Celtic Connections 2009
Celtic Connections Reviews:
Celtic Connections Listings: Thursday 15th January - Sunday 1st February
Scotland's largest Winter Music Festival will see the descent of over 1500 fantastic artists from around the world arriving in Glasgow including: Youssou N'Dour, Branford Marsalis, Richard Thompson, Oumou Sangare, Martha Wainwright, Edwyn Collins, Nanci Griffith and Sly & Robbie.
Thursday 15 January, 4:45pm
Every year, Celtic Connections launches in spectacular style with a torchlight parade through Glasgow city centre.
The Scottish Power Pipe Band lead a mass of blazing torches from George Square to the Concert Hall steps, as Glasgow lights up for the first day of the festival.
Celebrations commence inside the Hall, as torch-bearers are invited to the Lord Provost's Drinks Reception, and the festival is pronounced officially open!
To take part in the opening torchlight parade, please download the application form from www.celticconnections.com
Thursday 15 January, 10:30pm
Get ready for some late-night music!
Our late-night club ensures there is even more music to enjoy after all the gigs are over. Join local and international artists as they make special unbilled appearances or join in one of many sessions happening in the bars.
With food and drink in plentiful supply you can happily keep going into the early hours of the morning whilst witnessing some of the best musical collaborations of the festival.
Master of ceremonies, Gibb Todd returns to present each act on stage and Doris Rougvie hosts The House of Song in a peaceful oasis away from the main stage.
Friday 16 January, 12:30pm
Iain Anderson chats to a selection of artists fresh from their appearance in last night's Opening Concert, The Cape Breton Connection.
Friday 16 January, 2pm
Gordon Hotchkiss presents his show live from the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, featuring all the latest festival news, as well as concert previews and interviews with festival artists.
Friday 16 January, 5pm
Hosted by Danny Kyle's good Fridayends Gibb Todd and Liz Clark, the Open Stage is a chance to see new musical talent as they try to win a coveted support slot at next year's festival - and all absolutely free!
Sponsored by the Evening Times
Friday 16 January, 6pm
Some fans rave first about J.P. Cormier's prodigious instrumental prowess, others his ruggedly soulful voice and eloquent songwriting. One of Cape Breton's best-loved musical ambassadors, he's accompanied here by Hilda Chiasson-Cormier on piano.
Friday 16 January, 7:30pm
Right from her earliest collaborations with the Waterboys some 20 years back, Sharon Shannon has taken the Irish accordion to places few suspected it could go. Her breathtakingly virtuosic, intensely expressive playing has joyfully mixed it up with reggae, rap, Latin, hip-hop, country, world and classical sounds, all the while remaining deeply rooted in her native Clare traditions. Featured among her star-studded guest-list is platinum-selling singer-songwriter Mundy, whom Shannon accompanied on his recent smash-hit version of Steve Earle's Galway Girl.
Matching a sublimely honeyed voice with an uncanny ability to inhabit a song, Irish singer Cara Dillon has captivated the folk world ever since her teenage days with the band Oige, subsequently folloWednesday by three increasingly acclaimed solo albums. She'll be previewing tracks from her forthcoming release Hill of Thieves (which is released on January 26th) in company with Sam Lakeman, James O'Grady, Ed Boyd and a surprise guest or two.
Sponsored by Tourism Ireland
Friday 16 January, 7:30pm
One of Scotland's most exciting young traditional bands, Breabach hit the ground running when they won a Danny Kyle Open Stage Award in 2005, following up two years later with their excellent debut album, The Big Spree. Taut, dynamic instrumentals, featuring twin bagpipes, whistles, flute, fiddle and guitar, alternate with the strong, soulful singing of 2008's Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year, Ewan Robertson.
Having made her name guesting on fiddle rebel Ashley MacIsaac's 1995 hit single Sleepy Maggie, Gaelic singer Mary Jane LaMondayd is now a leading light of the Cape Breton scene, setting her crystalline vocals amidst sophisticated contemporary arrangements.
Friday 16 January, 7:30pm
A talent-packed night of top-class contemporary songwriting, embodying the fruitful cross-genre energies of Scotland's current music scene. Drawing its members from the folk, pop, rock and dance music spheres, The Burns Unit was born out of the 2006 Song House project, an annual collaborative retreat run by the Burnsong organiSaturdayion. The Scottish line-up of Karine Polwart, King Creosote, Emma Pollock, Future Pilot AKA, MC Soom T and Kim Edgar, plus Canadians Michael Johnston and Mattie Foulds, discovered an immediate creative chemistry that was vividly in evidence at their initial gigs. Tonight marks their official launch as an ongoing band project, immediately prior to recording their debut album.
Folk stars Kris Drever and John McCusker, with Idlewild vocalist Roddy Woomble, displayed a similar spirit of adventure in teaming up to co-write the songs on their highly-praised new trio release, Before the Ruin, a potently melodic, richly atmospheric blend of roots and rock influences.
Friday 16 January, 8pm
A major hit at the last three years' Edinburgh Fridaynge, Missouri four-piece The Wilders have been hailed as a dynamic new force on today's Americana scene. With a line-up including fiddle, guitar, piano, clawhammer banjo, dobro, mandolin, bass and vocals, they merge classic country roots with whirlwind contemporary energy and a twist of rock'n'roll, most recently on their thrilling 2008 album Someone's Got To Pay.
Formerly known as Special Ed & the Shortbus, award-winning Virginia quintet The Hot Seats have been described by The Herald as "the love children of Bill Mondayroe and Frank Zappa", cooking up a high-octane mix of bluegrass, skiffle, vaudeville, blues and jug-band influences.
Friday 16 January, 8pm
Blessed with a luminously beautiful voice, rising Gaelic star Kathleen MacInnes steers sure-handedly between faithfully traditional and boldly contemporary stylings.
Harpist/singer Mary Macmaster and percussionist Donald Hay launch their new duo album, creating vibrantly layered soundscapes of melody, voice and rhythm.
Friday 16 January, 8pm
Renowned for their mesmerising live shows, Scottish-based duo Pumajaw combine Pinkie Maclure's extraordinary, multi-octave voice and whimsical concertina accompaniment with John Wills' guitar loops, mandolin, samples and pulsing grooves. A sometimes ethereal, sometimes epic blend of art-rock and psych-folk, their sound has been described by Time Out as "a weird and wonderful flight of fancy to a seductively mysterious destination".
