Europe’s premier folk, roots and world music festival, Celtic Connections, is continuing to grow its programme for 2024 with 40 new acts added to the bill.
A very special one-off concert from seminal Irish group The Bothy Band is included.
The world-renowned Glasgow festival, set to take place from Thursday January 18 to Sunday February 4, has already announced a host of performances spanning a multitude of genres including acoustic, traditional, indie, Americana, Jazz, blues, orchestral, experimental and more.
The newest additions to the bill include one of the most important traditional bands in history, as well as a revered collection of names and shows which will make up the hundreds of events staged at 25 Glasgow venues over 18 days this winter.
The Bothy Band stand out as the most influential and revered of the many ensembles who revolutionised the playing of traditional music in recent generations. They have not played a major live show in more than 40 years.
During their brief five-year history they blazed like a comet across the firmament of Celtic music. Coming together in October of last year to record a documentary for Irish television, the band members – all legendary figures in Irish music – enjoyed the experience so much that they were open to the long-standing invitation from Celtic Connections to consider a full concert again.
Donal Lunny (bouzouki), Tríona ní Dhomhnaill (keyboards), Matt Molloy (flute), Paddy Keenan (uilleann pipes, low whistle), Paddy Glackin (fiddle) and Kevin Burke (fiddle) will perform at Glasgow Royal Concert Hall on January 22 for what will be their first public concert since 1979. They will be joined by Seán Óg Graham on guitar. Founding member, Mícheál Ó Domhnaill died in 2006 and Tommy Peoples, who played fiddle on the band’s first recording, died five years ago.
Creative Producer for Celtic Connections Donald Shaw, said: “The Bothy Band were the single most influential act of their time and set a marker down for the exceptional traditional music which followed. To have one of the most beloved bands of all-time accept our long-standing invitation to play Celtic Connections and to see them come together for the first time in four decades, is one of the highlights of my festival career. The band represents the innovation and energy of the tradition and the extraordinary ability music has to connect us, and stay with us for decades. I know fans from far and wide will be flocking to Glasgow for the chance to see them perform once again.
“The Bothy Band are among 40 incredible acts joining the Celtic Connections 2024 bill for what is shaping up to be an unforgettable 18 days and another landmark year in Glasgow’s musical and cultural calendar. There’s so much to be inspired, excited and moved by, so I would urge people to come and explore the huge wealth of talent we are privileged to showcase this winter.”
Other additions to the Celtic Connections 2024 programme include American country star Margo Price headlining at the Old Fruitmarket on January 27 and Breton harp legend Alan Stivell will be playing the Mackintosh Church as part of a European tour of churches and cathedrals.
Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum will also stage a trio of spell-binding performances including performances from Julie Fowlis on January 27 backed by her vibrant band of some of Scotland’s finest instrumentalists.
Beloved southside venue Tramway is set for a run of fantastic shows, Barony Hall will welcome one of the leading voices in Scottish traditional music Fiona Hunter and her band, a Blues Night at Mackintosh Church will see Milwaukee, Wisconsin-based guitarist and songwriter Buffalo Nichols take to the Celtic Connections stage, there will also be jazz to come and a mardi gras night to give just a smattering of what is coming up.
The piping talent of Scotland and Spain will come together for a show from world-class piping talents Finlay MacDonald and Jose Manuel Tejedor, while one of Scotland’s most celebrated folk bands Dàimh will showcase their contemporary take on Highland and Gaelic music to audiences at the Mackintosh Church.
Due to popular demand, a special second night of Roddy Hart’s Roaming Roots Revue has been added for Saturday January 20, and will be held at the Barrowland Ballroom for the first time.
Festival-goers can also expect the usual mix of screenings, workshops, dementia-friendly concerts, late night sessions and pop-up performances at the Festival Club, as well as a thriving education programme that will benefit thousands of children across Glasgow.
The programme can be viewed in full and tickets purchased at www.celticconnections.com.
Caption; The Bothy Band stand out as the most influential and revered of the many ensembles who revolutionised the playing of traditional music in recent generations. They have not played a major live show in more than 40 years but will be back at next year’s Celtic Connections
Photograph: Molly Keane
NO-T43_BothyBamd-2023-Molly Keane