CLICK HERE TO ADD YOUR EVENT

Celtic Connections marks one week to go with programme announcement

The Celtic Connections online festival will begin one week today. Across 19 days, the festival will present over 30 online performances between 15th January and 2nd February!

Celtic Connections marks one week to go with programme announcement

Article Source: Celtic Connections
Last Updated: 8 January 2021 10:00

World class concerts will be available to view online with some of the biggest names on the Scottish music scene and beyond appearing on screens across the world as part of the winter festival.

Celtic Connections has created unique digital content from specially commissioned projects and performances filmed across many of Glasgow’s much-loved venues. International artists have also contributed to the eclectic line-up by recording performances remotely.

Traditionally, the festival welcomes over 100,000 attendees to Glasgow, a UNESCO City of Music, and on announcing the digital-first festival organisers hoped it would appeal to the wide international audience they usually see attending the festival. The 19-day event undoubtedly has caught the attention of music fans across the world with festival passes purchased in 35 countries already. With the festival’s global audiences in mind, they have allowed for all shows to be available for a week after they are first streamed to alleviate any restrictions for different time zones enjoying the range of content.

Donald Shaw, Creative Producer for Celtic Connections, said: “The announcement of the full festival programme today marks a huge moment for me and the wider team. The concept for a digital-first Celtic Connections was borne out of a desire to promote wellbeing and optimism amongst fellow musicians as much as it was about still being able to offer entertainment to our loyal Celtic Connections audiences during the dark nights of January.

“The resounding feeling that has come out of the recording days is a space for musicians to come back, to play again, to feel part of the community that they helped to create. The last time a lot of the contributing artists performed was at Celtic Connections 2020 and now they are back playing as part of the festival one year on after what has undoubtedly been the hardest year of their careers. We feel incredibly proud that as a festival, along with our funding partners, we have allowed for this safe space for them to play again, embrace their creativity and ultimately give them hope that there is a future for them within this industry.”


Opening in unparalleled style, the first online concert from the festival will include sets from some of the very best musicians on both the Scottish and international music scenes. With over 12 performances packed into the 90-minute show, the footage has been recorded across many of Glasgow’s venues as well as captured remotely across the world, bringing a true feeling of optimism and connections as it welcomes back so many musicians who have graced the festival stages across the years.

Each night’s online concert will show an ambitious line-up of various performers.

Saturday 16th January 2021 will offer two concerts, with the first in the shape of BEMIS presents ‘The New Scots in Concert’ with music from Jamaican musician Brina, whose sound is steeped in the rhythm of her native culture and inspired by World Roots Reggae music. The Ando Glasho Collective, a group that showcases the cultural heritage of the Roma people living here in Scotland, will also perform as part of this early evening show.

Later that evening Celtic Connections will welcome to its stage the heady line-up of acid croft pioneers Shooglenifty, fiddle playing royalty RANT and scots singer Fiona Hunter (of Malinky fame). One of Scotland’s finest young singer-songwriters Paul McKenna will also perform as well as Sudanese singer-songwriter Amira Kheir.

The afternoon of Sunday 17th January will have viewers settling into Josie Duncan’s New Voices commission while the evening will once again welcome a smorgasbord of talent in the shape of long-term collaborators and cross-genre pioneers Chris Stout and Catriona McKay and the Gambian artist and first female Kora virtuoso from a west African Griot family Sona Jobarteh. Jazz will also take centre stage on the Sunday night with award-winning jazz artists, including Jazz FM vocalist of the year nominee 2020 Georgia Cecile and jazz pianist Fergus McCreadie whose second album, Cairn, is out on 29th January.

A special show entitled Come Away In will air on Monday 18th January. Inspired by Karine Polwart’s song of the same name that celebrates Scottish hospitality and is partly inspired by The Wren’s Nest by Robert Burns, this song circle show will include performances from some of the best vocalist on the Scottish music scene - Karine Polwart, Eddi Reader, Rab Noakes, Siobhan Miller & Finlay Napier.

