Biffy Clyro, Idlewild and Deacon Blue stars to play at online Celtic Connections
B iffy Cl yro singer Simon Neil, Idlewild frontman Roddy Woomble a nd Deacon Blue’s Ricky Ross and Lorraine Mcintosh are to appear in a virtual version of Celtic Connections.
Venues across Glasgow were opened for the filming of performances for the festival, which will be launched online a week today with a “big band” show recorded at the Royal Concert Hall.
Admiral Fallow, Shooglenift y, Talisk, Kinnaris Quintet, Manran, Braebach, Fara, Blue Rose Code, Blazin’ Fiddles and Elephant Sessions will all be performing during the festival, which will be staged on 19 consecutive nights.
Organisers said that 8000 passes offering access to every show had been sold before the full programme, which will feature Gaelic singing stars Josie Duncan, Mischa Macpherson, Deirdre Graham and Kathleen Macinnes, was announced.
Musicians from Canada, India, Spain, Sweden, the United St at es, t he Repub - lic of Ireland and Denmark will appear in the festival from their own countries, while the “digital- first festival” will feature performances filmed in Inverness and the Hebrides.
The opening night concert will feature fiddler Duncan Chisholm and the Scottish Ensemble, Imar, Fiona Hunter and K inn ar is Quintet.
Other highlights are expected to include a Burns Night concert with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Eddi Reader, Karen Ma the son and Robyn Stapleton, Love and Money frontman James Grant performing with the Hallelujah Chorus and an intimate “song circle” show hosted by Karine Polwart, which will also feature Reader, Rab Noakes, Siobhan Miller and Findlay Napier.
Roddy Hart’s annual Roaming Roots Revue showcase will feature Neil, Ross and Mcintosh, as well as folk trio The Staves, award- winning trio Lau and singer- songwriter Rachel Sermanni.
Woomble will appear in a concert cu rated by the An To bar arts centre on the Isle of Mull, which will also feature Mairearad Green, Sorren Maclean and Hannah Fisher.
Bassekou Kouyate will perform with his quartet of fellow instrumentalists Ngoni Ba in his home village in Mali, Galician musician Xabier Diaz will appear from his native Santiago de Compostela, eight female musicians will play as as the sun rises in Rajasthan and Argentine-Swedish star José González will perform at a venue in Gothenburg.
Donald Shaw, the festival’s creative producer, said: “The concept for a digital-first Celtic Connections was born out of a desire to pro - mote well being and op timism among fellow musicians, as much as it was about still being able to offer entertainment to our loyal audiences during the dark nights of January. The resounding feeling that has come out of the recording days is a space for musicians to come back, to play again, to feel part of the community that they helped to create.”