MNS 'Scottish' FESTIVALS! supplement

Festivals!

Scotland's Music

the Scottish music festival supplement from MUSIC NEWS Scotland

INSIDE: Celtic Connections : Hebridean Celtic Festival : ButeFest : Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival: Eden Festival plus the start of our 2015 Scottish music festival listings!

Treacherous Orchestra (pictured) to play inaugural ButeFest in July : see page 6 www.butefest.co.uk

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www.brookfield-knights.com

www.celticconnections.com promoter: www.brookfield-knights.com festival: www.celticconnections.com

www.skerryvore.com

www.celticconnections.com

link: www.skerryvore.com shop: http://store.skerryvore.com/CHASING_THE_SUN_CD/p391975_12465182.aspx

www.tireemusicfestival.co.uk link: www.tireemusicfestival.co.uk tickets: sign up to be alerted @ http://tireemusicfestival.co.uk/mailing-list/

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BBC ALBA Screens The Best Of Celtic Connections The cream of Celtic Connections 2015 concerts will come to our screens in the coming weeks as BBC ALBA presents a new series of Cuirm@Celtic, starting on 31 January.

born singer’s profound understanding of the Gaelic tradition has made her one of Scotland’s most revered artists in any language and the concert features two of the younger Scottish singers that Smith continues to inspire, widely acclaimed star Julie Fowlis and former Dàimh vocalist Calum Alex MacMillan.

The third and final programme of the series, Cuirm@Celtic - Caidreabh is Ceol, will be screened on February 14 and features an

eclectic range of talent performing at the Horizons concert at the festival. Covering all corners of the UK and Eire, performing artists will include Kate Rusby, Al Lewis, Declan O’Rourke, Karine Polwart, Macanta, Nell Ní Chróinín and Damien O’Kane. The Horizons concert was supported by the British Council and Cuirm@Celtic: Caidreabh is Ceol is co-financed

by MG ALBA, TG4 and S4C.

www.bbcalba.co.uk

The new series of Cuirm@Celtic complements BBC ALBA’s coverage of BBC Radio Scotland’s Young Traditional Musician of the Year Final, which will be shown on the channel on Monday 2 February at 9.00pm.

With the channel once again boasting an eclectic line-up from Celtic Connections, the series – presented by acclaimed singer and music producer Mary Ann Kennedy and produced by Bees Nees Media - will feature performances from top acts including Le Vent Du Nord, Mairi Smith, Julie Fowlis, Kate Rusby, Declan O’Rourke and Karine Polwart.

The series gets underway with a concert set from Quebecois band Le Vent Du Nord. The quartet always receive a rapturous welcome when they take to the stage in Scotland and this reception is only heightened in this special Misses et Messieurs evening where the band is joined by a host of female talent including Emily Smith and Sharon Shannon.

Cuirm@Celtic continues on February 7 with an evening with Mairi Smith and friends. The Lewis-

Le Vent Du Nord appear in the 31 January programme : photo Alistair Cassidy

www.musicplus.org.uk

www.scottishmusiccentre.com

www.hittheroad.org.uk

www.facebook.com/scottishmusiccentre www.twitter.com/scottishmusic

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www.www.riversiderock.co.uk link: www.riversiderock.co.uk tickets @ https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/search/searchEvent.asp?event_id=62094&sid=

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First Acts Announced For Hebcelt’s Landmark 20th Year Stornoway, Lewis : 15-18 July : www.hebceltfest.com BUY HEBCELT TICKETS! @ www.hebceltfest.com/booking/

A band that can boast to having had Peter Gabriel, Robert Plant and Sinéad O'Connor in their line-up will be one of the main attractions at this summer’s 20th anniversary Hebridean Celtic Festival. The Grammy-nominated AFRO CELT SOUND SYSTEM, who are also marking their 20th year in 2015, are one of the first acts to confirm they will be playing the island festival in July.

Glasgow-based TREACHEROUS ORCHESTRA, who were nominated in the Best Group section in the 2013 Radio 2 Folk Awards, will also be on stage, along with Highland outfit THE ELEPHANT SESSIONS, named as Up and Coming Artists of the Year at last year’s MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards.

