As I write this blog there is only 11 days 6 hours 24 minutes and 33 seconds to the 2017 MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards. It’s going to be another amazing night full of wonderful music and people. This is the 15th Awards Show which started in September 2003 in Edinburgh’s Queen’s Hall. I can’t believe we made it this far but it has been a blast! BBC ALBA have made a programme about the first 15 years which is first broadcast on iPlayer on Saturday 25th November at 9pm (in the UK)
There has been a few milestones which have changed our direction.
- 2003 – the original idea. I was amazed that 400 people turned up for the show
- 2006 – our first foray out of the central belt to The Nevis Centre, Fort William. In 2005 I made a visit to the East Coast Music Awards in Canada and I was amazed how they moved around the region every year and I thought we can do this! It was a massive step up in terms of volume which didn’t occur to us at the time and we booked 50 tables. This was start of the Trad Awards as we know them today.
- 2008 – The year the TV came on board. MG ALBA agreed to sponsor the event and broadcast the show on the brand new BBC ALBA. Bees Nees Media came on board to film the event and the production quality went up immearably.
- 2012 – Our first live broadcast! After 4 years of filming BBC ALBA decided to broadcast the show live between 9pm-11pm which was very exciting! Everything had to sharpen up as we couldn’t run late in any way and the production values took another leap! This was also our first outing with the amazing Dennis Kearsley who became our Technical Manager. He has been amazing making the event better every year.
Who know what will happen next. We would love to see you at the MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards on Saturday 2nd December in Paisley. It’s an amazing night of music and awards. Performing are Elephant Sessions, The Shee Big Band, Siobhan Miller, Tidelines, Paisley Fèis, Snuffbox, The Seamus O’Sullivan Experience, Lori Watson, Jenna Reid and Harris Playfair, Ross Ainslie, Songs of Bàrd Phàislig (featuring Gillebrìde MacIlleMhaoil, Sìneag MacIntyre, Màiri NicAonghais, Seonaidh MacIntyre, Ewan MacPherson, Mhairi Hall, Màiri Nic a Mhaoilein). You can buy tickets here.
Here are the photos from last year to wet your appetite!
https://projects.handsupfortrad.scot/galleries/book/mg-alba-scots-trad-music-awards-2016/