Music fans can start planning and eyeing up tickets as the Shetland Folk festival launches its concert programme for the 43rd year with 32 local artists confirmed alongside the 15 visiting acts.
Audiences can look forward to a wide range of local favourites such as the recent Trad Award nominees, Haltadans, the ever popular Kansa, fiddle virtuoso Mary Rutherford and the beautiful harmonies of Laeverick. Established performers such as North Ness Boys, Vair and Sheila Henderson will join new singers such as Stewart Hutchison and a festival debut for Treemandos (featuring local legend mandolin players Kenny Johnson, Gary Peterson and Jenny Henry backed by John Clark and Grant Nicol).
Local super-group, Gemma Donald and Shetland Swing, feature an array of Shetland A-listers including Bryan Gear, Jackie Robertson and Norman Goudie and they will be performing at Clickimin on the Saturday alongside The Maes, Budapest Orchestra and Michael Daves & Jacob Jolliff.
Late night revelry will also be delivered by the likes of popular party bands such as The Plonkys, First Foot Soldiers and Fullsceilidh Spelemanslag.
With concerts spanning from Bigton (Hymhus) to Burravoe in Yell the concert programme offers something for everyone. Like previous years the standing gig (Friday’s Spangin’ Spree) will take place at Clickimin with Mec Lir, Elias Alexander and Astro Bloc sure to get audiences fired up. Families will also be pleased to know that the ‘Peerie Spang’ is also back on the festival Sunday offering children a chance to strut their stuff on the dancefloor.
Themed concerts include ‘Ringin’ Strings’ at Lerwick’s Columba’s Church (featuring the finest fiddle heritage acts locally and internationally) and an Americana themed concert at Lerwick Legion. At the same venue the Festival are also introducing the ‘Saturday Late Lounge’ – a relaxed and seated late night slot with music from Margo Cilker, Elias Alexander, Stewart Hutchison and newly announced Finnish power-fiddle duo, TEHO who comprise of Tero Hyväluoma and Esko Järvelä.
The latter will also lead a special educational exchange with Award winning pianist, Amy Laurenson where a group of young Shetland musicians will collaborate with four Finnish counterparts over the festival weekend – the end result will be performed in Mareel on Saturday night of the Festival.
This project and much of the community outreach and schools programme has been supported through Creative Scotland’s National Lottery Open Fund.More details will be announced nearer Festival time including the Festival Club programme, workshops and much more.
Check out www.shetlandfolkfestival.com for the full concert programme. Tickets will go on sale for Early Members at 6pm on Monday 3rd March. Early membership sales close at the end of 28th February and memberships will go back on sale on 10th March when remaining concert tickets will also go on sale to the general public.
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