Afro Celt Sound System : www.afroceltsoundsystem.com

we wanted to celebrate with you all is that it's our own 20th anniversary too. Let's just say it's going to be one hell of a party."

Mark Bruce said: “HebCelt has always been one of those festivals that we have longed to play. It's the one everyone talks about as being amazing and we can't wait to come.”

Treacherous Orchestra, who release a new album, “Grind”, in February, are an 11-piece ‘super collective’ of mostly Scots musicians, with HebCelt director Caroline Maclennan said: one member from Ireland, having been formed “Our first three acts for 2015 offer an exciting The internationally acclaimed HebCelt, which at Celtic Connections in 2009. and diverse mix of music for our audience. The was voted 'Best Event or Festival' at the Afro Celt Sound System draw on music from Highlands and Islands Tourism Awards in They feature one of Scotland’s top pipers in Ross across the world and are a fantastic act to see November, will be held in Stornoway in the Ainslie; outstanding fiddler Adam Sutherland, as well as hear. Treacherous Orchestra have island of Lewis from 15-18 July 2015. from the village of Errogie on Loch Ness-side some absolutely wonderful musicians and are a who recorded his first solo album “Squall” at powerhouse on stage. The Elephant Sessions are The Afro Celt Sound System, a strong festival Ullapool’s Ceilidh Place this year and bodhran one of the fine, new generation of bands, as favourite, are a group that fuse modern player Martin O’Neill, who’s played with Stevie their recent award success has shown. We are electronic dance rhythms with traditional Irish Wonder. determined to make this year one of the best and West African music. They were formed by parties in HebCelt’s history combining some Grammy-nominated producer-guitarist Simon Each member of the band is a talented musician festival favourites with the best of emerging Emmerson, and have featured a wide range of in his own right and many of the group are also artists and our programme should reflect that.” guest artists, including Peter Gabriel, Robert gifted composers, producers and engineers. The Plant and Sinéad O'Connor. cumulative impact is described as a ‘loud and The festival’s landmark 20th year kicked off on 1 frenetic combination of pipes, drums, flute and January, as part of Edinburgh’s Hogmanay Their albums have been released through Peter strings’. celebrations, when artists representing HebCelt Gabriel's Real World Records, and their sales on The band’s Eamonn Coyne said: performed at a special ceilidh being held as part the label are exceeded only by Gabriel himself.

"Treacherous Orchestra can't wait to play of a series of free live gigs in the Old Town. material from our new album 'Grind' live at ‘HebCelt:Land’ was one of two of events held as After a number of festival dates in 2007, the HebCelt 2015." part of ‘Scot:Lands’ to receive a 4 star-review. band went into hiatus, but re-grouped in 2010 and played a number of shows, including a The Elephant Sessions made a name for This year’s HebCelt aims to build on a successful return to WOMAD (World of Music, Arts and themselves on the live circuit before the release 2014 event which staged its biggest ever Dance. This year they launched a new website of their debut album “The Elusive Highland programme of 40 acts, headlined by Big and announced the upcoming release of a new Beauty” and their recent success in the Trad Country, Levellers and Donnie Munro. album, "Born".

Awards.

A huge influx of music fans from overseas made Musician, composer and producer of the band, James McNally, said: "Afro Celt Sound The line-up includes drummer Greg Barry, from up the estimated 14,000 strong audience which Dingwall; fiddle player Euan Smillie, from proved a major economic boost for the islands.

System are delighted to be heading back to Lewis to perform at Heb Celt 20. It is one of our Kilmuir; Alasdair Taylor, from Inverness on mandolin; guitarist Mark Bruce, from Edderton; www.hebceltfest.com favourite festivals on the planet. We know that 2015 is a very special year for the festival with it and the one non-Highlander, Seth Tinsley, from www.facebook.com/HebCelt being the 20th anniversary and the main reason Hexham in Northumberland, on double bass. https://twitter.com/HebCelt

