See the Scots band who have outsold Kanye West

One of Scotland’s leading traditional music bands are on track to beat their 2017 record of sell-out shows with their biggest ever gig next month.

Following a string of download hits, Skipinnish, which incredibly, out-ranked mainstream acts like Ellie Goulding and Kanye West, sold out every show they played last year.

After selling out their biggest headline venue, the Barrowlands four months ahead of the show, the band will now play to an even bigger crowd of 2500 people in Edinburgh’s Usher Hall on May 18.

Formed nearly 20 years ago by Angus MacPhail and Andrew Stevenson, Skipinnish were named ‘Live Act of the Year’ for the second time at the at the 2017 Trad Music Awards. Now on their seventh, self-released, album the band continue their self-made path by booking the Usher Hall gig themselves.

Angus MacPhail (accordion, backing vocals), said: ‘The prospect of playing in front of 2500 people at the Usher Hall is incredibly exciting for us. Glasgow and the West Coast has been our main stamping ground but there is a growing appetite for our music in the nation’s capital.

‘There has never been a better time to be involved in trad music and the whole scene has grown exponentially recently. We are lucky to be riding on that wave of popularity.

Skipinnish are playing at the Usher Hall in May

‘It is like a dream, playing to thousands of people. We would never have predicted playing such large venues when we started the band almost 20 years ago.

‘People are leaving our gigs on a euphoric music-fuelled high which is exhilarating. Our recent two nights at Inverness’ Eden Court were incredible – the atmosphere was electric.

‘We have played some big crowds and festivals over the years, but we haven’t played our own headline show in such a massive venue.

‘It’ll be a very special night for us and to celebrate we’ll be playing some new, unheard songs as well the favourites from our back-catalogue.

‘We love playing live gigs and can’t wait to play the Usher Hall for the first time.’

The band will be supported at the Usher Hall by the multi award-winning Emily Smith and Jamie McClennan as well as World Champion Pipe Band, Inveraray and District and some other guests yet to be announced.

Skipinnish released their self-published seventh album, The Seventh Wave, in 2017 to great acclaim.

Tickets for the show at the Usher Hall on 18 May are available HERE.