As Celtic Connections kicks off for 17 days of musical magic, the sheer amount of what is on offer can be overwhelming, and who can afford to make a costly mistake?
With that in mind, and to save you time, money and tears, here is Scots Whay Hae’s pick of the best this year’s Celtic Connections has to offer:
18th Jan, two post punk legends take the stage at O2, ABC in the shape of The Pop Group supported by Davey Henderson’s newest group, The Sexual Objects:
21st Jan, two of Scotland’s best singer/songwriters appear at The Mitchell Library. R.M. Hubbert is going to be playing with The Cairns Quartet, and Aidan Moffat is going to read poetry, prose and whatever else takes his fancy:
22nd Jan, one of Scotland’s finest singers, Julie Fowlis, appears at The Old Fruitmarket supported by the excellent RANT:
23rd Jan, a guaranteed great night out will be James Grant at the Tron Theatre, supported by Lisa O’Neill. Few write with the poignancy that Grant does:
24th Jan, a real value for money event at Platform which sees the brilliant Withered Hand appear alongside Richard Dawson, Jeff Lang and The Mae Trio:
25th Jan, a sort of homecoming for Norman Blake who is playing with one of my favourite musicians, Joe Pernice, under the banner of The New Mendicants at The Arches:
26th Jan, another great line-up for the Olive Grove Records Showcase featuring The Moth and the Mirror, Jo Mango, Woodenbox, The State Broadcasters and Randolph’s Leap. On at Oran Mor, this could be the best night of the festival:
27th Jan, a true living legend, and one of the greatest voices in music, Bobby Womack appears at the Royal Concert Hall for a rare live appearance:
29th Jan, another evening for musos from the early ’80s as Lloyd Cole plays with The Leopards, with support from the Jazzateers at the O2 ABC:
1st Feb, a man who has made some of the best music of the last 10 years, as Bill Callahan appears at O2 ABC, which makes me very excited:
Obviously, that’s just a taste of what’s on offer. The quality of the line-up every year at Celtic Connections is astonishing, and we should never take it for granted. Get it while it’s hot…