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Local music fans can start marking their diaries and pencilling in their dates as the Shetland Folk Festival announces its local artist line-up and concert programme this week.<\/p>\nLocal music fans can start marking their diaries and pencilling in their dates as the Shetland Folk Festival announces its local artist line-up and concert programme this week.<\/p>\n
The 39th festival is even bigger this year with an increase in concerts, capacity and a range of one-off special showcase events leaving something for everyone. Over forty local acts will perform across the length of the islands (from Bigton to Baltasound) as well as the fifteen visiting artists announced last month. As usual, the local line-up gives a nod to the past, present and future of Shetland music featuring \u2018weel kent\u2019 local favourites alongside brand new bands and performers.<\/p>\n
Fresh from their long-awaited debut album, \u2018The Rowan Tree\u2019<\/em>, Americana-inspired, Kansa<\/strong>, will perform at Clickimin on the Saturday evening with Blazin\u2019 Fiddles<\/strong>, JP Cormier & Tim Edey<\/strong>, May Erlewine<\/strong> and Kabantu<\/strong>.<\/p>\n One of Yell\u2019s best exports, Rack\u2019 n\u2019 Ruin<\/strong>, celebrate their 25th anniversary by performing alongside Elephant Sessions<\/strong> and the Anxo Lorenzo Trio<\/strong> in Brae Hall on the Saturday at an additional standing concert this year. Their fiddler and singer, Barry Nisbet<\/strong> will also be showcasing his solo work at the Festival Club on Friday at a special \u2018Stories behind the Music\u2019<\/em> concert curated by local musician and broadcaster Claire White<\/strong>. This will also feature Shetland Fiddlers Society<\/strong>, Papa Stour Sword Dancers<\/strong> and songs from White\u2019s new album, \u2018A Lasses Trust in Providence\u2019<\/em>.<\/p>\n \u2018Blazin\u2019 a Trail\u2019<\/em> concert at Mareel on the Saturday afternoon aims to showcase Shetland\u2019s current and former budding talent with Quarff\u2019s Jenna Reid with Blazin Fiddles<\/strong> on the same bill as the fledgling Scandi Fiddlers<\/strong>, High Level Hot Club<\/strong>, Fraser Jamieson<\/strong> and Langstrings<\/strong>. While locals and visitors can sample more Shetland culture at the festival club on Saturday afterwards with a dance workshop and supper featuring music from Northmavine Fiddle and Accordion Club<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Speaking about the line-up, the Festival’s Local Artist Coordinator, Diane Wood, says the lineup is a testament to how much talent is in the isles: \u201cWhen you see the list of local performers and the range of experience and styles represented it really demonstrates what Shetland music is all about. We are grateful for all our local acts who volunteer to perform each year.”<\/p>\n \u201cWith so many more visitors to the festival recently we felt we needed to create a bigger platform for Shetland music and hopefully this can be seen in the concert line-up. We are particularly looking forward to the special showcase concert at Mareel and the chance for our young musicians to see someone like Jenna Reid, who has shown what talent and dedication can bring.\u201d<\/p>\n Other local favourites such as Haltadans, Vair, Sheila Henderson & Freda Leask, Fjanna, Shetland Mandolin Band, Girsie\u2019s Loose Ends, Herkja, <\/strong>who wowed audiences on their first festival appearance last year <\/strong>and many more will perform over the weekend with party bands such as First Foot Soldiers, David Sandison\u2019s Tennessee Wannabees and Isaac Webb Trio<\/strong> performing late night slots at the Festival Club through it all.<\/p>\n In terms of themed concerts, three of the finest singers from across the Atlantic will perform on Sunday afternoon\u2019s \u2018Voices of Canada\u2019<\/em> show featuring JP Cormier, Kaia Kater and Pharis & Jason Romero<\/strong>, while jazz fans can see French swing quartet, Les Fils Canouche<\/strong> alongside local jazz musicians that same day. Sunday night will see the now legendary Foy concerts featuring the vast majority of visiting performers from the weekend and the festival weekend’s venue sizes will range widely from Friday\u2019s \u2018Spanging Spree\u2019 <\/em>at Clickimin featuring Rob Heron & The Teapad Orchestra, Kinnaris Quintet and Elephant Sessions<\/strong> to more intimate song nights at The String featuring acts such as The Jaywalkers, May Erlewine<\/strong> and local festival debutantes, Trevor and Eva<\/strong> and Trio o Dem<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Other events to look out for include children\u2019s concert, \u2018Peerie Spang\u2019 featuring Bon Debarras, Kabantu and Anxo Lorenzo<\/strong> as well as workshops and sessions in the festival club and the return of the Norwegian tall ship, Statsraad Lehmkuhl<\/em> as a live venue over the weekend (details announced at a later date).<\/p>\n For full programme details so far go to https:\/\/www.shetlandfolkfestival.com\/concerts<\/a><\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n