Scottish folk group Breabach will perform as part of the show being aired on Tuesday 19th January. Part of Aidan O’Rourke’s 365 show will also be aired where he will once again be joined by Kit Downes. Singer and harpist Rachel Newton (winner of the BBC Radio 2 Folk Musician of the Year in 2017) will also perform songs from her new album To the Awe. One of the true masters of the ngoni, an ancient traditional lute found throughout West Africa, Bassekou Kouyate will perform with his quartet of fellow instrumentalists Ngoni Ba, recorded remotely in his home village of Garana in Mali. Brummie folk musician Katherine Priddy will also perform as part of tonight’s entertainment.

Wednesday 20th January will showcase Blue Rose Code, the musical embodiment of Edinburgh-born musician Ross Wilson. Karen Matheson of Capercaillie fame will also perform a mixture of new material from her new solo album Still Time, out next month. Strings trio LYRE are a new group comprising of Patsy Reid, Alice Allen and Marit Fält and they, alongside Scottish acoustic troubadour Rory Butler, complete the line-up for this mid-week show.

Scottish trad will take to the stage on Thursday 21st January with multi-instrumentalist Ross Ainslie and his band alongside renowned folk-trad groups Talisk and Mànran. Scottish singer-songwriters Siobhan Miller and Beth Malcolm will also perform.

Friday 22nd January will be headlined by the exuberant fiddle playing of contemporary folk group Blazin’ Fiddles. Galicia’s Xabier Diaz records his set from his native Santiago de Compostela and the folk four-piece Gnoss and Gaelic singer Deirdre Graham perform sets from Glasgow’s stages.

The first concert of Saturday 23rd January will welcome Nordic folk outfit Dreamers’ Circus who have recorded from at home Denmark. Vocalist and exponent of the Gaelic tradition Kathleen MacInnes and folk five-piece Ímar will join the Nordic trio on tonight’s bill.

A special performance which has been captured for the festival in Rajasthan will also be part of this middle weekend show. The Womanly Voices of Jodhpur Riff was recorded at 4am with eight local female Rajasthan musicians playing as the moon went down and the sun came up. The line-up includes mother Sundar Rao and her daughter Ganga Rao on vocals, alongside Mohini Devi also on vocals and her daughter Susheela - the very first Rajasthani woman folk artist to play the khartal instrument on an international platform (with her first performance at Jodhpur RIFF - Rajasthan International Folk Festival in 2019 and now as part of Celtic Connections 2021.)

The later Saturday night show, starting at 9pm, will be Scottish indie group Admiral Fallow who will perform a one-hour concert for the festival.

Sunday 24th January will be a day packed full of entertainment with three online concerts. The first of the day will be the festival’s second New Voices commission, this time from 2017’s BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year Charlie Stewart.

The evening’s show will welcome the Americana duo The Secret Sisters. A high energy and driving performance will also come from Kinnaris Quintet. An Tobar is a creative hub on the beautiful Isle of Mull and for the first time they have commissioned a special set for this year’s festival that will be performed by Mairearad Green, Sorren MacLean & Hannah Fisher and Roddy Woomble of Idlewild fame.

The late-night show on Sunday 24th January will come from the legendary Argentine-Swedish singer-songwriter José González. After an unusually long break from live shows and recording of a new album for release later this year, José González will join in with an exclusive solo performance from a special venue in Gothenburg, Sweden.

James Grant & the Hallelujah String Quartet will perform a 50-minute set on Monday 25th January, supported by multi-instrumentalist, composer and singer Siobhan Wilson and nu-folk singer-songwriter Zoë Bestel.

On Tuesday 26th January the fiddle-led group Fara will take to the stage. They will be joined by an eclectic mix of Scottish talent in the form of singer-songwriter Rachel Walker, folk trio Assynt, fiddler Chloë Bryce and singer Amy Papiransky.

Wednesday 27th January will showcase two Celtic Connections shows, with the first being ‘Home on the Sea’ (sponsored by CalMac).

Celtic Connections favourites Cherish the Ladies will return for the online edition of the festival also on Wednesday 27th January. Their performance will be well and truly warmed up by sets from Nae Plans with Hamish Napier & Adam Sutherland and folk quartet Westward the Light.

