{"id":21047,"date":"2024-10-15T10:57:20","date_gmt":"2024-10-15T09:57:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/projects.handsupfortrad.scot\/handsupfortrad\/?p=21047"},"modified":"2024-10-15T10:57:23","modified_gmt":"2024-10-15T09:57:23","slug":"celtic-connections-to-shine-bright-this-winter-as-2025-programme-unveiled","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/projects.handsupfortrad.scot\/handsupfortrad\/celtic-connections-to-shine-bright-this-winter-as-2025-programme-unveiled\/","title":{"rendered":"Celtic Connections to shine bright this winter as 2025 programme unveiled"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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GLASGOW, SCOTLAND – OCTOBER 14: Ciaran Ryan on the banjo, Michael Biggins on the piano and Ciorstaidh Beaton on the clarsach (L-R) pose on the Govan-Partick bridge during the launch of the Celtic Connections 2024 programme of events, on October 14, in Glasgow, Scotland (Photo by Rob Casey \/ SNS Group)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The world\u2019s leading folk, roots and world music festival\u00a0Celtic Connections<\/strong>\u00a0has unveiled its ambitious, multi-faceted programme for 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The premiere winter festival and international celebration of Celtic music will illuminate stages across Glasgow from\u00a0Thursday 16 January to Sunday 2 February<\/strong>, eclipsing dark winter nights with a kaleidoscope of internationally-renowned music, exciting new performances, unique showcases and one-off collaborations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Demonstrating just why Glasgow is a\u00a0UNESCO City of Music,<\/strong>\u00a0the festival, delivered by\u00a0Glasgow Life<\/strong>, will fill around 25 venues on both sides of the Clyde with around 300 events across 18 days, anticipating around 110,000 visitors and an estimated 1,200 musicians and artists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now in its 32nd year and almost five times the size it was when it began in 1994,\u00a0Celtic Connections\u00a0<\/strong>continues to push the envelope of artistic programming and ambition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The festival\u2019s 2025 bill spans a myriad of genres, from acoustic, traditional, Americana and orchestral to indie, jazz, blues, experimental and more. The event will welcome artists from around 20 countries around the world including Australia, Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan, France, Italy, Nigeria, Spain, Wales, Ireland, Republic of the Congo and many more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This year will also see the launch of a new under-26s pass, giving young music fans an opportunity to access rolling discounts on a mix of shows and ensuring the magic of the festival continues to be accessible to as wide a range of audiences as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Glasgow\u2019s much-loved venues, famous for having the \u201cbest fans in the world\u201d, are set to give artists a welcome warm enough to heat the chilliest of evenings. Iconic locations the length and breadth of Glasgow are involved include The Old Fruitmarket, Barrowland Ballroom, SWG3, Saint Luke\u2019s and Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum.\u00a0Celtic Connections\u00a0<\/strong>will also make history when\u00a0Peat and Diesel\u00a0<\/strong>become the first band ever to play at the Emirates Arena in the city\u2019s east end.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

General tickets for the festival go on sale at\u00a010am, Wednesday 16 October 2024<\/strong>\u00a0at\u00a0www.celticconnections.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Celtic Connections 2025<\/strong>\u00a0programme highlights include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25cf\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The festival\u2019s iconic annual\u00a0Opening Concert<\/strong>\u00a0will once again raise the roof with an epic marking of\u00a0Glasgow 850<\/strong>, heralding the start of the city\u2019s year-long 850th birthday celebration. \u2018Let Glasgow Flourish\u2019 is the motto on the city\u2019s coat of arms, and this unique concert will pay tribute to the city\u2019s rich artistic heritage and flourishing future through a special night of surprises incorporating music, spoken-word, dance and film. Celebrating the scale and calibre of incredible musicians, artists and poets Glasgow has produced and inspired, and how this has fed into the very bloodstream of Celtic Connections, the concert will feature unique collaborations from well-kent faces, emerging stars of the future, surprise guests and commissioned performances and film.