Having attracted a notable cult following during the 1980s and 90s for their lush, otherworldly marriage of pop, folk trip-hop and chamber-music, Shelleyan Orphan aka Caroline Crawley and Jem Tayle returned in 2008 with their first album for 16 years, We Have Everything We Need.
Friday 16 January, 9:30pm
A double winner in the 2008 Radio 3 Awards for World Music - including Best Album for Segu Blue - Mali's Bassekou Kouyate is the foremost modern master of the ngoni, an ancient West AFridaycan lute believed to be a forebear of the banjo. Following previous collaborations with Toumani Diabate, Taj Mahal and Ali Farke Toure, Kouyate formed the band Ngoni Ba, Mali's first ngoni quartet, whose brilliantly virtuosic, high-energy blend of venerable griot culture and contemporary influences has won such high-profile fans as DaMonday Albarn and Fatboy Slim. Besides the four ngoni players and two percussionists, Kouyate's line-up here also features the stunning vocalist Amy Sacko.
In 2007, award-winning Canadian banjo player Jayme Stone spent two Mondayths in Mali exploring his instrument's AFridaycan roots, a trip that inspired the richly rewarding album AFridayca to Appalachia, a collaboration with griot singer and kora player - Mansa Sissoko. They appear tonight with bassist Paul Mathew and percussionist Nick Fraser.
Friday 16 January, 10:30pm
Get ready for some late-night music!
Our late-night club ensures there is even more music to enjoy after all the gigs are over. Join local and international artists as they make special unbilled appearances or join in one of many sessions happening in the bars.
With food and drink in plentiful supply you can happily keep going into the early hours of the morning whilst witnessing some of the best musical collaborations of the festival.
Master of cereMondayies, Gibb Todd returns to present each act on stage and Doris Rougvie hosts The House of Song in a peaceful oasis away from the main stage.
Saturday 17 January, 11am
The ever-popular Big Groove will lead this workshop for children aged 4-6 years. This is a marvellous introduction to wee ones to explore and enjoy their natural sense of rhythm. All children must be accompanied by an adult and all drums are provided.
Saturday 17 January, 11am
£7
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Buchanan Suite
The incomparable Harriet Buchan will take you on an astonishing journey to release your vocal potential. Please note that this workshop is not about learning songs, more about exploring your capabilities through gentle warm up exercises. Prepare to be surprised and delighted with the voice you find. Relaxation techniques will be used so loose comfortable clothing is advisable.
Saturday 17 January, 11am
£7
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, LoMondayd Foyer
Come and try the fiddle! It's a great instrument and more accessible than you may think. Glasgow Fiddle Workshop's regular tutor Lynsey Tait will take you through the basics of this fine instrument and you may even manage a wee tune by the time you've finished. Fiddles are supplied.
Saturday 17 January, 11am
If Santa gave you a ukulele for Christmas and you have no idea what to do with it, this is the workshop for you! Even if you don't have your own, come and have a try at this marvellous and verSaturdayile little instrument. Lots of ukes will be provided and Finlay Allison will lead you through some basic chords and rhythms.
Saturday 17 January, 12pm
Saturday 17 January, 12:30pm
After delighting kids and adults alike at performances around the UK, including the Cambridge Folk Festival and the Glasgow International Jazz Festival, KidsaMondayium comes to Celtic Connections!
Aimed at 6 - 14 year olds, the raucous multi-award-winning show features top-class musicians introducing young people to jazz and improviSaturdayion in a magical interactive performance.
Join 'Princess' Laura MacDonald, madcap 'Aviator' Billy Jenkins, 'Big Tuba Kid' Oren Marshall, Dutch Tourist Joost Buis, and Judge Claude Deppa, all led by Tom 'the King' Bancroft - and all in costume for amazing performances and interactive musical games. Oh, and there might be some musical chickens too!
"As much fun as you can have without getting arrested." The Herald
Saturday 17 January, 1pm
Scotland's Year of Homecoming also marks ten years since the founding of the BA in Scottish Music at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, the UK's first degree course of its kind.
Its students, graduates and staff, together with the unique research it fosters, have already immeasurably enriched Scotland's music scene, and this grand-scale birthday gathering will raise a suitably resounding toast to these achievements.
The current corps of around 60 students will perform with some of the course's many graduates now enjoying successful professional careers, including Findlay Napier, Jenna Reid, Finlay MacDonald and Gillian Frame.
Saturday 17 January, 1:30pm
Big Groove will continue their day of percussion with a workshop aimed at adults and older children to explore the fascinating rhythms of samba. Get your samba juices flowing and discover your inner drummer in this fun packed workshop!
Saturday 17 January, 1:30pm
This workshop is designed to explore and develop your voice using an array of unusual instruments that Harriet Buchan has collected on her international travels. She will teach you methods to improve the quality of your singing voice and enrich your overall sound. Please note that this workshop is not about learning actual songs but it will help you to feel confident and good about singing anything that you choose.
Saturday 17 January, 1:30pm
This workshop is for people who have just started learning the fiddle and who want to try and extend their skills on the instrument. Glasgow Fiddle Workshop tutors, Lynsey Tait and Fiona Cuthil, renowned for their patience and enThursdaysiastic teaching techniques, will give you that little bit of extra help you've been looking for.
Saturday 17 January, 1:30pm
Gold medal winner and Young Trad Tour finalist Darren Maclean is a naturally gifted young singer from Skye. He will share his songs and enThursdaysiasm for Gaelic singing with students in this come&try session. Absolutely no knowledge of Gaelic is necessary.
Saturday 17 January, 5pm
Hosted by Danny Kyle's good Fridayends Gibb Todd and Liz Clark, the Open Stage is a chance to see new musical talent as they try to win a coveted support slot at next year's festival - and all absolutely free!
Saturday 17 January, 6pm
In this year of homecoming Billy Kay, chronicler of Scottish culture, joins Rod Paterson, Norman Chalmers and Derek Hoy to present an evening of history, music, poetry and song celebrating the influence of the Scottish Diaspora around the world.