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www.facebook.com/belladrum

www.treacherousorchestra.com Treacherous gigs: www.treacherousorchestra.com/tour/ pre-order @ http://treacherousorchestra.bigcartel.com/product/treacherous-orchestra-grind-cd-album-2015

https://twitter.com/BelladrumFest

www.struileag.com link: www.tartanheartfestival.co.uk tickets: http://www.skiddle.com/festivals/belladrum/?sktag=12774

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ButeFest - New 3-Day Festival Isle of Bute : 17-19 July : www.butefest.co.uk TICKETS @ www.skiddle.com/festivals/ButeFest-2015/?sktag=12774

Rightly proclaimed as one of Scotland’s most beautiful islands (the clue’s in the name!) The Isle of Bute will play host from 17-19 July to ButeFest, a brand new three-day festival of music, food and fun.

Scotland , Folk-rock power-trio THE JOHN LANGAN BAND, The ever original folk meets blues meets Dexys style horns of sixpiece WOODENBOX, Galway’s own WE BANJO 3 with their irresistible blend of bluegrass, old time and Irish folk, STANLEY ODD Scotland’s own kings of Caledonian hip-hop, The absolute hard funk, jazz dance machine that is seven-piece FEDERATION OF THE DISCO PIMP and Celtic piping extraordinaire in the shape of duo ROSS AINSLIE & JARLATH HENDERSON. Of course as well as the mainstage attractions, ButeFest will have a great variety of foods for you to try. To celebrate Scotland’s Year of Food and Drink 2015 they have some of the best local producers alongside some new exotic flavours to titivate your taste buds. Our bars will be stocked with some of Scotland’s best Craft Beers and Ciders picked from the top Microbreweries around and if Lager is your tipple we sill of course have loads of that.

This accessible and hugely friendly family festival all takes places a mere thirty-five miles as the crow flies from Glasgow.

ButeFest is delighted to announce the first wave of headline bookings for 2015. ButeFest has endeavoured to compile a richly varied and superb line-up that includes both the contemporary and the classic of the music world and runs that gamut from rock to roots and folk to dance.

For the family with kids there will be a family fun tent with lots to So far confirmed are the do and scheduled entertainment wonderful PEATBOG FAERIES for all our little Butefesters to whose stunning live sets enjoy. There will also be pop up effortlessly combining Scottish activities around the site for all to traditional music and infectious take part in. dance beats has gained them a reputation as one of the most The following tickets are now on happening acts this side of the sale - see link above - Adult border. Local favourite’s weekend tickets are a mere SKERRYVORE celebrate their £65.00, Youth tickets (12-16) first decade with their infectious £55.00 and child’s tickets are blend of Celtic rock and indie £30.00. Weekend camping is music. The eleven-piece massive included in the ticket price. that is TREACHEROUS www.butefest.co.uk ORCHESTRA with their powerful www.facebook.com/butefest and confident sound of modern https://twitter.com/ButeFest

www.hebceltfest.com

Stanley Odd : www.facebook.com/stanleyodd

tickets: http://www.hebceltfest.com/store/tickets.php facebook: https://www.facebook.com

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KAISER CHIEFS TO HEADLINE BELLADRUM

the mns collection ….

Beauly, Inverness-shire : 6-8 August : www.tartanheartfestival.co.uk Buy Bella tickets @ http://www.skiddle.com/festivals/belladrum/?sktag=12774

KAISER CHIEFS have been announced to headline the Saturday night of this year’s Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival in a Scottish festival exclusive and their first ever appearance at any Highland festival.

The Leeds indie band formed in 2003 features Ricky Wilson, currently a coach on BBC Television’s ‘The Voice UK,’ as was last year’s headliner Sir Tom Jones. Kaiser Chiefs have enjoyed enormous critical and commercial success with a raft of best-selling albums and singles, three Brit awards including Best British Group, a NME award for Best Album, and a Mercury Prize nomination.

who has had a highly successful solo career after fronting up the band Fairground Attraction.

