MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards 2016: Niteworks

Congratulations to Niteworks who have been nominated in Live Act of the Year sponsored by Greentrax Recordings in the MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards 2016. Vote now!

We asked Niteworks the following questions.

Tell us about yourself
Niteworks are Innes Strachan (Synth / Keys), Allan MacDonald (Pipes), Christopher Nicolson (Bass) and Ruairidh Graham (Drums). Friends from school on the Isle of Skye, they fuse Gaelic language and traditional music with electronic influences to create a unique and exhilarating sound. Their first release, the Niteworks : Obair Oidhche EP, came in 2011 and quickly set Celtic dancefloors ablaze with the band going on to win ‘Up and Coming Artist of the Year’ at the 2012 Scottish Trad Awards.

In November 2015 the band released their highly anticipated debut album, NW. A collaborative affair, the album features vocals from the renowned Kathleen MacInnes and instrumental contributions from Mairearad Green, Fiona Macaskill, Andrew MacPherson & Hamish Napier alongside a whole host of other Scottish singing talent, including a sampled appearance from the legendary Gaelic poet Sorley MacLean.

In the live arena the band’s stock is in higher demand than ever. Regularly joined by the singing talents of rising Gaelic star Ellen MacDonald (also of Daimh) and backed up by the aforementioned musicians, the band’s live show amazes and excites in equal measure. The last year has seen sell-out shows and festival headline slots across Scotland and beyond.

Why are you involved in Scottish music?
We are always keen to point to our upbringing on Skye as an influential factor which continues to play a huge role in shaping the sort of music that we want to create as a band. As well as the array of musical experiences that we were fortunate enough to have benefitted from, such as the local Feis to name but one, we want to exihibit our sense of place and connection to Skye through the music we do. Either by choosing some well known Skye songs, or adding in samples of residents of Breakish, or from the great Bard Sorley Maclean. The Scottish and traditional music scene is one that has basically exploded over the last 30 years, and it’s really exciting to be a part of that, contributing where we can.

Any particular career highlights?
One of our biggest highlights has to be releasing our debut album at the end of 2015. With the album being such a collaborative affair, we were keen to get all the guest musicians and singers together to launch it in style! All the work involved in creating the album was in the end all worth it with a sellout show at SWG3 in Glasgow. Peering out the window before doors and seeing the rain-soaked queue stretch out of sight was something we will always remember.

Choosing to launch our album in Glasgow was an easy choice, so each time we play at Celtic Connections is also always a highlight. Our last CC was in 2015 and before that in 2014, our first headline slot, we sold out Oran Mor which was something we were very proud of. As always we are looking forward to our performance at this years festival, because we know it will be a good one. They always are!

What are your plans for the future?
We’re currently in pre-production for album No. 2. We have already been working on some initial ideas and collaborations, and will be going into the studio with that early next year.

Once we have album No. 2 up and running we plan to be working simultaneously on transferring the new music to the live setting and a new, more immersive live show with a full lighting and visual production.

If you would like to come along to the MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards in Dundee’s Caird Hall call the Caird Hall box office on (01382) 434940 or buy online.