Saturday 17 January, 7:30pm
US banjo legend Bela Fleck journeyed through AFridayca in search of his instrument's roots. This unique musical odyssey was chronicled by his filmmaker brother, Sascha Paladino, and released in 2008 as the award-winning documentary Throw Down Your Heart. For his first ever concert based on this project, Fleck is joined by three of his star collaborators from Mali: the stunning singer Oumou Sangare, pioneering kora maestro Toumani Diabate and Bassekou Kouyate - a contemporary virtuoso of the ngoni, an ancient, lute-like antecedent of the banjo. A recent collaboration of these artists was described by The Guardian as "one of the events of the year".
Completing this magical reunion of kindred spirits and cultures will be Scotland's own highly acclaimed Gaelic singer Kathleen MacInnes and Ireland's Liam O Maonlai. Liam strongly believes every country has its own sean nos, "when in the company of other cultures, the singing of this style opens a window into what it is that connects us".
Saturday 17 January, 7:30pm
The centrepiece of tonight's programme will be the world premiere of Conflict and Resolution by David Heath, which celebrates the life of the pioneering architect, designer and painter Charles Rennie Mackintosh, and is the fruit of a two-year collaboration between musicians from Scotland and Catalonia.
Transcending the boundaries between traditional and classical music, the piece is strongly influenced by the great Spanish cellist/composer Pablo Casals, while rooted in Celtic and Catalan folk idioms, making innovative use of orchestral space to reflect Mackintosh's experience of both cultures during his lifetime.
Variously inspired by modern jazz, rock, rap and Celtic music, David Heath has been described by The Herald as "the UK's most outrageous yet accessible contemporary composer". Performing with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra will be Scottish soloists Mary Ann Kennedy (clarsach), Shona Mooney (fiddle) and Rory Campbell (bagpipes), with Catalan musicians Francois Ragot (cello), Vincent Vidalou (tenora), Frederic Guisset (tible, tambori) and Francesc Sans (sac de gemecs).
Saturday 17 January, 7:30pm
Likened by his number one fan, crimewriter Ian Rankin, to "the Scottish Bob Dylan", ex-Doll by Doll frontman Jackie Leven is one of the UK's most prolific singer-songwriters. His 31st solo release, 2008's Lovers at the Gun Club, saw him hailed by The Independent as "perhaps our greatest musical poet of loss".
Named for the classic remorseful lovers' offering, Doghouse Roses are guitarist Paul Tasker - originally inspired by a Bert Jansch gig - and singer Iona Macdonald, who's been likened to both Sandy Denny and Linda Thompson, artfully blending these vintage folk influences with shades of alt.country and pop.
Saturday 17 January, 7:30pm
Teenage Fanclub drummer Francis MacDonald has had his fingers in an inordinate number of Glasgow's musical pies over the last 20-odd years. Two of his more recent ventures are the successful boutique label Shoeshine Records, and the producer's credit on Fridayday Night Lights, the much-feted 2008 debut from tonight's closing act, Attic Lights, hailed by The Guardian as purveyors of "rapturous melodic joy" and of "blasphemous trash" by the Free Church of Scotland. The rest of the bill includes a characteristically diverse and distinctive selection of Shoeshine talent, including the original Bellshill anti-heroes of the now-legendary C86 scene, the BMX Bandits, and MacDonald's Fanclub bandmate Norman Blake, in his new collaboration with ex-Gorky's Zygotic Minci vocalist Euros Childs, with other acts to be announced.
Saturday 17 January, 8pm
Having launched their career as winners of an inaugural Danny Kyle Open Stage Award, at Celtic Connections back in 1999, Malinky are now firmly established aMondayg today's top song-based folk acts, with four acclaimed albums to their credit and an ever-expanding tour schedule on both sides of the Atlantic. To celebrate their tenth anniversary, the current line-up of Steve Byrne, Mark Dunlop, Fiona Hunter, Dave Wood and Mike Vass will be joined by all of the band's former members - Karine Polwart, Kit Patterson, Jon Bews, Leo McCann and Ewan MacPherson - with the set-list ranging from their debut Last Leaves to their new release Flower & Iron.
Saturday 17 January, 8pm
Legendary fiddler Jerry Holland, a mainstay of Cape Breton music since the 1970s, hosts an intimate gathering of musical comrades from over the decades including Kimberly Fraser (piano), Ross Kennedy (guitar, bouzouki), Archie MacAllister (fiddle), Bruce MacGregor (fiddle), Gillian Frame (fiddle), Ruaridh MacMillan (fiddle), Rebecca Brown (fiddle) and Dan Thorpe (fiddle) performing a selection from his vast repertoire of Scottish, Irish and self-penned tunes.
Support comes from Shetland fiddler Maggie Adamson, a Danny Kyle Award winner in 2008.
Saturday 17 January, 8pm
All the way from the Isle of Eigg, the brilliant banjo and mandolin player Damian Helliwell leads a new but seasoned instrumental sextet - fiddler Gabe McVarish, accordionist John Somerville, guitarist Ross Martin and percussionist Donald Hay - performing his own dynamic, colourful tunes.
Fraser Fifield's new project Stereocanto sees the gifted Scottish multi-instrumentalist and composer playing Highland pipes, soprano sax, low whistles and Bulgarian kaval over dynamic, richly textured layers of pre-recorded beats, live looping and laptop effects, in company with two of Scotland's leading young jazz musicians: guitarist Graeme Stephen and drummer Alyn Cosker.
Saturday 17 January, 9:30pm
Uniting twelve leading female folk artists from countries linked by the North Sea and North Atlantic, the Seaquins gave their debut performances at the 2008 Tonder Festival, winning a standing ovation twice over. Instigated by Danish fiddlers Ditte Fromseier Mortensen and Kirstine Sand, the line-up also features Scots Inge Thomson (accordion), Emily Smith (vocals/accordion), Shona Mooney (fiddle), Anna Massie (guitar/mandolin), Jenn Butterworth (guitar/vocals) and Mairearad Green (accordion/bagpipes), with Finland's Kukka Lehto (fiddle), SWednesdayen's Emma Johansson (flutes/vocals) and Cape Breton fiddler/pianist Kimberly Fraser. Their sumptuously layered arrangements interweave songs and tunes from all five countries' traditions, celebrating their connections and forging new comMonday ground.
Anticipated to be one of the most exciting debut acts of this year's festival, Lo Cor de la Plana are an all-male vocal group based in Marseille, who reinvent the ancient Occitan traditions of southern France, drawing on sources from medieval times to the present day. Their exhilarating blend of powerful polyphonic harMondayies and dynamic rhythms is accompanied by hand-drums, tambourines and body percussion.