\u25cf\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Multi GRAMMY-award-winning Americana singer\u00a0Lyle Lovett\u00a0<\/strong>will make his long-awaited debut at the festival when he headlines this January. The revered singer-songwriter will perform at Glasgow Royal Concert Hall with his acoustic group for what is sure to be a spectacular show from the American icon.
\u25cf\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0More women than ever before will lead high-profile shows this year, reflecting the continued growth and wealth of incredible female talent, both new and emerging. Among many, these include:\u00a0KT Tunstall<\/strong>, who reflects on 20 years of her beloved album\u00a0Eye to the Telescope\u00a0<\/em>with a night at Glasgow Royal Concert Hall and an already sold-out show at the Barrowland Ballroom; the young Grammy award-winning American artist\u00a0Madison Cunningham<\/strong>;\u00a0the powerfuljazz and soul singer-songwriter\u00a0Lady Blackbird<\/strong>; Scots Singer of the Year\u00a0Beth Malcolm<\/strong>\u00a0will showcase her forthcoming new album with a headline show at Barony Hall; and\u00a0sensational Sufi singer\u00a0Abi Sampa<\/strong>, who fronts the captivating\u00a0Orchestral Qawwali Project<\/strong>\u00a0uniquely combining Sufi poetry, Indian classical dance and orchestral arrangements.
\u25cf\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Homegrown female talent in the form of\u00a0Karine Polwart\u00a0<\/strong>and\u00a0Julie Fowlis\u00a0<\/strong>will also bring landmark shows to the 2025 festival.\u00a0Multi-award-winning Scottish songwriter, folk singer and storyteller\u00a0Karine Polwart<\/strong>\u00a0will have a headline show at Glasgow Royal Concert Hall for the very first time in her 25-year career. Karine will create a 300-strong choir made up of choral singers from across Scotland to fill the stage and choir stalls for this dream show arranged by choirmaster\u00a0Stephen Deazley<\/strong>. Celebrated Gaelic singer\u00a0Julie Fowlis\u00a0<\/strong>will undertake her first orchestral commission at the festival with the\u00a0Scottish Chamber Orchestra<\/strong>\u00a0and her Scots-Irish quartet\u00a0Allt\u00a0<\/strong>which, alongside her, features\u00a0Zo\u00eb Conway<\/strong>,\u00a0\u00c9amon Doorley<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0John McIntyre<\/strong>.
\u25cf\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Western Isles wonders\u00a0Peat and Diesel<\/strong>\u00a0will play their biggest ever show and make history as the first band ever to play at the Emirates Arena in the city\u2019s east end; while much-loved Glaswegian indie pop legends\u00a0The Bluebells\u00a0<\/strong>will have the Barrowland Ballroom crowd feeling \u2018young at heart\u2019 for their first ever outing at the festival.
\u25cf\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Iconic folk band\u00a0Breabach<\/strong>\u00a0will perform a specially commissioned show with the\u00a0Scottish National Jazz Orchestra (SNJO)<\/strong>\u00a0featuring brand new arrangements by Big Band arrangers from around Europe. The SNJO will also host a night entitled\u00a0Nu-Age Sounds<\/strong>:\u00a0PLANET WORLD<\/strong>\u00a0at The Old Fruitmarket, showcasing up and coming Scottish jazz acts including Mercury Prize nominated pianist\u00a0Fergus McCreadie<\/strong>\u00a0and jazz singer\u00a0kitti<\/strong>. Elsewhere, SAY Award shortlisted\u00a0corto.alto<\/strong>\u00a0will bring their electronica and folk-infused jazz to Barrowland Ballroom, backed by a lauded bill of the most promising jazz talent in Scotland including\u00a0Bemz<\/strong>,\u00a0Pippa Blundell<\/strong>,\u00a0Becky Sikasa<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0JSPHYNX<\/strong>.
\u25cf\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The very best in world music acts will once again be welcomed to the Celtic Connections line up.\u00a0Fronted by London-born Nigerian singer Eno Williams,\u00a0Ibibio Sound Machine\u00a0<\/strong>will play the Tramway. A clash of African and electronic elements, the outfit is inspired by the golden era of West-African funk and disco and modern post-punk and electro.\u00a0Femi Kuti & The Positive Force\u00a0<\/strong>will also bring their iconic live show to Scotland.\u00a0The eldest son of afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti, Femi will showcase his jubilant energy and distinctive voice to a Glasgow Royal Concert Hall audience.
