Europe’s premier winter music festival, Celtic Connections, is entering the final week of its 2022 edition.
There is a packed line-up of shows taking place, both in person at a diverse range of venues in Glasgow, and online via the festival’s digital programme which provides access of more than 12 hours of exclusive performances to audiences around the world.
This week’s scheduled events are:
Mother Tongue: Kathleen MacInnes, Brendan Begley and Cynefin – Feb 3, Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Strathclyde Suite, 8pm.
To mark the start of the UN Decade of Indigenous Languages (2022 – 2032), Scottish, Welsh and Irish musicians come together to explore songs of world, land and people in their mother tongue.
Westward the Light and Alfi – February 4, The Mackintosh Church, 8pm.
Westward the Light perform music from their self-titled album, which has been lauded for ‘captur[ing] the majesty of the landscape as well as the heritage of the land’.
RURA: Our Voices Echo and N’famady Kouyaté – February 5, Theatre Royal, 7.30pm.
Festival favourites RURA, adored for their electrifying mash-up of pipes, flute, bodhran and guitar, team up with five folk music luminaries to create a unique collaborative EP having its premiere at Celtic Connections 2022.
The Scottish World: Billy Kay, Robyn Stapleton, Siobhan Miller, Paul McKenna and Guests – February 5, Mitchell Theatre, 7.30pm.
As part of the Celtic Connections Whisper the Song series of events celebrating Scotland’s Year of Stories, The Scottish World brings music, poetry, story and song celebrating the Scottish diaspora and its influence all over the world.
The Chair and Calan – February 5, Old Fruitmarket, 8pm.
Orkney eight-piece, The Chair, promise a raucously musical blend of folk, blues, reels, rock, dub, klezmer and plenty more.
Nae Plans Extravaganza – February 5, City Halls, 7.30pm.
Nae Plans, aka fiddler Adam Sutherland and pianist/flautist/singer Hamish Napier distil the essence of a traditional session, with its free-flowing interplay between shared repertoire and in-the-moment spontaneity. Nae Plans gigs involve no set-list, no pre-discussion of material at all, the pair simply sit down together, take a deep breath, and go where the music takes them.
New Voices: Ross Couper – February 6, Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Strathclyde Suite, 1pm.
Firebrand Shetland fiddler Ross Couper’s New Voices commission marks his first ever foray into ensemble composition for other instruments with the line-up including fellow fiddler Chris Stout, accordionist John Somerville, pianist Michael Biggins, bassist Duncan Lyall and drummer Stephen Henderson.
Arooj Aftab and Charlie Grey and Joseph Peach – February 6, The Mackintosh Church, 7.30pm.
Arooj Aftab is a Grammy nominated, Brooklyn-based Pakistani composer, songwriter and vocalist. Aftab’s latest offering, Vulture Prince, has been praised in President Barrack Obama’s Summer Playlist, best releases of 2021 lists by The Guardian, 6Music, NPR, Pitchfork, TIME, Uncut, Songlines Magazine and has received unprecedented critical acclaim.
Donald Shaw, creative producer of Celtic Connections, said: ‘We’ve got a fantastic final week of shows lined up as part of this year’s festival – from household names to young, emerging talent, there really is something for everyone.
‘Celtic Connections is bringing venues to life right across Glasgow for the next seven days, while also presenting an exciting digital programme for audience to enjoy online. We would encourage people to brighten up their dark nights and revisit the magic of live music.’
Digital festival passes are available to buy now and give audiences from around the world access to more than 12 hours of exclusive performances.
Tickets are available now HERE.
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