Saturday 17 January, 10:30pm
Get ready for some late-night music!
Our late-night club ensures there is even more music to enjoy after all the gigs are over. Join local and international artists as they make special unbilled appearances or join in one of many sessions happening in the bars.
With food and drink in plentiful supply you can happily keep going into the early hours of the morning whilst witnessing some of the best musical collaborations of the festival.
Master of cereMondayies, Gibb Todd returns to present each act on stage and Doris Rougvie hosts The House of Song in a peaceful oasis away from the main stage.
Sunday 18 January, 11am
What a great way to start a Sundayday! A wonderful, releasing, therapeutic class of samba drumming. Big Groove have designed this workshop specially for women to liberate their inner percussionist. Have fun exploring samba rhythms, energising, invigorating and empowering. If you've never tried it before - make it this year!
Sunday 18 January, 11am
The multi-talented Hamish Napier returns with a day of whistle tuition at the festival. You will learn the basics of this popular and verSaturdayile instrument. Whistles in the key of D will be provided but if you have your own, bring it along.
Sunday 18 January, 11am
In this workshop Ali Burns will be taking you on an excursion back to the 18th century to explore a treasure trove of well and lesser-known gems from Scotland's greatest bard. The workshop will be interspersed with background stories and historic narrative. Songs will be taught by ear but music will also be available.
Sunday 18 January, 11am
Andy May is a well-known performer and tutor of the bodhran and he will show his students how to achieve some really good basic rhythms so that you will always be welcome at a session. Drums and beaters are provided so all you need is a sense of rhythm.
Sunday 18 January, 1pm
Having previously worked with Elton John, Robbie Williams, Tom Jones and Johnny Mathis, Rick Taylor is in constant demand on the Scottish folk scene as a trombonist, composer and arranger. His unique wealth of experience is now brought to bear on this new vocal suite, The Call of the Wild and Peaceful Heart: Songs from the Wayward Boys, featuring radically reworked versions of Scottish songs from authors as diverse as William Ross, Tony Cuffe and The Blue Nile. Taylor's hand-picked ensemble includes Ewan Robertson and Hughey Dowling (both vocals/guitar), Ryan Quigley (trumpet), Paul Brown (banjo/mandolin), Laura Sillitoe (accordion/piano), Alex Higgins (harMondayica), Laurence Cottle (bass) and Stu Haikney (drums).
Sponsored by the Sundayday Herald
Sunday 18 January, 1:30pm
The Lanarkshire Guitar and Mandolin Association makes a welcome return with mandolin workshop for absolute beginners who have never tried to play a mandolin before. This instrument is becoming so popular for sessions. The tutors have loads of instruments and boundless energy and enThursdaysiasm - it's absolutely infectious! Come and have a go!
Sunday 18 January, 1:30pm
If you have recently started to learn the whistle, here's a great opportunity to sharpen up your skills with one of Scotland's best players. Hamish Napier will take you through the fundamentals of the instrument concentrating on simple melodic Scottish tunes and developing your skills to the next level.
Sunday 18 January, 1:30pm
Robert Burns left us a huge legacy of songs and in this workshop Ali Burns will be teaching some of her harMondayy arrangements of his songs. Ali Burns - who leads the acclaimed Feral Choir in DumFridayes and Galloway - is a writer and arranger for choirs and is known throughout Britain for her transcendent harMondayies, inspiring workshops and easy teaching style.
Sunday 18 January, 1:30pm
If you have decided the bodhran is for you, this workshop will teach you more about the subtleties of this great accompanying instrument. Andy May will help students to build confidence and reach a higher level of skill.
Sunday 18 January, 5pm
Hosted by Danny Kyle's good Fridayends Gibb Todd and Liz Clark, the Open Stage is a chance to see new musical talent as they try to win a coveted support slot at next year's festival - and all absolutely free!
Sponsored by the Evening Times
Sunday 18 January, 7:30pm
Celtic Connections' celebration of Robert Burns for Homecoming Scotland 2009 would hardly be complete without Eddi Reader, whose latter-day love-affair with the ploughman poet was launched right here in the Concert Hall, back in January 2003. Later that year, the album Eddi Reader Sings the Songs of Robert Burns was hailed as another landmark in her wide-ranging career, which began with 1980s chart-toppers Fairground Attraction and has since seen her recognised as one of Scotland's all-time great song interpreters. Along with several Fridayends from the folk world, Eddi is joined tonight by the Orchestra of Scottish Opera, reprising the acclaimed arrangements created for that original concert by the late Kevin McCrae.
Crafting melodies and lyrics reminiscent of classic 1970s acoustic pop, Tennessean singer-songwriter Robby Hecht has already won comparisons with early James Taylor and Paul SiMonday, while Hooked on Music praised his 2008 debut album, Late Last Night, as "elegant and sublime...nothing less than a timeless jewel."
Supported by Homecoming Scotland
Sunday 18 January, 7:30pm
Somhairle MacGill-Eain (1911-1996), better known to the wider world as Sorley MacLean, was the pivotal modernising figure in contemporary Gaelic poetry. Commissioned by the Sorley MacLean Trust, which seeks to celebrate his artistic legacy and bring his work to a wider audience, tonight's performance comprises new settings of MacLean's poems, along with instrumental pieces inspired by his life and work, composed by leading traditional and classical musicians. As well as material originally premiered as part of the Highland 2007 programme, the concert will feature a brand-new composition, Hallaig, by Stuart MacRae -known for his astonishingly original and powerfully expressive works, often inspired by aspects of the natural landscape.
Performers include some of today's finest Gaelic singers, including James Graham, Jenna Cumming, Alasdair Whyte and Kirsteen MacDonald, along with the Glasgow Gaelic Musical Association Choir and an all-star house band, comprising Mary Ann Kennedy (clarsach), Gordon Gunn (fiddle), Dougie Pincock (pipes), Brian McAlpine (accordion), Christine Hanson (cello), Jack Evans (guitar) and James Ross (piano).
Sunday 18 January, 7:30pm
While he's still best known as lead singer with Celtic soulsters the Hothouse Flowers, Liam O Maonlai's earliest apprenticeship was in traditional music, and he remains an impassioned devotee of sean-nos singing, subtly interweaving this material with drones, grooves and world-music flavours on his most recent solo album, Rian.