\u25cf\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Scottish folk four-piece\u00a0Malinky\u00a0<\/strong>will stage a special 25th\u00a0anniversary concert, with a host of special guests lovingly performing their extensive back catalogue of material, which importantly carries the flame of tradition, cherishing folk songs, ballads and stories and the lessons they convey.
\u25cf\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Finnish band\u00a0Frigg<\/strong>\u00a0present their extraordinary mix of Scandi folk and traditional tunes in a unique collaboration with the\u00a0BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra<\/strong>, and\u00a0Jim Sutherland’s<\/strong>\u00a0multi-award-winning score\u00a0When Fish Begin to Crawl<\/em>\u00a0will be performed by the\u00a0Royal Scottish National Orchestra<\/strong>\u00a0in a celebration of the Flow Country\u2019s recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Rising stars of the Glasgow trad scene\u00a0TRIP\u00a0<\/strong>perform a headline show with extended line-up in The Old Fruitmarket, as well as featuring in the acclaimed show\u00a0Moving Cloud<\/strong>\u00a0at The Theatre Royal, alongside\u00a0Scottish Dance Theatre<\/strong>\u00a0and special guest\u00a0Br\u00ecghde Chaimbeul.<\/strong>
\u25cf\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Gaelic music, language and culture will be at the forefront of celebrations for\u00a0Ce\u00f2las @ 30\u00a0<\/strong>as one of Scotland\u2019s most prestigious national Gaelic organisations celebrates its 30th summer school on the island of South Uist. This crossover night of Gaelic song and Hebridean music and piping will light up The Old Fruitmarket on the festival\u2019s final weekend.
\u25cf\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Transatlantic connections will be upheld when American folk-roots pop singer-songwriter\u00a0Josh Rouse<\/strong>celebrates the 10th birthday of his famous album\u00a0Nashville,\u00a0<\/em>Bluegrass sensations\u00a0Hawktail<\/strong>\u00a0appear for the first time at the festival,<\/em>\u00a0and\u00a0Lake Street Dive\u00a0<\/strong>fly in from Boston to share their avant-garde Americana sound with Celtic Connections fans.\u00a0Transatlantic Sessions<\/strong>\u00a0celebrates 30 years since the first TV episode aired, with its\u2019 familiar irresistible foray into the roots of Americana music with an all-star house band, led by\u00a0Aly Bain<\/strong>\u00a0andJerry Douglas,\u00a0<\/strong>and featuring guest vocalists\u00a0Loudon Wainwright III, Julie Fowlis, LarryCampbell and Teresa Williams<\/strong>\u00a0and Ireland\u2019s\u00a0Niall McCabe.<\/strong>
\u25cf\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Following on from last year\u2019s televised sold out shows,\u00a0Roddy Hart\u2019<\/strong>s\u00a0Roaming Roots Revue\u00a0<\/strong>returns withIcons Vol. 1<\/strong>. Backed by a 60-piece orchestra of students from the\u00a0Royal Conservatoire of Scotland<\/strong>\u00a0and Roddy\u2019s own house band\u00a0Roddy Hart and the Lonesome Fire<\/strong>, this year\u2019s show at Glasgow Royal Concert Hall will welcome\u00a0Yola, Villagers, Nadine Shah, Hamish Hawk, Ed Harcourt, Jill Jackson, Withered Hand & Kathryn Williams,\u00a0<\/strong>and\u00a0Phil Campbell<\/strong>as they celebrate greats like Elton John, The Beatles and Bowie.
