last year's event generated more than £1 million in ticket sales, with more than 100,000 people attending events. Celtic Connections | Articles | The List Celtic Connections 19 Jan 2017 Hitting back at male-centric festival lineups, Celtic Connections showcases the dearth/breadth of talented women There has been justifiable concern over the last few years that the summer music festivals have become an uncomfortably male-dominated affair with lumpen indie rockers and superstar DJs selected for all the plum slots. Conservative booking policies… 11 Jan 2017 Kick off the new year with Celtic Connections, New Year's Revolution and Neu! Reekie!

With New Year hangovers hopefully out of the way, normal service is starting to pick up again in January. Of course, this month's live action is overwhelmingly dominated by the Celtic Connections festival, which – as the title suggests – is packed full… 20 Dec 2016 From Celtic Connections to watching Jack Whitehall on his first arena tour Avoid the January blues by making the first month of 2017 a busy one. With plenty of new film releases, comedians setting off on tour and music festivals starting early, there's a whole range of events to choose from, and we've picked our top 5 to get… 27 Oct 2016 Laura Marling, Billy Bragg, Olivia Newton John, Beth Neilson Chapman and Karine Polwart on the bill 2100 musicians, 300 events over 18 days, and one pretty impressive programme: the stats for Celtic Connections 2017 are coming in strong, alright.

This year, the festival of world, folk and roots music is celebrating inspiring women, and that means… 29 Jan 2016 A mixture of the ancient and the original from LAU and The Unthanks Who would have thought clog dancing could be so emotional? In the hands – or rather on the feet – of The Unthank sisters, who regularly change in and out of their party shoes to demonstrate their hoofing skills, it’s a hypnotic thing – something about… 28 Jan 2016 One of folk's greatest living singers to give interview as part of Celtic Connections It's her voice that grabs your attention. Light but earthy, vulnerable but calm, Anne Briggs's voice is unique. Without changing the way she sings, she can convey a father's barely-concealed hots for his daughter's boyfriend ('Willie O'Winsbury'), the… 25 Jan 2016 A Re-imagining of Joni Mitchell's Hejira Joni Mitchell's enlightening, meandering 1976 album is not her best-known treatise – that's probably Blue or Ladies of the Canyon. Nor is it the brilliant Canadian's wildest endeavour (hello, Mingus).

But it is, perhaps, the LP most in thrall to her… 22 Jan 2016 Prolific US alt-rockers bring a family show to Celtic Connections If you say the name They Might Be Giants to anyone who was conscious in the 1990s and early noughties, they might respond in three ways. Some will wonder if you’re talking about the film in which George C Scott plays a fantasist who believes himself to… 14 Jan 2016 Featuring King Ayisoba, Wounded Knee, Jo Mango, RM Hubbert and The Festival Club Glasgow’s annual festival Celtic Connections, a celebration of folk, roots, indie, world and traditional music, is a welcome respite from dreich January. With Christmas just behind us purse strings may be a little tight but luckily there are plenty of… 13 Nov 2015 Errors, Robert Plant, Admiral Fallow and Anne Carrere to perform at annual Glasgow festival Celtic Connections, Glasgow’s annual celebration of Scottish and world folk music, returns to the city in the New Year.

Launched in 1994, the festival is now in its 13th year, and its 2016 programme will see thousands of performers from across the globe… 20 Oct 2015 Performers include Rickie Lee Jones, The Chieftains, Robert Plant and Lucinda Williams The lineup for this year's Celtic Connections has been announced. From Thu 14–Sun 31 Jan, Glasgow will play host to 2,500 musicians from across the globe for the annual celebration of Scottish and world folk music. Artists performing across the 26… 3 Feb 2015 Kurt Wagner's band perform their 2000 album Nixon in its entirety As part of the closing stages of this year's Celtic Connections programme, Kurt Wagner's Lambchop return to Glasgow to play their 2000 album, Nixon in its entirety.

Opening with the first lulling bars of ‘The Old Gold Shoe’, Wagner's low, warming… 12 Jan 2015 With thousands of artists and hundreds of events, Celtic Connections 2015 has something for everyone Celtic Connections prides itself on spinning folk and traditional music in new and unexpected directions, and if ever a gig epitomised that philosophy, it’s this one. Brighton-born singer Mary Hampton might work within folk traditions, but her haunting… 3 Feb 2014 The Glasgow rockers just about reach spiritual highs in a show that's part lullaby, part roar If an omnipresent God really is everywhere then hopefully he’s floating around the Royal Concert Hall tonight. If He is, then the rapture will be heralded not by Gabriel’s trumpet but by ‘Rano Pano’ (from 2011's Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will… 30 Jan 2014 The Scottish folk troubadour is joined by fellow musicians for a rousing Celtic Connections gig It’s been a bumper couple of years for Glasgow based folk aficionado, Alasdair Roberts.