Joining these on the line-up are Glasgow’s hot new indie band HONEYBLOOD and Scots pop upstart KLOË plus: hot trad outfit MANRAN; Highland favourites SCOOTY & THE SKYHOOKS who play the main stage on Bella’s new Thursday third day; MARTIN STEPHENSON & THE DAINTEES; MACFLOYD; TANTZ; TORRIDON; COCO & THE BUTTERFIELDS; THE NEW MADRIDS; BLACKBEARD’S TEA PARTY; DIZRAELI & THE SMALL GODS; GOAT ROPER RODEO BAND and RUSTY SHACKLE. “The Kaisers 2008 gig at Strathpeffer has gone down in Highland lore as one of those epic ‘I was there’ moments. Much to my disappointment, I wasn’t, so I’m really delighted to be able to bring the band back to the Highlands for their first ever festival here,” said Belladrum promoter Joe Gibbs.

Belladrum has also announced that its fancy dress theme this year will be ‘Superheroes.’ A Friday headliner will be publicised in due course, together with around 100 more acts.

A new optional premium three day ticket to an additional headliner performance on the main stage "2015 is going to be another big year for the Kaiser on the Thursday opening night has been added to Chiefs and we’re thrilled to be invited back to play in the event. THE PROCLAIMERS have been announced to headline the Thursday night.

Scotland, a place where we have had so many special shows. Our last show in Scotland is going to Weekend, child (12 & under), campervan/caravan be hard to top. But let’s all give it a go” said Simon and electrical hook-up e-tickets can be purchased by going to the ticket link on the festival’s web site Rix (Kaiser Chiefs). www.tartanheartfestival.co.uk or direct to The band’s only gigs in the Highlands were in 2004 www.skiddle.com when they supported the Ordinary Boys at The Raigmore and during a mini-tour in 2008 when they Belladrum 2015 takes place in the beautiful Highland surroundings of Belladrum Estate, near Beauly in sold out two nights in Strathpeffer Pavilion in ten minutes. Songs such as ‘Ruby.’ ‘I Predict A Riot,’ and Inverness-shire. The independent festival has built a reputation for its eclectic line-ups, its offbeat non‘Never Miss A Beat’ have brought the band fame musical entertainments and its all-ages approach. worldwide. The Proclaimers have already been The festival won a VisitScotland Thistle Award in announced as the headliner of the festival’s new 2009 and is a past winner of the Grassroots Festival third day main stage evening programme on the Award at the UK Festival Awards, the festival Thursday. industry’s ‘Oscars’.

Also announced to headline the Black Isle Brewery www.tartanheartfestival.co.uk Grassroots Stage on the festival’s Friday night is www.facebook.com/belladrum the celebrated Glasgow singer EDDI READER MBE

https://twitter.com/BelladrumFest

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Celtic Music Radio – Live At Celtic Connections For Tenth Year Running Listen to live or on catch-up and @ www.celticmusicradio.net

Celtic Music Radio has been doing sterling work broadcasting live for the 10th year in a row at Celtic Connections 2015.

“We’re pleased and proud that Celtic Music Radio has once again be at the heart of Celtic Connections with our own festival of music,” said Ross Macfadyen, award-winning broadcaster and a director of the station.

Donald Shaw, Artistic Director of Celtic Connections, said: “It is a real pleasure to have worked with Celtic Music Radio over the years and it is a partnership that we hope to continue for many years to come. It is fantastic that as the festival has grown so has the radio station and they now entertain 72,000 listeners a month. We would like to take this opportunity to thank them for their ongoing and invaluable support not only during the Festival but all year round.”

Their broadcasts continue until Sunday 1 February and they also have a catch-up service from their website for all those great shows you've missed. The Glasgow-based community radio station, which broadcasts to Glasgow on 95FM, has been on air live from the city’s Royal Concert Hall every day of the festival this year.

Celtic Music Radio, which has covered Celtic Connections since 2006, prides itself as a station with a mission to support new musical talent and to be a strong voice for contemporary and traditional Scottish music, arts and culture. It has charitable status and is run by 30 musicloving volunteers. Currently it has 72,000 listeners a month in the Glasgow area and in 175 countries worldwide online.