\u25cf\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A host of familiar faces of much-loved traditional music talent will have crowds jumping across the 18 days, including beloved Gaels\u00a0Trail West<\/strong>\u00a0who return to the festival for the first time in a decade as they mark the beginning of 15 years as a band; the progressive\u00a0Elephant Sessions\u00a0<\/strong>whose live show is famed for its electrifying atmosphere; beloved Orkney stomp purveyors\u00a0The Chair\u00a0<\/strong>will headline the Barrowland Ballroom; and\u00a0Dervish<\/strong>,who will perform a special\u00a0Irish Songbook<\/strong>\u00a0show, with support from folk rock duo\u00a0Indigo Girls.<\/strong>\u00a0In a unique triple bill concert across the generations, the opening weekend at the Barrowland Ballroom will feature\u00a0Mec Lir, Kinnaris Quintet\u00a0<\/strong>and\u00a0iconic Irish band Four Men and a Dog.<\/strong>
\u25cf\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Celtic Connections\u2019\u00a0New Voices<\/strong>\u00a0strand each year commissions groundbreaking new bodies of work from three emerging Scottish artists. The honour this year goes to\u00a0BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year 2021\u00a0pianist\u00a0Michael Biggins<\/strong>, Skye-born and Glasgow-based exciting young\u00a0harpist\u00a0Ciorstaidh Beaton<\/strong> and hugely promising tenor banjo talent\u00a0Ciaran Ryan<\/strong>.
\u25cf\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Scotland\u2019s Celtic cousins\u00a0Ireland<\/strong>\u00a0will be the partner country for this year\u2019s\u00a0Showcase Scotland<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 a part of the festival which fosters international collaboration. With support from\u00a0Culture Ireland<\/strong>, the very best in traditional and contemporary Irish music will be celebrated across the festival\u2019s stages including\u00a0Niamh Bury Trio<\/strong>,\u00a0Nuala Kennedy & Eamonn O\u2019Leary<\/strong>,\u00a0C\u00f3ras Trio,Fi\u00e1rock, Grainne Hunt<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0Leonard Barry Trio.<\/strong>
\u25cf\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Other favourites across the festival will return including the\u00a0In the Tradition<\/strong>\u00a0series, dementia-friendly concerts, ceilidhs, late night sessions, and pop-up performances at the Festival Club, screenings, workshops, the Scottish National Whisky Festival and a thriving education programme including children\u2019s concerts that will benefit thousands of youngsters across Glasgow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Donald Shaw, Creative Producer for Celtic Connections, said<\/strong>: \u201cWe are incredibly proud of Celtic Connections\u2019 place as an ecosystem for new music and art. In 2025 we are bringing together international icons with emerging acts to create career-defining performances and never-seen-before collaborations, not to mention great nights out for our audiences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCeltic Connections went from being primarily a Glasgow festival, to a national festival, to an international flagship event. Like many acts on our line up, we have expanded in size and ambition over the years, drawing inspiration from the old tradition and the boundless possibilities of contemporary music. Through it all, Glasgow remains at our heart, so to open the festival in celebration of our city\u2019s artistic clout is incredibly special. Audiences can expect a night of secret surprises that we hope will bring a real sense of magic and anticipation to the first night of\u00a0\u00a0the festival, setting the tone for the weeks ahead.
\u201cAs a forward-thinking festival which always looks to embrace new opportunities and spaces for performance, we\u2019re very excited to be staging a pilot music event in the Emirates Arena, creating a new experience for audiences and extending our reach into the east end of the city.
\u201cIn the last 20 years traditional music has entered the mainstream, it\u2019s embraced in our pubs and biggest venues, and we will once again drive the genre\u2019s appeal, profile and potential forward in our 2025 artistic commissions. If you think Glasgow in January isn\u2019t the place to be \u2013 you just haven\u2019t ever been to Celtic Connections.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bailie Annette Christie, Chair of Glasgow Life, said:\u00a0<\/strong>\u201cCeltic Connections is always an outstanding part of Scotland\u2019s cultural calendar when Glasgow welcomes superb musicians from across the globe to showcase their wealth of musical abilities. Spectacular performances warm up the winter nights at many of Glasgow\u2019s most loved, and sometimes surprising, music venues. The festival helps enhance Glasgow\u2019s status as a UNESCO City of Music and the city\u2019s reputation as a world-class cultural destination.