Thursday 28th January will welcome a night of piping with The Conundrum 2021 - a line-up of pipers that includes Finlay MacDonald, Ross Ainslie, Malin Lewis, Ailis Sutherland, Conal McDonagh, Bradley Parker and a band of Steven Blake, Steve Byrnes and David Foley. Also joining this bill are Tryst, the 10-member band of pipers. The neo-trad trio Project Smok will open the night of entertainment with a number of tunes built around the distinctive piping of BBC Young Traditional Musician of the Year 2020 Ali Levack.

Friday 29th January will showcase a Celtic Connections flagship event, Transatlantic Sessions, which will welcome the regular all-star line-up from here in Scotland and across the pond. The festival will also air a concert that celebrates the music of Quebec with QuebecFest, featuring Le Vent du Nord, De Temps Antan & Isle Gross.

The final weekend offers another jam-packed entertainment offering with the first of the Saturday shows coming from Inverness where indie-folk band Elephant Sessions perform a 75-minute gig from The Ironworks venue.

Starting at 9pm on Saturday 30th January will be Roaming Roots Revue with this year’s theme aptly being Songs for Survival. The renowned festival favourite will welcome an all-star line-up of Simon Neil of Biffy Clyro fame, indie/art rockers Field Music, Ricky Ross and Lorraine McIntosh (Deacon Blue), folk trio The Staves, experimental triad LAU, singer-songwriters Heir of the Cursed and Rachel Sermanni, all beautifully accompanied by the inimitable house band of Roddy Hart & The Lonesome Fire.

The afternoon of Sunday 31st January will showcase the festival’s third and final New Voices Commission from Steven Blake of Rura fame.

A special show celebrating Edwin Morgan at 100 will be aired on the Sunday night which will showcase a selection of performances of songs that have been written to Edwin Morgan's poems by artists such as Roddy Woomble and Karine Polwart. The festival has also commissioned a new piece of work from Gavin Bryars who has written a choral work based on poems by Morgan called the Sonnets from Scotland (this show is in collaboration with Edinburgh international book festival).

The later show on Sunday 31st January comes from Rhiannon Giddens and Francesco Turrisi. They will be supported by Orkney singer-songwriter Kris Drever (Lau), Americana singer Dean Owens who will perform alongside Calexico’s Joey Burns, Cahalen Morrison will complete tonight’s bill.

On Monday 1st February, Uist’s Taigh Chearsabhagh Museum & Arts Centre have commissioned a special show that celebrates the talent that has come out of or been inspired by the island.

The ‘All Access’ ticket is priced at £40 and this will give access to all of the concerts taking place across the 19 days. It is also possible to purchase tickets for individual shows.

The Celtic Connections Rover Membership Programme is back for 2021 with a Celtic Rover Digital package that includes access to a host of exclusive Celtic Rover extras as well as the Celtic Connections Festival pass which gives the individual access to all of the festival content over the 19 days. The Celtic Rover Digital package is £45.

For full listing information and to purchase tickets visit www.celticconnections.com

All concerts are recorded whilst fully adhering to social distancing guidelines and all current government guidance are observed and followed.

Celtic Connections ask that even in watching and enjoying this digital-first festival, all audiences adhere to the government guidance relevant to them at their time of watching.

Celtic Connections is delivered by the charity Glasgow Life and is funded by Glasgow City Council, Creative Scotland and The Scottish Government Festivals EXPO Fund.

Sponsored Links

The Quay
Paisley Town Hall Wedding Fayre
Link
One Ren
Media Shop
Glasgow Science Centre
One Ren

Latest Renfrewshire News

Dinosaur Day at Dobbies

Dinosaur Day at Dobbies

Children attending Dobbies Little Seedlings Club will get the chance to travel back hundreds of millions of years to learn about prehistoric plants and talk about their favourite dinosaurs!

READ MORE
Winter Connections programme boasts success for third year

Winter Connections programme boasts success for third year

Thousands of people across Renfrewshire have benefitted from Winter Connections running for a third year.

READ MORE
Summer long celebration of the 90s and britpop launched

Summer long celebration of the 90s and britpop launched

PubLife, a UK-wide summer celebration of the '90s will take place in over 500 pubs, including 7 in Scotland.

READ MORE
Family days out just got better with free entry for kids at Scone Palace

Family days out just got better with free entry for kids at Scone Palace

This summer, as school holidays get underway, families are invited to enjoy a day out at Scone Palace with their Kids Go Free promotion.

