Hands Up for Trad’s Trad Music Spotlight is a monthly feature on a band or solo artist. It was first launched in February 2015 and features musicians who are working in the trad scene – both in Scotland and around the world. We asked Shooglenifty a few questions.
What’s happening?
We’re planning a big tour of Scotland and England in November/December 2015 to showcase our new album The Untied Knot. We’ll be joined by our new secret weapon, ‘puirt a beul’ vocalist Kaela Rowan who graces this new release with the first ever collection of Shoogle songs.
When was the band formed?
The band was formed in 1990 in the streets of Spain and the session scene of Edinburgh. So we have spent this year celebrating our 25th Anniversary, with not one but three very special gigs. We sold out Glasgow’s iconic Old Fruitmarket venue at Celtic Connections, blew the roof off a packed Glenuig Hall in April, and, in May, partied at a late-night album launch at La Belle Angele, scene of our first residency in the early 90s.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChSHsYKBG_EzLMlFc6uMEnw
What excites you about performing Scottish music?
It constantly evolves yet retains a healthy respect for its past.
What’s next for you?
We’re heading back to India in October to meet up with our friends, the Master Musicians of Rajasthan. We’ll be touring with them and, hopefully, recording too. There’s a lot to explore in the music of other countries, many points of contact, and exciting things happen when two traditions come together.
Read more about Shooglenifty at their website http://www.shooglenifty.com