Based in Marseille, Lo Cor de la Plana are an all-male vocal group who reinvent the ancient Occitan traditions of southern France, drawing on sources from medieval times to the present day. Their exhilarating blend of powerful polyphonic harMondayies and dynamic rhythms is accompanied by hand-drums, tambourines and body percussion.
Sunday 18 January, 7:30pm
An all-star encounter between some of Ireland's most revered musicians, this powerhouse trio first began collaborating in 2001, and recently recorded their first album together, Crossroads. Former De Dannan accordionist Mairtin O'Connor weaves a magical mesh of tradition and invention in both his playing and his superb original compositions. Fiddle and banjo ace Cathal Hayden's uniquely incendiary style is best known via Irish/Americana heroes Four Men and a Dog, while ex-Dervish singer/guitarist Seamie O'Dowd has also worked with Liam O'Flynn, Matt Molloy and Mary McPartlan. Special guest Jimmy Higgins completes the line-up on bodhran.
Karan Casey - "one of the great voices in contemporary music" (Sing Out!) - showcases material from her recent fifth solo album, Ships in the Forest, with Caoimhin Vallely (piano), Kate Ellis (cello), Ross Martin (guitar), and Niall Vallely (concertina).
Sunday 18 January, 8pm
Masterminded by German multi-instrumentalist Thomas Zoeller, this exciting cross-cultural encounter unites him with musicians from India, Portugal, Russia, the US and Scotland, and draws on sources as diverse as Indian raga, Gaelic song and medieval melodies. The comMonday thread is provided by the bagpipes, played here by Zoeller and our own Allan MacDonald, with harp, cello, hurdy-gurdy, low whistle, guitar, tablas and drums completing the ensemble.
Lewis native Margaret Stewart is one of Scotland's foremost Gaelic singers, whose latest album, Togaidh mi mo Sheolta, features some of the great bardic songs alongside lesser-known treasures, meanwhile celebrating her close cultural and personal connections with the Irish Gaeltacht.
Supported by Homecoming Scotland
Sunday 18 January, 8pm
Premiered at the Glor Irish Music Centre in Ennis, Ireland and showcasing three top Irish and UK banjo players - Enda Scahill, Angelina Carberry and Marcus Maloney - tonight's programme includes both solo and ensemble numbers, backed by the dream-team rhythm section of Ed Boyd and John Joe Kelly. A certain multi-Grammy winning American banjo player may also drop by for a tune!
Fighting Scot
The Songs of Scotland series has become an important part of the Celtic Connections programme, helping to maintain the festival's link with Scotland's love of song and is enjoyed equally by its audience and performers.
We will feature ten themes, which provide a comMonday thread throughout each night. Songs from the Gaelic and Scots traditions, as well as more contemporary songs which have entered into the tradition over recent years, will take audiences on an entertaining journey into Scotland's song tradition.
Tonight will be hosted by Ishbel MacAskill and features Alistair Hulett, ArThursdayr Watson and Norrie MacIver.
Sunday 18 January, 9:30pm
Raised amid the musical ferment of New York City in the 1950s and 60s, Eric Bibb combines a bone-deep mastery of Delta and Chicago blues with an equal love of gospel, soul and country, resulting in a uniquely expansive sound that's been dubbed 'new world blues' or 'AFridaycan-Americana'. His 2008 album Get Onboard continues masterfully to explore and develop the comMonday ground between these styles, while Bibb's rich baritone voice, exceptional guitar work and warmly engaging stage presence have established him aMondayg the most sought-after acts on the live roots circuit.
Texas-born Ruthie Foster - one of Bibb's guests on Get Onboard - had already won widespread critical and popular acclaim as a contemporary folk/blues artist, before returning to her gospel-inspired roots with 2007's The Phenomenal Ruthie Foster, an aptly-titled album of classic yet contemporary soul, matching potent songcraft with an enthralling voice that's been likened to such greats as Ella Fitzgerald and Aretha Franklin.
Sunday 18 January, 10:30pm
Get ready for some late-night music!
Our late-night club ensures there is even more music to enjoy after all the gigs are over. Join local and international artists as they make special unbilled appearances or join in one of many sessions happening in the bars.
With food and drink in plentiful supply you can happily keep going into the early hours of the morning whilst witnessing some of the best musical collaborations of the festival.
Master of cereMondayies, Gibb Todd returns to present each act on stage and Doris Rougvie hosts The House of Song in a peaceful oasis away from the main stage.
Tom Shields, Viv Lumsden and David Belcher
Journalists Tom Shields and Viv Lumsden discuss the media with The Herald's TV critic David Belcher.
Gordon Hotchkiss Hotchpotch Afternoon Session
Gordon Hotchkiss presents his show live from the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, featuring all the latest festival news, as well as concert previews and interviews with festival artists.
Monday 19 January, 5pm
Hosted by Danny Kyle's good Fridayends Gibb Todd and Liz Clark, the Open Stage is a chance to see new musical talent as they try to win a coveted support slot at next year's festival - and all absolutely free!
Sponsored by the Evening Times
Monday 19 January, 6:30pm
This award winning film is being shown as part of our celebrations of the great overlap between cultures. Throw Down Your Heart follows American banjo virtuoso Bela Fleck on his journey through AFridayca to explore the little known AFridaycan routes of the banjo and record an album. Bela's boundary-breaking musical adventure took him to Uganda, Tanzania, The Gambia and Mali, and provides a glimpse of the beauty and complexity of AFridayca. Using his banjo, Bela transcends barriers of languages and culture, finding comMonday ground and forging connections with musicians from very different backgrounds.
Bela Fleck will be taking part in a Q & A session after the screening.
See Bela Fleck in a concert inspired by this trip on Saturdayurday 17th January in the Main Auditorium.
Monday 19 January, 8pm
One of the most influential figures in New Orleans rhythm and blues, many of Allen Toussaint's songs have become familiar through their numerous cover versions, including Working in the Coalmine, Ride Your Pony, Brickyard Blues, Get Out Of My Life Woman, Southern Nights and Everything I Do Gonna Be Funky.
Although better known as a hugely influential hitmaker for other artists - including Lee Dorsey, Otis Redding, Bonnie Raitt and our own Frankie Miller, aMondayg umpteen others, he makes a rare live appearance here singing his own material, accompanied by the peerless piano-playing learned from his legendary mentor, Professor Longhair.
