Congratulations to RANT who has been nominated in Scottish Folk Band of the Year sponsored by Threads of Sound in the MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards 2024. Vote for RANT now!. It’s going to be another great night at the MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards on Saturday 30th November in Inverness Leisure. Why not join us for a brilliant night of music and awards. Buy a ticket here.
We asked Gillian of RANT the following questions.
Tell us about yourself
A decade on from their first performance – and with 4 acclaimed albums under their belt – RANT remain at the forefront of the Scottish fiddle scene. The meeting of four of the country’s finest players, the quartet use just their fiddles to weave a tapestry of melodies, textures, layers and sounds.
Bethany Reid from Shetland, Anna Massie and Lauren MacColl from the Highland peninsula of the Black Isle, and latest member Gillian Frame from Arran join forces to showcase the combined resonance of their instruments with repertoire unearthed from both old collections and their own contemporary writing. RANT create a sound which is both spacious and lush, yet retaining all the earthy bite and spark synonymous with a Scottish fiddle player.
Their live set reflects years of honing their sound together and their love for the music of their respective home regions through their writing, repertoire and stories.
Why are you involved in Scottish music?
Each of the four members of the band have been immersed in Scottish music for as long as they can remember.
Learning their instruments and soaking up culture and traditions in their own communities through folk festivals, fèisean and sessions throughout their childhoods they then headed for Glasgow. There they joined the vibrant and rapidly growing Scottish music scene and honed their skills at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Strathclyde and Glasgow Universities.
Anna, Bethany, Gillian and Lauren have a share passion for this music which is evident in their live performances, recordings and teaching.
Any particular career highlights?
Their 2024 album 'Spin' is a homage to the music and influences that shaped their early careers. An affectionate 'covers' project, it draws on influences from across the global fiddle scene, meticulously arranged and performed, and awarded the German Critic's Award in spring following its release.
Their previous album 'The Portage' was recorded over 4 days in the renowned Mackintosh Queen's Cross in Glasgow, a stark and honest reflection of their live sound which was awarded ‘Top of the World’ status from Songlines Magazine.
Since the release of their debut 'RANT' in 2013 – which won them critical acclaim in the form of a Herald Angel Award for outstanding performance across all the Edinburgh Festivals – the band have made major festival and concert appearances across the UK, Ireland and Scandinavia. They provided strings for Julie Fowlis’ Gach Sguel album, and their music has been used for both BBC and ITV national television programmes.
What are your plans for the future?
RANT will be touring across the UK in 2025 with summer festival appearances also in the pipeline.
RANT Social Media
Website: https://www.rantfiddles.com/
Facebook: @RANTFIDDLES
Twitter: @RANTFIDDLES
Instagram: @rantfiddles
YouTube: @RantFiddles
TikTok: @
The 2024 MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards are on the 30th November 2024 in Inverness Leisure Centre! You will be able to watch it live in person (buy a ticket here). Watch it live in the UK at 9pm (GMT) on BBC ALBA and and around the world here. Bands performing on Saturday 30th November include Julie Fowlis, Skipinnish, Laura Wilkie and Ian Carr, Highland Young Musicians and Arc Fiddlers, An Dannsa Dub, BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician Award winner 2024 Calum McIlroy and more!
If you would like to support Hands Up for Trad in their work with Scottish trad music and musicians why not become a friend of Hands Up for Trad. In addition to our high profile events like the Scots Trad Music Awards, we also deliver a less well known, education programme for young people from 8yrs right through to young adults at the start of their careers. Read more here.