“We'll be broadcasting live for a total of 116 hours from the Buchanan Suite in the Concert Hall and during this time, we’ll have had artists performing live and a rota of presenters raring to make sure our listeners far and wide are fully entertained for the duration of Celtic Connections. The Connections’ team are a pleasure to work with and they always make us feel a real part of all that’s going on."

www.celticmusicradio.net https://twitter.com/celt95fm www.facebook.com/celticmusicradio95FM

Benny Tetteh-Larty performs live on 17 January www.facebook.com/bennytettehlarteymusic

www.skerryvore.com

www.fallenangelsclub.com link: www.skerryvore.com shop: http://store.skerryvore.com/CHASING_THE_SUN_CD/p391975_12465182.aspx

facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/The-Fallen-Angels-Club/149553931728736 tickets: www.ticketweb.co.uk

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www.facebook.com/danielmeademusic link: www.facebook.com/danielmeademusic listen @ https://soundcloud.com/daniel-meade

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The Cat Empire to Headline Eden Festival Raehill Meadows, Moffat : 11-14 June BUY EDEN TICKETS @

www.theticketsellers.co.uk/tickets/eden-festival-2015/10033169?wlid=2681

Eden Festival 2015 brings the biggest line up to date.

Experience over 250 acts performing across 9 stages, set in the stunning Raehill Meadows of Dumfries.

Epitomising the phrase multiculturalism better than most, Eden Festival’s playlist includes; hip hop, dance, RnB, acoustic, soul, funk, dubstep, disco, dancehall, electronica, ska, pop, African dance, jungle, balkan beat, drum & bass, Ceilidh and much more … playing together side by side.

This years headliners THE CAT EMPIRE are a six-piece funk fusion band from Australia who mix it up with rock, reggae and jazz. A massive live draw on their home turf (where they’ve won an ARIA and hit number 1), their reputation has since spread to the US, Europe and the UK. This band will have you whipped up in a frenzy of giggling, grooving, and swaying.

GRAND MASTER FLASH, is an American hip hop artist and DJ. One of the pioneers of hip hop dj’ing cutting and mixing, with a mantle piece full of awards he’s sure not to disappoint.

Closer to home we have MS. DYNAMITE, a British hip hop and RnB recording artist. Winner of the Mercury Prize, Two Brit awards and three MOBO awards, and made famous with her infectious hits ‘It takes more’ and ‘Dy-na-mi-tee’.

info@themusicgallery.co.uk

www.themusicgallery.co.uk

Director Meredith Langley Vine said: “ Every year we go bigger and bolder and this time round it’s no different. We have plenty more surprises to reveal over the next couple of months so keep your eyes peeled. The line up this year includes a lot of new music for the smaller stages and Headliners The Cat Empire have a universal appeal.

They are a band that we have wanted to host since the festival started in 2009, so we are exceptionally delighted to have them at the top of the bill this year'.

More live acts appearing -

APHRODITE/ THE SKINTS /SUBMOTION ORCHESTRA/ PORTICO/ MUNGO'S HIFI/ GHETTO FUNK LABEL PARTY/JFB / FEATURECAST/ ALPINES/DUB MAFIA/ KAHN & NEEK /GYPSY DISCO / NUBIYAN TWIST/AFRIQUOI /AGE OF GLASS/ UNDERCOVER HIPPY /ASBO DISCO/TOO MANY T'S/FATHER FUNK/CUT CAPERS /BADGER BADGER/ KING LAGOONS FLYING SWORDFISH DANCE BAND/ TANTZ/ MONSTER CEILIDH BAND / GERRY CINAMON

www.edenfestival.co.uk www.facebook.com/theedenfestival https://twitter.com/TheEdenFestival

kazmiranda@hotmail.co.uk

www.kazmiranda.com The Cat Empire : www.facebook.com/thecatempire

cafe: www.facebook.com/pages/Kazmiranda-Vintage-Local-Art-Boutique/478898812161209 music gallery: www.facebook.com/pages/The-Music-Gallery/324208144334613

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Top Venezuelan pianist flies in for Celtic Connections Glasgow : 1 February : www.leoblanco.com - buy CC tickets @ http://bit.ly/leo-blanco-cc

“Musician” seems hardly adequate to describe Leo Blanco, the Venezuelan pianist who flies in to appear at Celtic Connections on 1 February and Edinburgh’s Jazz Bar on 30 January with three of Scotland’s leading jazz talents.

responsive. So it’ll be great to meet up again and bring some sunny Latin American music to the Scottish winter.”