Monday 19 January, 8pm
By turns wise and whimsical, pawky and poetic, Michael Marra's uniquely eloquent songcraft has won him a devoted following far outwith his native Scotland or, more specifically, his beloved Dundee, whose distinctive history, topography and accents have always centrally informed his work. With his warm, gravelly voice, jazz-tinged piano style and quietly compelling stage presence, he is justly regarded as one of our greatest musical treasures.
A winner of the inaugural Burnsong songwriting competition in 2005, Kim Edgar launched her debut album, Butterflies and Broken Glass, at Celtic Connections 2008, winning praise from no less an authority than Karine Polwart for her "literate, timeless and hooky contemporary songwriting."
Love, Loss and Relationships
The Songs of Scotland series has become an important part of the Celtic Connections programme, helping to maintain the festival's link with Scotland's love of song and is enjoyed equally by its audience and performers.
We will feature ten themes, which provide a comMonday thread throughout each night. Songs from the Gaelic and Scots traditions, as well as more contemporary songs which have entered into the tradition over recent years, will take audiences on an entertaining journey into Scotland's song tradition.
Tonight will be hosted by Ishbel MacAskill and features James Graham, Kirsteen MacDonald and Nancy Nicolson.
Monday 19 January, 10:30pm
Get ready for some late-night music!
Our late-night club ensures there is even more music to enjoy after all the gigs are over. Join local and international artists as they make special unbilled appearances or join in one of many sessions happening in the bars.
With food and drink in plentiful supply you can happily keep going into the early hours of the morning whilst witnessing some of the best musical collaborations of the festival.
Master of cereMondayies, Gibb Todd returns to present each act on stage and Doris Rougvie hosts The House of Song in a peaceful oasis away from the main stage.
Aly Bain and Phil Cunningham
Folk legends Aly Bain and Phil Cunningham speak about their musical partnership and careers.
Gordon Hotchkiss Hotchpotch Afternoon Session
Gordon Hotchkiss presents his show live from the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, featuring all the latest festival news, as well as concert previews and interviews with festival artists.
Tuesday 20 January, 5pm
Hosted by Danny Kyle's good Fridayends Gibb Todd and Liz Clark, the Open Stage is a chance to see new musical talent as they try to win a coveted support slot at next year's festival - and all absolutely free!
Sponsored by the Evening Times
Tuesday 20 January, 6pm
Flemish singer Linde Nijland, formerly half of harMondayy duo Ygdrassil, has won high praise for her sensitive interpretations of Sandy Denny's repertoire, as well as her finely-crafted original material. She'll be performing with multi-instrumentalist Bert Ridderbos.
Tuesday 20 January, 7:30pm
In just seven years, Mariza has rocketed from local renown at home in Lisbon to global stardom. With her extraordinary voice and unforgettable live performances, she has transported Portugal's uniquely soulful fado song tradition out of working-class tavernas onto some of the world's most illustrious stages, including Carnegie Hall, Sydney Opera House, the Royal Albert Hall and the Hollywood Bowl. While faithfully honouring its rich and vibrant history, Mariza has also reintroduced fado to a new generation of listeners, often working with younger musicians and poets. Her acclaimed new album Terra casts the net yet further, incorporating subtle shades of jazz, Latin and AFridaycan music.
Opening the show - by special request from Mariza herself - will be the all-male Gaelic supergroup Na Seoid (The Heroes). Comprising seven of contemporary Gaeldom's most accomplished singers and instrumentalists, including several Mod gold medallists, plus musical director Mary Ann Kennedy, they earned glowing reviews for their self-titled debut album in 2008.
Tuesday 20 January, 8pm
Officially anointed as today's Greatest Devonians by popular vote in 2006, Steve Knightley and Phil Beer - aka Show of Hands - are widely acknowledged as England's premier roots duo. As underlined by their repeated ability to sell out the Albert Hall, they command a remarkably large and devoted following, combining muscular contemporary balladry with equally expert instrumental work.
2008 Danny Kyle Award winner John Langan, a contemporary singer-songwriter whose eclectic style is rooted in traditional Celtic music, opens the show.
Work and Industry
The Songs of Scotland series has become an important part of the Celtic Connections programme, helping to maintain the festival's link with Scotland's love of song and is enjoyed equally by its audience and performers.
We will feature ten themes, which provide a comMonday thread throughout each night. Songs from the Gaelic and Scots traditions, as well as more contemporary songs which have entered into the tradition over recent years, will take audiences on an entertaining journey into Scotland's song tradition.
Tonight will be hosted by Ishbel MacAskill and features Danny Couper, Janet Weatherston and Margaret Callan.
Tuesday 20 January, 8pm
BBC Scotland will feature some of the top acts appearing at this year's festival in a special free highlights show from the Old Fruitmarket. This programme will be broadcast at a later date on BBC Two Scotland.
Mary Ann Kennedy's Global Gathering
A handpicked selection of festival artists - from both home and abroad - play live in BBC Scotland's stunning new building. Live on BBC Radio Scotland and hosted by Julie Fowlis.
Tuesday 20 January, 10:30pm
Get ready for some late-night music!
Our late-night club ensures there is even more music to enjoy after all the gigs are over. Join local and international artists as they make special unbilled appearances or join in one of many sessions happening in the bars.
With food and drink in plentiful supply you can happily keep going into the early hours of the morning whilst witnessing some of the best musical collaborations of the festival.
Master of cereMondayies, Gibb Todd returns to present each act on stage and Doris Rougvie hosts The House of Song in a peaceful oasis away from the main stage.
Harry Reid and Alf Young
Journalists Harry Reid and Alf Young discuss print media and politics.
Gordon Hotchkiss Hotchpotch Afternoon Session
Gordon Hotchkiss presents his show live from the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, featuring all the latest festival news, as well as concert previews and interviews with festival artists.
Wednesday 21 January, 5pm
Hosted by Danny Kyle's good Fridayends Gibb Todd and Liz Clark, the Open Stage is a chance to see new musical talent as they try to win a coveted support slot at next year's festival - and all absolutely free!
Sponsored by the Evening Times
Wednesday 21 January, 6pm
A leading expert on the great ballad canon collected by Francis James Child in the 19th century, English singer Brian Peters brings this classic material vividly to life, accompanying himself on guitar and variously-sized squeezeboxes. He is joined tonight by Mary K. Burke, an Irish singer-songwriter and whose recent album was released to great acclaim on Greentrax Records.
