As Celtic Connections 2024 grows nearer and Glasgow gets set to come to life with music from around the world from Thursday, 18th January to Sunday, 4th February, a host of talented musicians will flock to the city not only to perform but to enjoy the dazzling array of live music and culture on offer.
With an expansive programme spanning more than 300 events at 25 venues across Glasgow over 18 days, a selection of performers have shared their top picks for the festival and, alongside their own, what world-class shows they can’t wait to experience.
Su-a Lee
“Every year, I am blown away by the sheer number and variety of wonderful artists at the festival. This year is no exception, and I am very excited that I will be performing in several shows with a record number of my favourite musicians, as well as putting on my first-ever solo show here. So let’s assume these gigs are all at the top of my list!
“This year, I’m particularly excited about the collaborations between classical music ensembles and folk musicians for the sheer quality of all these musicians: the Scottish Ensemble with Edgar Meyer, Donald Grant, Mischa Macpherson and Ailie Robertson; The BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra with Chris Thile; The Scottish Chamber Orchestra with Altan, RANT, LAU, Aoife O’Donovan, Maeve Gilchrist; and The Maxwell Quartet with Brighde Chaimbeul, James Ross and Linda Buckley.
“Other bands I’m really looking forward to are DakhaBrakha, a wonderfully unusual Ukrainian group for something leftfield; the mesmeric Nordic trio Dreamers’ Circus, alongside homegrown quartet Westward the Light; all the New Voices series for exciting new works, but especially Alice Allen’s for spotlighting the role of cello in folk music; and the American indie folk duo Milk Carton Kids for the sheer transporting beauty.
“To be honest you can’t go wrong – you could pick at random and be guaranteed to have a wonderfully memorable experience!”
Su-a Lee will perform a solo show at City Halls on Tuesday, 30th January, as well as part of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra at Glasgow Royal Concert Hall on Wednesday, 24th January with Altan and RANT, and on Friday, 26th January with Paul Buchanan, Aoife O’Donovan, Lau and Maeve Gilchrist. Su-a will also join Ewen Henderson on Saturday 20th January, Colin Steele on Thursday, 1st February, and Maeve Gilchrist on Sunday, 4th February.
Low Lily’s Liz Simmons
“Low Lily – Flynn Cohen, Natalie Padilla, and I, along with bassist Hazel Royer – are really excited to be flying in from the States for the festival the weekend of January 25-28! Our show is on Friday 26th January, and we are really looking forward to hearing some other bands in and around our concert. Alasdair Fraser and Natalie Haas are longtime friends of ours, so it will be fab to hear them in a proper show again on Thursday January 25th.
“Blazin’ Fiddles has some great fiddlers, in particular, Bruce MacGregor who is pals with our bandmate Flynn – they perform on Saturday, 27th January. I am a huge fan of Julie Fowlis – her Gaelic singing is extraordinary, so that will be the icing on the cake for me to hear her sing live. She also performs on 27th January, so there will be some hopping back and forth for us for sure! Last but not least, the amazing banjo player Alison Brown will be playing on our bill with us on Friday, 26th, and I, for one, have never heard her perform live, so I am also really looking forward to that privilege.”
Low Lily will perform with Alison Brown and the Lucie Hendry Trio at City Halls on Friday, 26th January.
Alison Brown
“Celtic Connections’ “What’s On” list is like walking into a candy shop – so many amazing performances night after night! Here are my thoughts on shows not to miss in 2024. The Bothy Band, January 22nd – The Bothy Band revolutionised traditional Irish music with their live shows and Mulligan Records recordings in the 1970s. It’s hard to imagine what Irish music would be today without their broad-reaching influence. This rare concert hall reunion show should be at the top of everyone’s must-see list.
“Altan and the BBC Scottish Chamber Orchestra on January 24th – Altan has covered a lot of musical ground over the past 40 years. Led by one of my personal heroes, Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh, Altan always burns the house down.
“Tim O’Brien and Friends on January 30th – Tim is one of bluegrass music’s beloved sons, but when he teams up with musicians from across the pond the results are always magical.”
Alison Brown will perform with Low Lily and the Lucie Hendry Trio at City Halls on Friday 26th January.
Sarah Jarosz
“I always look forward to being back at Celtic Connections and I’m especially excited to see Dreamers’ Circus. I met them when I was on tour with my band I’m With Her, with Aoife O’Donovan and Sara Watkins. They came to our show in Copenhagen — it was my first time there and I just remember they made us feel so welcome and right at home. Their musicianship is astonishing and innovative. It’s been quite a few years since that encounter so I’m excited to see their show this time around!”
Sarah Jarosz is set to perform with Teddy Thompson at City Halls on Saturday, 20th January.
RANT’s Lauren MacColl
“He’s always a magical performer whether solo, with The Gloaming, or in duo with the late Dennis Cahill, so I was thrilled to see Martin Hayes on the bill this year with his ‘Common Ground Ensemble’. As a fiddler myself, I’ve always been inspired by his intense, immersive performances, and his constant appetite for collaboration. It’s special nights like these at the festival that live long in the memory.
“The New Voices series is such a highlight each year, with musicians pouring their heart and soul into an hour of brand new music. Alice Allen gives her all to hundreds of projects a year and it’s very exciting to see she has a New Voices gig of her own at this year’s festival. Whatever she pulls out of the bag, it’s sure to be classy, ambitious and gutsy with her world-class cello playing at the core. I can’t wait to hear it!”
RANT will take to the stage along with Altan and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra at Glasgow Royal Concert Hall on Wednesday, 24th January.
Project Smok’s Pablo Lafuente
“There’s so many amazing artists performing at this year’s festival, but if we had to whittle it down, we’re particularly excited to see The Olllam and RURA at The Barrowland Ballroom , and Kinnaris Quintet and Ciaran Ryan Band at the Old Fruitmarket, and of course the opening concert with the amazing Chris Thile at the Royal Concert Hall.”
Project Smok will launch their new album, The Outset (reviewed here), at Saint Luke’s on Friday, 19th January, with support from Katie MacFarlane.
Celtic Connections 2024 runs from Thursday, 18th January – Sunday, 4th February. More information on all the shows mentioned, the full programme and tickets are available at www.celticconnections.com