READ MORE
Scone Palace International Horse Trials

Scone Palace International Horse Trials

The inaugural Scone Palace International Horse Trials will take place from 21st–24th August 2025 in the stunning grounds of Scone Palace and Perth Racecourse.

READ MORE
Major donation of Scottish artworks boosts Renfrewshire civic collection

Major donation of Scottish artworks boosts Renfrewshire civic collection

A magnificent collection of artworks has been donated to Renfrewshire's civic collection by Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, in memory of her late husband, John Shaw.

READ MORE
Renfrewshire launches Summer of Fun free activity programme

Renfrewshire launches Summer of Fun free activity programme

The new free summer activities programme for Renfrewshire children, young people and families is now available.

READ MORE
Countdown begins: The AJ Bell Great Scottish Run returns to Glasgow in October

Countdown begins: The AJ Bell Great Scottish Run returns to Glasgow in October

Scotland's greatest running event, the AJ Bell Great Scottish Run, will return to Glasgow on Sunday 5th October and they want everyone to 'Be Your Greatest'.

READ MORE
Thousands turn out to celebrate Sma Shot Day 2025

Thousands turn out to celebrate Sma Shot Day 2025

Thousands turned out to enjoy a day of fantastic live entertainment at Paisley's annual Sma' Shot Day celebrations on Saturday!

READ MORE
BTS fans take the spotlight in latest K Pop documentary heading to Vue

BTS fans take the spotlight in latest K Pop documentary heading to Vue

BTS Army: Forever We Are Young, a brand-new documentary celebrating the fans that helped catapult 21st century pop icons BTS into global stardom comes to Vue.

READ MORE
Jason Manford to play Paisley Town Hall as part of tour

Jason Manford to play Paisley Town Hall as part of tour

Comedian, actor, singer and presenter is latest big name to announce date at venue.

READ MORE
SAY Award opens submissions for eligible albums

SAY Award opens submissions for eligible albums

Scotland’s national music prize – the Scottish Album of the Year (SAY) Award – has opened submissions for 2025’s £20,000 prize.

READ MORE
Set sail for Paisley and enjoy a swashbuckling adventure on the high seas!

Set sail for Paisley and enjoy a swashbuckling adventure on the high seas!

Ahoy there mateys! The Pirates of Paisley is this year's must visit FREE summer brick adventure!

READ MORE
Paisley Town Hall bells mark Imagination Library becoming permanent

Paisley Town Hall bells mark Imagination Library becoming permanent

Much loved reading programme, Dolly Parton's Imagination Library in Renfrewshire, celebrated becoming permanent with bell chimes.

READ MORE
Great value summer holiday activities at Dobbies Garden Centres

Great value summer holiday activities at Dobbies Garden Centres

This summer, gather the whole family and head to Dobbies Garden Centres for a day of fun-filled activities that will keep costs down.

READ MORE
Crowds celebrate the summer at Barshaw Gala Day

Crowds celebrate the summer at Barshaw Gala Day

Thousands turned out to celebrate summer at Barshaw Park on Saturday for Barshaw Gala Day.

READ MORE
FREE family festival at Loch Lomond Shores returns on 5th and 6th July

FREE family festival at Loch Lomond Shores returns on 5th and 6th July

Summerfest, the FREE family festival at Loch Lomond Shores, is back on the 5th and 6th of July with lots of things to see and do!

READ MORE
Grab your free reusable cup!

Grab your free reusable cup!

Fancy grabbing a free reusable takeaway cup and then getting a discount on your next drink from some of our local cafes?

READ MORE
Thorn Athletic and Inchinnan Development Trust to create brand new artificial pitches in Renfrewshire

Thorn Athletic and Inchinnan Development Trust to create brand new artificial pitches in Renfrewshire

Two major community sports projects in Renfrewshire are set to benefit from a significant funding boost.

READ MORE
Earlybird tickets drive buzz for 2026 Scottish Caravan, Motorhome & Holiday Home Show

Earlybird tickets drive buzz for 2026 Scottish Caravan, Motorhome & Holiday Home Show

The biggest show of its kind in Scotland returns with Earlybird tickets and a give-away with headline sponsor Border Caravans!