Wednesday 21 January, 7:30pm
When asked by a well-known publication, back in 1999, to nominate his favourite songs of the last millennium, Richard Thompson took this request rather literally. While his list never made it into print, it did inspire this unique, unanimously acclaimed musical history-lesson, originally performed at LA's Getty Museum in 2000, and subsequently released on CD and DVD.
Thompson's brilliantly idiosyncratic survey of songcraft leads audiences on a journey from the Middle Ages to the 21st century, taking in medieval ballads, Jacobean opera and Victorian music-hall before sampling modern songwriters as diverse as the Beatles, Squeeze, Prince and Abba.
Spanning the centuries with Thompson's trademark bone-dry wit and astounding guitar mastery, the show features accompaniment from Judith Owen (vocals, piano) and Debra Dobkin (percussion, vocals).
"Only Thompson, surely, could successfully tackle such a daunting, dizzying diversity of songs, simultaneously capturing their individual essence and minting them afresh, all the while making them unmistakably his own." (Sunday Herald)
Please note that there will be no support act for this performance.
Wednesday 21 January, 7:30pm
Bluegrass and traditional Chinese music may seem an unlikely fusion, except when in the gifted hands of Abigail Washburn and the Sparrow Quartet. Singer and banjo player Washburn - last seen at Celtic Connections with Uncle Earl - fell in love with China's music and culture during her student travels. Banjo legend Bela Fleck, fiddler Casey Driessen and roots/classical cellist Ben Sollee, complete the quartet, drawing on many diverse influences such as jazz, classical and 60s pop.
Schooled by Bela Fleck, the outstanding British banjo player Leon Hunt creates a brilliant fusion of bluegrass, jazz and Celtic influences with special guests.
Chicago-based quartet The Special Consensus remain aMondayg the hardest-driving outfits on the bluegrass scene, drawing on gospel, Celtic, swing and Broadway influences.
Wednesday 21 January, 8pm
With 2009 marking the 40th year of his multifaceted career, Brian McNeill has long been a key pillar of traditional and contemporary Scottish music. A hugely compelling performer, both solo and with some of his era's most influential bands, he is equally influential as a songwriter, composer, producer, teacher, musical director and bandleader. Join him at Celtic Connections, with a host of musical Fridayends made over those first four decades, to see where this great innovator might go next. They include singer of the muckle sangs and bothy ballads of his native Aberdeenshire, Jock Duncan, and Sylvia Barnes, the vocal nucleus of the influential Glasgow band Kentigern, an elite group of female vocalists to sing the with the Battlefield Band.
The vocal/instrumental five-piece Allan Yn Y Fan perform a lively mix of traditional and original material, mostly from their native Wales.
Generations of Change
The Songs of Scotland series has become an important part of the Celtic Connections programme, helping to maintain the festival's link with Scotland's love of song and is enjoyed equally by its audience and performers.
We will feature ten themes, which provide a comMonday thread throughout each night. Songs from the Gaelic and Scots traditions, as well as more contemporary songs which have entered into the tradition over recent years, will take audiences on an entertaining journey into Scotland's song tradition.
Tonight will be hosted by Ishbel MacAskill and features Jimmy Hutchison, Scott Gardener and Margaret MacLeod.
Wednesday 21 January, 8pm
Bringing together two of Celtic music's most formidably accomplished and daringly inventive acts, tonight opens with the Scottish-based trio Lau, whose Best Group title at the 2008 Radio 2 Folk Awards set the latest seal on their justly meteoric progress. Combining superlative traditional musicianship with all the adventurousness of a free-jazz outfit, fiddler Aidan O'Rourke, guitarist/singer Kris Drever and accordionist Martin Green will be previewing new material from their second studio album, due out in March.
Having celebrated their tenth anniversary with 2008's retrospective compilation The Story So Far..., Lunasa continue to lead the Irish field with their stunningly virtuosic, all-instrumental sound, which delves deep into the rhythmic heart of traditional tune forms with a verve described by fRoots as "moving, pulSaturdaying, and thrilling to the very marrow". Layering exquisitely-played flute, whistles and uilleann pipes over powerhouse double-bass and guitar grooves, a Lunasa performance will leave you shaken and stirred.
Wednesday 21 January, 10:30pm
Get ready for some late-night music!
Our late-night club ensures there is even more music to enjoy after all the gigs are over. Join local and international artists as they make special unbilled appearances or join in one of many sessions happening in the bars.
With food and drink in plentiful supply you can happily keep going into the early hours of the morning whilst witnessing some of the best musical collaborations of the festival.
Master of ceremonies, Gibb Todd returns to present each act on stage and Doris Rougvie hosts The House of Song in a peaceful oasis away from the main stage.
Celttic Connections 2009 - Reviews
Online : www.celticconnections.com
By phone:0141 353 8000
Listings
Thursday 15 January
Celtic Connections Torchlight Parade with the ScottishPower Pipe Band
Free
George Square
Celtic Connections Festival Club hosted by Gibb Todd
£5
Quality Hotel
Friday 16th January
Iain Anderson in ConversationThe Cape Breton Connection
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Exhibition Hall
Celtic Music Radio 15.30AM Live
Gordon Hotchkiss Hotchpotch Afternoon Session
Free
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Exhibition Hall
Danny Kyle's Open Stage
Opening Night Showcasing Danny Kyle Open Stage Winners 2008
Free
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Exhibition Hall
J.P. Cormier
£10
City Halls, Recital Room
Sharon Shannon Big Band with Cara Dillon
£20, £18
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Main Auditorium
Breabach and Mary Jane LaMondayd
£12.50 (over 14s only, under 16s with an adult)
Oran Mor
The Burns Unit with Drever, McCusker & Woomble
£15 (over 14s only, under 16s with an adult)
ABC
The Wilders with The Hot Seats
£12.50
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Strathclyde Suite
Kathleen MacInnes and Macmaster & Hay
£12.50
St Andrew's in the Square
Pumajaw and Shelleyan Orphan
£12.50
The Classic Grand
Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba with Jayme Stone & Mansa Sissoko
£16
Old Fruitmarket
Celtic Connections Festival Club hosted by Gibb Todd
£7.50
Central Hotel
Saturday 17th January
Public Workshops
Kids Percussion Workshop for Wee Ones
£4
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Exhibition Hall
Opening Your Voice
come&try Fiddle
come&try Ukulele
£7
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Clyde Foyer
Kids Percussion Workshop
£4
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Exhibition Hall
This workshop is specially for children aged 7-10 years and Big Groove will guide them through simple and fun rhythms with samba instruments. Children must be accompanied by an adult and numbers are strictly limited.
