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Celtic Connections Preview
(17th Jan- 3rd Feb)

Line-up

This year's festival offers an absolutely fantastic line up! Over the space of two and a half weeks, there are countless must see concerts; the unfortunate thing is that it would be humanly impossible to see them all! If I was on Facebook now, I would be using a sad face. However, if any of you do get the chance to make the festival, or if you happen to be in the vicinity at the time of the festival, these are my personal highlights of this year's programme.

17th January

The festival officially opens on Thursday 17th January. If you're around on that day, I would highly recommend the Celtic Connections 20th Celebration Concert in the Glasgow Royal concert hall, marking the 20th opening concert of the festival. This gig will act as the aperitifs before the main meal begins. There shall be a selection of the finest musicians performing at different points in the festival, with appearances from Julie Fowlis, the newly re-formed Flook, Cara Dillon, Sheena Wellington, Capercaillie, the festival's string ensemble led by Greg Lawson and many more.

18th January

If you're still stuck for something to do the next evening, I would strongly suggest that you go and visit the Tron Theatre, for a thoroughly entertaining performance from the New Rope String Band, mixing first class traditional fiddle and accordion music with hilarious slapstick comedy. On the other hand, if a comedic string band doesn't tickle your taste buds, then the double bill of Sam Lee and Rory Butler in St. Andrew's-in-the-Square surely will. These two are outstanding vocalists, who are making big names for themselves in the current world of music.

19th January

On the Saturday 19th, the button accordion virtuoso, Luke Daniels will be making an appearance at the Tron Theatre with a musically breath taking line up comprising of himself, Lauren MacColl, Calum Stewart, Eamon Dorley and Tim Edey. Supporting Daniels and Co. is the massively talented, Sam Amidon, singer and multi-instrumentalist from Vermont who re-defines traditional songs with a vibrant, emotional boldness.

20th January

The Sunday 20th holds some delightful treats in store! The Roaming Roots Revue, which includes the sweet sounds of Beth Orton, Lau, Rachel Sermanni, Louis Abbot and many more. Another worthwhile gig to check out is on the same day, is the double bill of Alasdair Fraser and Natalie Haas, with Maeve MacKinnon. The king of the North East highland fiddle style returns to the festival this year with virtuoso American cellist (and long time partner in crime) Natalie Haas. They are joined by Maeve MacKinnon, who will perform her set with regular collaborators, Angus Lyon, Ross Martin and Innes Watson. She will also perform alongside the famous Fado singer, Carminho, as part of a gig on the 18th in the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall.

22nd January

For any fiddle enthusiasts out there, I urge you to go to the national piping centre at 8.00pm on 22nd January. "Piping centre!?" I hear you say. Well don't be fooled! This band is exclusively, fiddles. Their name, "Fidil", is a bit of a clue. They are certainly Donegal's answer to Blazin Fiddles and a very good answer it is!

23rd January

Whist on the subject of Donegal music, if you like Fidil, then you'll surely like Altan, who are playing the very next day, (23rd). They are very lively band, who are considered to be Irish music royalty.

24th January

I would pay a substantial amount of money to be at the next two concerts that I mention! The first being Dermot Byrne and Floriane Blancke, who are playing at the national piping centre on the 24th January. Byrne is certainly one of Ireland's best box players, if not the best and Blancke is a highly musically intelligent and experienced harpist from a very musical family. The second is the Dan Project, on the same day and at the same time, but in the Old Fruit Market. I was lucky enough to see this band in County Cavan at the All Ireland Fleadh. They comprise of the bands Guidewires and Kan, the Breton musicians Jacques Pellen, Janick Martin, Etienne Callac and Geoffroy Tamisier and singer Alyth McCormack. They perform a mix of new tunes, songs and literature.

25th January

The next night, (25th) sees 3 very big concerts: The Big Burns Night concert, the Heart of Dingle concert and a Taste of Celtic Colours concert. These three separate gigs include artists such as Blazin Fiddles, Breabach and Kathleen McInnes, Damien Mullane, Donagh Hensey, Trevor Hutchinson, Jeremy Spencer and Tommy O'Sullivan, Wendy MacIssac and Mary Jane Lamond, Kimberley Fraser and Cyril MacPhee. Going to see any of these three concerts would be a brilliant use of your time.

26th January

The day after that (26th) is the night of the Strathglass Suite. From the highlands of Scotland, Duncan Chisholm, has a very pure and beautiful style of playing. Twenty-twelve saw the last album in the Strathglass Trilogy and now, Chisholm and guests including Matheu Watson and Jarlath Henderson, are joined by a 20 piece orchestral ensemble to perform some of the highlights from the Strathglass Trilogy. As well as this, there will also be the Pride of New York playing a set in this concert. The Pride of New York made up of Joanie Madden (Flutes and Whistles), Billy McComiskey (Accordion), Brian Conway (Fiddle), and Brendan Dolan (Keyboard). This should be a night of very traditional, but very beautiful music from Irish America and the Highlands of Scotland.

27th January

The Hardanger Fiddle is traditional Norwegian violin. It is typically very ornate in design and has 8 or 9 strings, (4 strings sitting where you would expect them to sit on a normal western instrument and 4 or 5 extra strings running through the bridge of the instrument and under the four strings, working in sympathy). If you think the design of this instrument sounds odd, wait until you hear it! I won't describe the tonal and textural quality to you now because no matter how many large musically words I use, it wouldn't do it justice. However if you do want to heat one, I would highly recommend going to Hardanger, "Fiddle Journeys", concert on the 27th. It is being curated by Sarah Jane Summers and includes hardanger fiddle players such as Håkon Høgemo, Caoimhin O'Raghallaigh, Nils Økland and Sigbjørn Apeland and Summers herself, playing with her new trio.

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Images:Lauren MacColl, Breabach

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