Between releasing a new album of self-penned songs, one of Gaelic language music and one in collaboration with poet Robin Robertson, he’s also adapted a Scottish… 29 Jan 2014 The world music superstars play a mixed bag of uninspiring numbers & irresistible, energetic grooves Due to health and safety concerns, Glasgow is denied Amadou & Mariam's Eclipse show, performed entirely in the dark to evoke the blind couple's experience of concerts and offer an insight into their lives. Perhaps the City Council had visions of dancers… 29 Jan 2014 The soul legend makes a comeback, and proves he's neither shy, or retiring There are a few things that Bobby Womack can do, that you can’t. He can wear a head to toe red leather outfit and make it look good. He can sing things normal people would just say, without seeming ridiculous. (Eg, ‘Please can you turn up the lights/ I… 22 Jan 2014 'There is some dreadful music out there at the moment which sounds like folk music but isn't' To encounter Richard Dawson for the first time is an unforgettable experience.

For this writer, it was at the 2012 Tusk Festival in Newcastle, where he sang 'Poor Old Horse' a cappella. In a voice that ranged from a deep, ragged bellow to a choked… 22 Jan 2014 Mark Stewart, Gareth Sager and co return for an unlikely but inspired post-punk reunion It may have been 33 years since The Pop Group, Mark Stewart and Gareth Sager's gang of punk-funk avant-provocateurs, last played Glasgow. But the wait was more than worth it at this unlikely but inspired Celtic Connections show that laid bare the roots… 17 Jan 2014 Highlights include Amadou & Mariam, Alkinoos Ioannidis, Manu Dibango and AR Rahman Amadou & Mariam. With their deft fusion of West African blues and Western pop, this Malian husband-and-wife duo have become world music superstars.

While their studio albums can suffer from over-production and a surfeit of guests, live shows remain… 5 Dec 2013 Malian afropop, Bristolian post-punk and Icelandic and Gaelic songwriters converge for Glasgow festi It’s January, so it must be Celtic Connections – the best reason to put off the post-Christmas detox until February. The opening week brings the familiar mix of folk, roots, jazz and world music, kicking off with a preview of violinist Nicola… 18 Sep 2013 Fleetwood Mac, Bruno Mars, Rod Stewart and Jesus Christ Superstar among the venue's first shows Any venue that opens with a first week of shows that includes four nights by Rod Stewart alongside dates with Fleetwood Mac, rumoured Superbowl half-time act Bruno Mars and the stage production of Jesus Christ Superstar might not set hipster hearts… 4 Feb 2013 Psych folk line-up gives a glimpse into an electric Eden Nothing lifts the soul quite like The Incredible String Band. This is why you must never swallow the line that ISB were some kind of 1960s novelty outfit, a crowd of free-love Catweazles seeing salamanders in the bonfire.

They weren’t. Well, they were a… 18 Dec 2012 Konono No. 1, Tamikrest and Bulgarian State Radio and Television Choir among highlights This year’s festival offers riches from Africa, Eastern Europe and South America. Let The List’s jazz and world music reviewer Stewart Smith be your guide. Salif Keita. A rare Scottish outing for the great singer, Mali’s Salif Keita. From the colourful… 18 Dec 2012 Singer songwriter plays Celtic Connections as part of 2013 European tour On her way to the next venue, Martha Wainwright is juggling the logistics of touring and motherhood. In many ways it should be the perfect solution to that age-old musicians’ complaint about the boredom of being on the road between gigs. In reality… Celtic Connections | People Make Glasgow Music Celtic Connections Glasgow’s annual folk, roots and world music festival, Celtic Connections celebrates Celtic music and its connections to cultures across the globe.

From January 19 - February 5, 2,100 musicians from around the world will descend on Glasgow and bring the city to life for 18 days of concerts, ceilidhs, talks, art exhibitions, workshops, and free events. Celtic Connections is programmed by Artistic Director (and founding member of Celtic supergroup Capercaillie) Donald Shaw, and features more than 300 events across multiple genres of music. The festival is renowned for its strong spirit of collaboration, bringing together one-off line-ups for very special one night only collaborative shows. The camaraderie between musicians continues into the wee small hours at the late-night Festival Club – home of legendary musical collaborations and spontaneous sessions. “There are situations that you’ll see where people are playing that you’ll never see again, or if you do, it’s because it worked here first.” Donald Shaw, Artistic Director. 19 Jan 2017 - 5 Feb 2017 Dates & times George St., Glasgow G2 1DU Venue: Various Venues Celtic Connections Festival in Glasgow | DesignMyNight Celtic Connections Festival Preview Added on 7 January 2014.