\u201cThis year\u2019s ambitious programme features a diverse line-up of homegrown and international artists and ranges from emerging talent to award-winning acts. Celtic Connections will have something for everyone, from intimate performances and exciting one-off collaborations to impressive large-scale shows. None more so than the Opening Concert, which will kick off Glasgow\u2019s 850th birthday celebrations in style.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Creative Scotland Head of Music, Alan Morrison said:<\/strong>\u00a0\u201cIf there\u2019s one thing to look forward to as the nights start to draw in, it\u2019s the knowledge that tickets will soon be on sale for next year\u2019s Celtic Connections. A peek at the highlights of the 2025 edition is enough to prove why this has become one of the world\u2019s largest and most important winter music festivals. Local talent stands tall alongside incredible international artists, as a global beat crosses over our own traditional tunes. Creative Scotland is proud to support such a heady mix of wonderful music.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Culture Secretary Angus Robertson said:\u00a0<\/strong>\u201cCeltic Connections continues to grow its global reputation as one of Scotland\u2019s foremost festivals and an event we are proud to support, bringing together world-class talent and showcasing the very best in folk, roots, and international music.
\u00a0\u201cThis year\u2019s programme unites artists, traditions, and audiences from around the globe in a truly unique celebration. The festival continues to innovate and inspire musical and cultural collaboration, offering something extraordinary for everyone and I\u2019m excited about what\u2019s on offer in Glasgow.\u201d
Celtic Connections 2025<\/strong>\u00a0will take place from\u00a0Thursday 16 January to Sunday 2 February<\/strong>. General tickets go on sale at\u00a010am, Wednesday 16 October 2024<\/strong>, with advance tickets on sale now for Celtic Rovers festival supporters.
The programme can be viewed in full and tickets purchased at\u00a0www.celticconnections.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The world\u2019s leading folk, roots and world music festival\u00a0Celtic Connections\u00a0has unveiled its ambitious, multi-faceted programme for 2025. The premiere winter festival and international celebration of Celtic music will illuminate stages across Glasgow from\u00a0Thursday 16 January to Sunday 2 February, eclipsing dark winter nights with a kaleidoscope of internationally-renowned music, exciting new performances, unique showcases and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":21048,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[9,37],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-21047","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-news","8":"category-newsletter","9":"entry"},"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/projects.handsupfortrad.scot\/handsupfortrad\/files\/2024\/10\/21188421-CC2025-programme-launch-New-Voices-artists-Ciaran-Ryan-Michael-Biggins-and-Ciorstaidh-Beaton-Glasgows-Govan-Partick-Bridge.jpg","featured_image_src":"https:\/\/projects.handsupfortrad.scot\/handsupfortrad\/files\/2024\/10\/21188421-CC2025-programme-launch-New-Voices-artists-Ciaran-Ryan-Michael-Biggins-and-Ciorstaidh-Beaton-Glasgows-Govan-Partick-Bridge-600x400.jpg","featured_image_src_square":"https:\/\/projects.handsupfortrad.scot\/handsupfortrad\/files\/2024\/10\/21188421-CC2025-programme-launch-New-Voices-artists-Ciaran-Ryan-Michael-Biggins-and-Ciorstaidh-Beaton-Glasgows-Govan-Partick-Bridge-600x600.jpg","author_info":{"display_name":"simon","author_link":"https:\/\/projects.handsupfortrad.scot\/handsupfortrad\/author\/simon\/"},"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pcv15g-5tt","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/projects.handsupfortrad.scot\/handsupfortrad\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21047","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/projects.handsupfortrad.scot\/handsupfortrad\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/projects.handsupfortrad.scot\/handsupfortrad\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/projects.handsupfortrad.scot\/handsupfortrad\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/projects.handsupfortrad.scot\/handsupfortrad\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21047"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/projects.handsupfortrad.scot\/handsupfortrad\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21047\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":21049,"href":"https:\/\/projects.handsupfortrad.scot\/handsupfortrad\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21047\/revisions\/21049"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/projects.handsupfortrad.scot\/handsupfortrad\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/21048"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/projects.handsupfortrad.scot\/handsupfortrad\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21047"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/projects.handsupfortrad.scot\/handsupfortrad\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21047"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/projects.handsupfortrad.scot\/handsupfortrad\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21047"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}