Kidsamonium
£10 - kids under 10 pay their age
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Main Auditorium
The RSAMD "The Future of Our Past"
£10.50
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Strathclyde Suite
Public Workshops
Percussion Workshop
£4
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Exhibition Hall
Opening Your Voice 2
£7
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Buchanan Suite
Beginner Fiddle
£7
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, LoMondayd Foyer
come&try Gaelic Song
£7
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Clyde Foyer
Danny Kyle's Open Stage
Free
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Exhibition Hall
The Scottish World
£10
City Halls, Recital Room
Bela Fleck with Oumou Sangare, Toumani Diabate and Bassekou Kouyate
£20, £18
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Main Auditorium
Conflict and Resolution featuring the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra
£16
City Halls, Grand Hall
Jackie Leven and Doghouse Roses
£12.50 (over 14s only, under 16s with an adult)
Oran Mor
Shoeshine Showcase featuring Attic Lights, Norman Blake and The BMX Bandits
£15 (over 14s only, under 16s with an adult)
ABC
Malinky 10th Anniversary Celebration
£12.50
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Strathclyde Suite
Jerry Holland & Fridayends and Maggie Adamson
£12.50
St Andrew's in the Square
Damian Helliwell & The Mainlanders with Fraser Fifield: Stereocanto
£12.50
The Classic Grand
Seaquins with Lo Cor de la Plana
£16
Old Fruitmarket
Celtic Connections Festival Club hosted by Gibb Todd
£7.50
Quality Hotel
Sunday 18th January
Public Workshops - Women's Samba Workshop
£7
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Exhibition Hall
Public Workshops - come&try Whistle
£7
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Buchanan Suite
Public Workshops - come&try Burns Song
£7
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, LoMondayd Foyer
Public Workshops - come&try Bodhran
£7
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Clyde Foyer
New Voices
Rick Taylor
£10.50
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Strathclyde Suite
Public Workshops - come&try Mandolin
£7
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Exhibition Hall
Public Workshops - Beginner Whistle
£7
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Buchanan Suite
Public Workshops - Burns in Harmony
£7
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, LoMondayd Foyer
Public Workshops - Bodhran for Beginners
£7
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Clyde Foyer
Danny Kyle's Open Stage
Free
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Exhibition Hall
Eddi Reader Sings the Songs of Robert Burns and Robby Hecht
£22, £20
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Main Auditorium
"Hallaig" - A Celebration of Sorley MacLean
£16
City Halls Grand Hall
Liam O Maonlai with Lo Cor de la Plana
£12.50 (over 14s only, under 16s with an adult)
Oran Mor
Mairtin O'Connor, Cathal Hayden & Seamie O'Dowd with Karan Casey Band
£15 (over 14s only, under 16s with an adult)
ABC
Homebound and Margaret Stewart
£12.50
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Strathclyde Suite
Banjaxed! featuring Enda Scahill, Marcus Maloney and Angelina Carberry
£12.50
St Andrew's in the Square
Songs of Scotland
Sunday 18 January, 8pm
£10
Universal
Eric Bibb with Ruthie Foster
£16
Old Fruitmarket
Celtic Connections Festival Club hosted by Gibb Todd
£5
Central Hotel
Monday 19th January
Iain Anderson in Conversation
Monday 19 January, 12:30pm
£3.50
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Exhibition Hall
Celtic Music Radio 1530AM Live
Monday 19 January, 2pm
Free
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Exhibition Hall
Danny Kyle's Open Stage
Free
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Exhibition Hall
"Throw Down Your Heart" Film Screening with Bela Fleck
Free but ticketed
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Buchanan Suite
Allen Toussaint and Support
£16
Old Fruitmarket
Michael Marra and Kim Edgar
£12.50
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Strathclyde Suite
Songs of Scotland
Monday 19 January, 8pm
£10
Universal
Celtic Connections Festival Club hosted by Gibb Todd
£3.50
Quality Hotel
Tuesday 20th January
Iain Anderson in Conversation
Tuesday 20 January, 12:30pm
£3.50
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Exhibition Hall
Celtic Music Radio 1530AM Live
Tuesday 20 January, 2pm
Free
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Exhibition Hall
Danny Kyle's Open Stage
Free
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Exhibition Hall
Linde Nijland
£10
City Halls, Recital Room
Mariza and Na Seoid
£20, £18
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Main Auditorium
Show of Hands and John Langan
£12.50
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Strathclyde Suite
Songs of Scotland
Tuesday 20 January, 8pm
£10
Universal
BBC Scotland TV Special from the Festival
Free but ticketed
Old Fruitmarket
BBC Radio Scotland 92-95FM & 810MW Live Radio Broadcasts
Tuesday 20 January, 8pm
Free but ticketed
BBC Scotland, Pacific Quay
Celtic Connections Festival Club hosted by Gibb Todd
£3.50
Quality Hotel
Wednesday 21st January
Iain Anderson in Conversation
Wednesday 21 January, 12:30pm
£3.50
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Exhibition Hall
Celtic Music Radio 1530AM Live
Wednesday 21 January, 2pm
Free
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Exhibition Hall
Danny Kyle's Open Stage
Free
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Exhibition Hall
Brian Peters and Mary K. Burke
£10
City Halls, Recital Room
Classic Album: Richard Thompson - 1000 Years of Popular Music
£22, £20
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Main Auditorium
Abigail Washburn & the Sparrow Quartet and Leon Hunt and The Special Consensus
£15 (over 14s only, under 16s with an adult)
ABC
Brian McNeill and Allan Yn Y Fan
£12.50
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Strathclyde Suite
Songs of Scotland
Wednesday 21 January, 8pm
£10
Universal
Lunasa with Lau
£16
Old Fruitmarket
Celtic Connections Festival Club hosted by Gibb Todd
£3.50
Quality Hotel
Celtic Connections 2009 tickets can be booked:
In person: Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, 2 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow, G2 3NY
City Halls and Old Fruitmarket, Candleriggs, Merchant City, Glasgow.