His latest visit to Scotland reunites him with Brazilian-born bassist Mario Caribe, saxophonist Paul Towndrow, of the Brass Jaw horn quartet, and the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra’s powerhouse drummer, Alyn Cosker who, with Blanco, form the Blue Lamp Quartet, named after the scene of their triumphant first gig together at Aberdeen Jazz Festival in 2007.

instrument was the violin, which he played in the youth orchestra from the age of eleven in his home town of Merida, in Venezuela’s Andean region, and when he moved to the capital, Caracas, to study piano in his teens, he worked as a bassist in one band and as a drummer in another to improve his knowledge of these roles when writing for his own group.

“I’m really looking forward to working with these guys again,” says Blanco.

“That gig we played in Aberdeen felt electric and the crowd were so

and when I was about seven or eight, a piano arrived in our house. I was immediately drawn to it, to try and work As well as playing in groups such as this out melodies I’d hear on the radio or on South American-Scottish quartet, Blanco records. But I also liked the violin is a concert pianist who has worked with because it seemed to me at the time the closest instrument to the human voice.” top symphony orchestras. He is also a Practising was never a chore to Blanco composer, whose works have been performed by leading string quartets in and the hours he put in set him on the fast track, firstly to Caracas, where he the United States and by the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra, and is professor studied at the Ars Nova Institute and the University of Musical Studies and then to of piano studies at the famous Berklee Boston, where he attended both Berklee College of Music in Massachusetts. and the New England Conservatory.

But that’s not all. Blanco’s first He quickly became recognised in the United States, becoming the first Latin American to win the prestigious Boston Jazz Society and Billboard Grant awards and he has gone on to perform all over the world, including at the Edinburgh Fringe, where in 2006 he was presented with The Herald newspaper’s Angel award for excellence in performance.

www.leoblanco.com

“My parents weren’t musical,” says Blanco, “but they wanted their kids to at https://twitter.com/Leoblancomusic least get some enjoyment from music www.facebook.com/Leoblancomusic

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SCOTTISH MUSIC FESTIVALS to be included in our festival listings email details to: musicnewsscotland@gmail.com

JANUARY

MARCH

Celtic Connections

Wee Dub Festival

Glasgow 15 January - 1 February

Edinburgh 6-8 March

Celtic Connections 2015 comprises a wealth of concerts, ceilidhs, talks, workshops, free events and late night sessions taking place over 18 days across various venues in Glasgow.

The 2015 edition of Wee Dub Festival features giants of UK dancehall culture, top live bands, and hot upcoming talent. For the artist line-up and programme go to the website below. We look forward to welcoming you to another weekend of roots, culture and good vibes in Edinburgh in March 2015.

www.celticconnections.com

Big Burns Supper Dumfries 23-31 January Big Burns Supper is Dumfries’ newest multidisciplinary festival of contemporary performing arts, providing an annual platform for the most innovative music, theatre, visual arts, dance, live art, film, cabaret and children’s events. The festival will take place from the 23rd until the 31st January 2014. Go to http://2014. bigburnssupper.com/ to find out more about the festival. World's Biggest Night Burns Celebration. http://2014.bigburnssupper.com/

FEBRUARY Fife Jazz Festival Fife 6-8 February

www.weedubfestival.co.uk

APRIL Skye Live Skye April 3-4 This Easter we will be bringing you an exclusive festival to Portree. This will take place in the stunning home of the Skye Highland Games. www.skyelive.scot

Edinburgh International Harp Festival Edinburgh 10-15 April 2015

The Clarsach Society & Edinburgh International Harp Festival is an annual celebration and The 8th edition of the Fife Jazz Festival. Whether gathering of musical talents. Find out more you're a jazz and blues specialist or a casual about us at www.clarsachsociety.co.uk The listener, we hope that you're going to find plenty Clarsach Society (Comunn na Clarsaich) to enjoy. Thanks to all the musicians who are encourages interest in the instrument, especially going to give us such a great weekend, and amongst young players, who enjoy its thanks to Fife Council for enabling us to re-open adaptability to solo work, accompaniment or The Byre Theatre to put on such an exciting ensemble playing. The Society also presents the programme in St Andrews.

