Celtic Connections 2021: a look at what's to come 21-26 January

Celtic Connections began brilliantly, with pipers walking through Buchanan Street into the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall with a tune paying tribute to pioneers. They were met by the specially organized Celtic Celtic Connections Big Band 2021. This group of Scotland’s top folk players was a constant through opening night, brining energy and context to performances from Glasgow and beyond.

The first week has unfolded with grace and energy in line with and beyond those opening moments.

What’s next, though?

Highlights to look out for during day six through twelve, 21 through 26 January, at Celtic Connections 2021:

Before I go further I will also point out that tickets are available, both for individual events and an all access concerts pass. Details at the Celtic Connections web site. Also to note: times mentioned are Glasgow/GMT; when you pirchase a ticket though, conerts available for seven days after first broadcast.

Ross Ainslie is a player of pipes, whistles and cittern who has release four albums of his own and is well known as a band member collaborator, and composer. A founding member of Treacherous Orchestra, a contributor to Hamish Napier’s award winning album The Woods, Ainslie of regularly appears with Salsa Celtica, India Alba, Tim Edey, and others. This night he fronts his own band.

High energy band Talisk bring a trad based lively presence, while top folk-trad group Manran will offer its always creative take on Scotland’s traditions into the evening’s mix as well. Top Scots songwriter and singer Siobhan Miller will bring her thoughtful music to the mix, as will singer songwriter Beth Malcolm.

The next evening, 22 January, will feature the music of Blazin’ Fiddles. Blaze they do. Fiddlers Bruce MacGregor, Rua MacMillan Jenna Reid, and Kristan Harvey, Anna Massie on fiddle and guitar, and Angus Lyon on keyboards are as worth watching and listening to for the quality of their interactions as for the top quality tunes. Note, too that the Blazers are offering workshops during the day in the days leading up to this concert. Xavier Diaz and friends will bring their own energy and style, recorded in their native northern Spain in Santiago de Compostela. Deirdre Graham will add Gaelic song to the progamme.

23 January sees a daytime filled with workshops for learners and improvers, and an evening that honours varied and international aspects of tradition. The evening focuses on a concert by The Womanly Voices of Jodhpur Riff which was recorded in Rajastan in India, with eight women who individually are leaders and groundbreakers in their tradition. The Nordic countries join in through the band Dreamers’ Circus with a contribution recorded at their home in Denmark. South Uist native and Glasgow resident Kathleen MacInnes brings Gaelic song into the mix. Later in the evening, there is a separate concert which finds Scotland’s Admiral Fallow band offering their indie take on Scotland’s music.

On Sunday afternoon the 24th it’s time for the next part of the New Voices strand. Charlie Stewart has found inspiration for this set of music from time spent at home with his parents and time in an unusually quiet Glasgow during the pandemic.

In the evening, there’s a late night concert as Argentinian-Swedish singer José González brings his music from Gothenburg, Sweden. Before that, though, the five women of The Kinnaris Quintet will, if history serves, tear up the stage with their high quality and high energy take on trad shared through fiddle guitar, and mandolin, and The Secret Sisters duo bring music from the Americana side of things. Music from the isle of Mull is featured as well as An Tobar Presents brings performances from Sorren MacLean, Hannah Fisher, Roody Woomble, and Mairearad Green.

On 25 January James Grant & the Hallelujah String Quartet will perform a set supported by multi-instrumentalist, composer and singer Siobhan Wilson and nu-folk singer-songwriter Zoë Bestel.

It isn’t on the Celtic Connections roster of video performance, but Karen Matheson and Eddi Reader, both longtime festival favourites and two of the most well loved and accomplished singers in Scotland, will be part of a program about the music of Robert Burns (it is Burns night after all) available on BBC Radio Scotland.

On theTuesday 26th January, the four piece band Fara with roots in Orkney, will be on the bill along with folk trio Assynt, fiddler Chloë Bryce and singer Amy Papiransky. Rachel Walker, who writes and sings and in both Gaelic and English, will be adding in her voice, as well.

You might also want to look at the offerings at Celtic Music Radio, which is hosting on air and online broadcasts of the nightly Danny Kyle Open Stage concerts. These gigs feature up and coming artists from across Scotland and are always highly popular in person at the festival. Celtic Music Radio will also be broadcasting three days of Celtic on Campus earlier in the day (it’s a lunchtime event in Glasgow) and a bit earlier in the week, from 20 through 22 January.

The Celtic Connections web site has ticketing and access details for all of their events. The festival runs through the beginning of February, so there’s more to come...

Photographs of Celtic Connections Big Band and Fara by Gaelle Beri; photograph of Karen Matheson by Kerry Dexter

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