By Claire Byrne More than 2000 musicians will descend on Glasgow this month as Celtic Connections kicks off once again from 16th January to 2nd February. One of the largest celebrations of Celtic music in the world, over 18 days, Glaswegian musos can avail of 300 events in 20 venues across the city, from concerts and ceilidhs to exhibitions and workshops. Unique venue The Old Fruitmarket is a fitting setting to enjoy some once-in-a-lifetime collaborations. The annual folk, roots and world music festival is now in its 21st year, and as the year of Homecoming Scotland, the event is set to be bigger and better than ever. Known for its collaborative spirit, impromptu vibe and unique performances, many of the shows in the festival pair incredible established acts with up-and-comers or thriving bands with old time legends, creating one-off shows and spontaneous sessions. After an incredible 2013, Blazin' Fiddles will join Stockton's Wing on home turf. Among the highlights of this year's festival with be Ireland's haunting song-smith, James Vincent McMorrow who will delight the crowds at City Halls on 28th January.

Bringing the fun factor, Big Groove Samba also in City Halls, will run workshops throughout the day on 18th & 19th January. Be sure to head to the Mitchell Library to catch iconic accordion-player, Sharon Shannon with Alan Connor, as they join Alasdair Fraser and Natalie Haas for a thrilling ride through Scottish and Irish trad on January 28th. Ireland and Scotland will collide once again as the legendary Stockton's Wing join the revolutionary Blazin' Fiddles for a special collaboration on January 31st in the Old Fruitmarket. Ireland's Imelda May will bring her distinct retro styling with added Celtic flair. Soul swindler, Bobby Womack will spread the love with special guests in Glasgow Royal Concert Hall on January 27th. For some chilled-out Americana, check out Hazy Recollections in the o2 ABC for a relaxed Sunday session on in the o2 ABC on 2nd February. US old-timey crooners, the Foghorn Stringband will be joining Minnesota musos Trampled By Turtles for a very special gig in O2 ABC.

Red-hot rockabilly, Dublin's Imelda May will work with Belfast x Brighton outfit The Mountain Firework Company for what's set to be a rousing session in the Old Fruitmarket on January 30th. Glasgow's own beloved band Mogwai will collaborate with local lad RM Hubbert for the festival. 80 year old Cameroonian saxophonist, Manu Dibango and African roots duo Debademba will team up for an eclectic world music frenzy, fusing everything from Afro-funk annf Arabic blues to Parisian beats and Latin soul, they'll take to the stage in The Old Fruitmarket on 26th January. And finally catch local favourites Mogwai, now in their 19th year (makes you feel old, eh?) continuing to churn the tunes with incredible, toast of 2013 Glaswegian, RM Hubbert in the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall on 28th January. And that's only for starters. The festival schedule is chocker with great acts from all over the world. Last year's festival planner shows you just how packed the Celtic Connections schedule really is.

And if the gigs, workshops and talks simply aren't enough for that musical ear of yours, this year's Celtic Connections Festival Club will kick off in the Walkabout from 10.30pm every night throughout the festival with some very special, very spontaneous, after-hours sessions. Set to be an incredible few weeks of music in Glasgow, with such remarkable talent coming from all over the world and landing on your doorstep - fiddle in hand - whether you're a folk fiend, an Afro-beat aficionado, or just a curious Celt, make sure you take yourself along to at least a few of these cracking sessions. If you like this, you'll love... Music Festival | Glasgow City of Music Glasgow City of Music Type Celtic, Folk, Scottish, World Month of Festival/Competition January, February Annual, Biannual, Biennial, other? Annual Duration in days 16 Celtic Connections started in 1994, and has since been held every January.

Featuring over 300 concerts, ceilidhs, talks, free events, late night sessions and workshops, the festival focuses on the roots of traditional Scottish music and also features international folk, roots and world music artists, and has grown to become the world's largest winter music festival. Over 120,000 attend the festival's events each year, with many taking place at the Royal Concert Hall and the Old Fruitmarket . At the core of the festival is the Education Programme, which sees thousands of school children attend free morning concerts experiencing live music ranging from Burns to spiritual and blues. Celtic Connections also continues to foster new and young talent through its Young Tradition and New Voices series of concerts, and through the Danny Kyle Open Stage competition. Celtic Music Radio broadcasts around seven hours of material during the festival. Celtic Music Radio broadcasts around 7 hours of live material from the venue every day, including every act on the Danny Kyle Open Stage.

Question: Which city stages the annual Celtic Connections festival?
Answer: Glasgow