Edinburgh International Harp Festival - an annual celebration and gathering of musical www.fifejazzfestival.com talents. Every Spring we bring harpists from across the globe together to rub shoulders with Edinburgh Iranian Festival you, the audience.

Edinburgh February 6-16 www.harpfestival.co.uk The Edinburgh Iranian Festival is a non-political showcase for world-class Iranian culture, as well as for bands and artists working both in and outside Iran. We aim to introduce the tremendous breadth of Iranian history and culture to adults and children in Scotland, and to integrate the two communities through a broad range of interactive events spanning numerous art-forms.

St Boswells Americana Festival Scottish Borders 18 April St Boswells Live! presents ….. St Boswells Americana Festival featuring RED DAWG + DAN WALSH plus workshops and other special events.

35th Shetland Folk Festival Shetland 30 April -3 May The Festival as the UK's most northerly folk festival is regarded a prestigious event for performers, locals and visitors alike. Organised by a voluntary committee (and run by an even bigger pool of volunteers) the Festival prides itself in reaching out to even the most far flung areas of Shetland. Concerts are organised throughout the isles, consisting of some of the best International, British and Shetland music that the world has to offer. In fact, visiting artistes are regularly dumbfounded by the quantity and quality of local musicians that our remote isles have to offer. www.shetlandfolkfestival.com

MAY Isle of Bute Jazz Festival Isle of Bute 1-4 May 2015 The 28th Isle of Bute Jazz Festival has grown spectacularly from its small beginnings to become one of Britain's most popular jazz weekends. Top-class UK and international names feature in a programme of traditional jazz music in one of Scotland's prettiest and friendliest seaside resorts. www.butejazz.com

Brew at the Bog Inverness 2 May 2015 Super earlybird tickets have already sold out!

Next batch of tickets go on sale in October!

Brew at the Bog is BrewDog and Bogbain Farm’s gift to the world: a festival full of new music and new beer. BrewDog are the leaders of the craft beer revolution and they are about breaking rules, taking risks, upsetting trends, unsettling institutions but first and foremost, great tasting beers. As one newspaper put it, BrewDog is the new black. Bogbain Farm is based just outside Inverness and was crowned the “Best Unusual Venue” at the 2012 Scottish Event Awards. Brew at the Bog is just the latest in festivals Bogbain is hosting and the fabulous surroundings of this old farm will ensure Brew at the Bog 2015 will go down in history. www.brewatthebog.com

www.stboswellslive.com

www.ediranfest.co.uk

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XpoNorth 2015 Music Submissions NOW OPEN! - Deadline 3 April

10-11 June 2015 : Inverness These acts showcased at goNORTH 2014 Adopted As Holograph : Algernon Doll : Angus Munro : Atom Tree : Baby Strange : Beecake : Black Cub : Broken Records : Bronagh & The Boys : Charlotte Brimner : Copper Lungs : Cryptic Keys : Culann : Dante : Deathcats : Delta Mainline : Dorec-A-Belle : Dr Wook : Eleanor Nicolson : F**K Art Let’s Dance (Germany) : Fat-Suit : Felix Champion : Foreignfox : Forest Fires : Friends In America : Garden Of Elks : Griefjoy (France) : Halfrican : Hector Bizerk : Hold Fast (Norway) : Indian Red Lopez : Le Vasco (France) : Lionel : Machines In Heaven : Miaoux Miaoux : Michael Cassidy : Miss Irenie Rose : Model Aeroplanes : Neon Waltz : Our Future Glory : Pale Honey (Sweden) : Pinact : Poor Things : Prehistoric Friends : Roman Nose : R51 : Scary People : Schnarff Schnarff : Shaped : Silver Coast : Siobhan Wilson : Teen Canteen : The Broken Ravens : The Hazey Janes : The Moon Kids : The Yawns : The Youth And Young : United Fruit : Vasa : Vladimir : Wecamefromwolves

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