READ MORE
July events at Dobbies Garden Centres

July events at Dobbies Garden Centres

Check out July at Dobbies with it's Little Seedlings Club on rainforests and Grow How on pest control and healthy gardens!

READ MORE
Refurbished play park is a big success with local pupils

Refurbished play park is a big success with local pupils

Pupils from Auchenlodment Primary School in Johnstone gave their refurbished play park a big thumbs up after it underwent a major upgrade earlier this year.

READ MORE
Historic Environment Scotland calls for public stories for national wellbeing exhibition

Historic Environment Scotland calls for public stories for national wellbeing exhibition

Historic Environment Scotland is calling for people across the country to connect with heritage to boost their wellbeing as a part of a national campaign, Historic Places, Breathing Spaces.

READ MORE
Clan Wrestling returns to Braehead Arena with former WWE Champions

Clan Wrestling returns to Braehead Arena with former WWE Champions

After their first event in March, Clash of the Clans, Clan Wrestling makes its return to Braehead Arena on Saturday 6th September for its second event!

READ MORE
Renfrewshire invited to honour Armed Forces community

Renfrewshire invited to honour Armed Forces community

The Armed Forces Day flag will be raised outside Renfrewshire House on Friday in a short service to mark Armed Forces Day.

READ MORE
Works set to be undertaken to restore historic Kilbarchan Steeple buildings

Works set to be undertaken to restore historic Kilbarchan Steeple buildings

Councillors have agreed a £350,000 contract to carry out repairs to the historic Kilbarchan Steeple Buildings.

READ MORE
Scottish Bar and Pub Awards 2025 adds two new categories and voting deadline extended!

Scottish Bar and Pub Awards 2025 adds two new categories and voting deadline extended!

Scotland's hospitality industry and customers have spoken, and the Scottish Bar and Pub Awards 2025 has listened!

READ MORE
Young people to choose their winners as Celebrating Renfrewshire Fund voting opens

Young people to choose their winners as Celebrating Renfrewshire Fund voting opens

Voting has opened for this year's Celebrating Renfrewshire Fund as young people get the chance to vote for the projects they think will make the most difference in their communities.

READ MORE
Get set for summer at Barshaw Gala Day

Get set for summer at Barshaw Gala Day

Crowds are set to soak up the summer vibes at Barshaw Gala Day with an afternoon packed full of exciting activities for all the family!

READ MORE
25th year of Refugee Festival Scotland gets underway

25th year of Refugee Festival Scotland gets underway

Refugee Festival Scotland gets underway today, kick-starting nine days of dance performances, film screenings, visual art and photography exhibitions and community events across the country.

READ MORE

Sponsored Links

St Columba's School
Renfrewshire Council
Paisley First
Pace Youth Theatre
ATG
Go Radio
Hostelworld

Sponsored Links

The Quay
Paisley Town Hall Wedding Fayre
Link
One Ren
Media Shop
Glasgow Science Centre
One Ren
St Columba's School
Renfrewshire Council
Paisley First
Pace Youth Theatre
ATG
Go Radio
Hostelworld

Popular Events

Scotland’s Gardens Scheme Open Garden: North Newton Farm
In six years, the new owners have transformed North Newton Farm garden! Come and explore the grounds for yourself as part of Scotland’s Gardens Scheme.
Renfrewshire Business Network - July Meeting
Increase your business contacts and grow your network at the next Renfrewshire Business Network meeting which is being held at Launch-it in Paisley on Friday 25th July!
Celebrity Golf Day at Mar Hall in aid of Ardgowan Hospice
Join Ardgowan Hospice for a memorable day of golf, great company, and giving back, set against the backdrop of Mar Hall's championship course.
Keg & Cask: Guest Fest
Two Towns Down is thrilled to announce Guest Fest - a relaxed weekend celebration of exceptional keg and cask beer, taking place on Friday 18th and Saturday 19th July!
Summer Super Spotter Challenge
Explore the woodland trails at RSPB Lochwinnoch Nature Reserve this Summer on this family-friendly Scavenger Hunt!

Popular Listings

Beacon Arts Centre Braehead Arena Johnstone Town Hall Old Swan Inn Paisley Paisley Abbey Paisley Arts Centre Paisley Town Hall Robertson Park Renfrew The Bungalow Paisley Venue Paisley