Artists from Edinburgh will take to the stage at Europe’s largest winter music festival – Celtic Connections – taking place in Glasgow between Thursday 19th January – Sunday 5th February 2023.
Blue Rose Code, Dean Owens, Siobhan Miller, Isla Ratcliff and Sally Simpson will join more than 1,000 fellow musicians from across the world taking part in the 18-day showcase of events spanning traditional folk, roots, Americana, jazz, soul and world music.
The UK’s premier roots music festival will brighten up the dark and gloomy winter nights with hundreds of performances, landmark musical collaborations, talks, workshops, theatre productions, ceilidhs, exhibitions, free events and late-night sessions.
Celtic Connections 2023 will be the 30th edition of the world-famous festival, and will recognise the advancements and achievements of the last 30 years and all that organisers have overcome to bring people together in a defining cultural celebration. It will also acknowledge and celebrate the resilience of the Scottish music scene, and the live entertainment industry, in the face of adversity.
This array of Edinburgh artists will be right at the heart of the action, joining international sensations, rising stars and homegrown talent alike in entertaining loyal audiences flocking to Glasgow for the annual event.
Ross Wilson aka Blue Rose Code, one of Scotland’s most uplifting and powerful live acts, will address universal themes of love, loss, travel, home, accepting the past and embracing the future in a deeply personal way and seamlessly blend folk, Americana, jazz, soul and pop influences at Glasgow Royal Concert Hall on Sunday 29th January.
Award-winning Scottish troubadour Dean Owens and his band will transport audiences to a sepia-stained cantina with songs from his stunning new Sinner’s Shrine album on Thursday 26th January at Oran Mòr. Recorded with musicians from Calexico, the album is a unique blend of Scottish roots and Americana, with added desert noir.
Joined by her 5-piece band, celebrated Scottish folk singer and songwriter, Siobhan Miller makes a triumphant return to Celtic Connections on Thursday 26th January at Saint Luke’s. After 2 years without the fun, energy and community of festivals and sessions, Siobhan set about recapturing that life-affirming feeling within her next record, Bloom; an out and out, freewheeling celebration of much-loved Scottish songs that well and truly shakes off the shackles and burst out of darker times like a flower in the desert.
Edinburgh-based fiddle player, singer and composer Isla Ratcliff will take to the stage at Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Strathclyde Suite on Thursday 26th January.
Portobello-born fiddle and viola player Sally Simpson will perform as part of folk quartet Westward the Light at Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Strathclyde Suite on Saturday 28th January, as well as performing as part of Phil Cunningham’s incredible band on Monday 30th January at Glasgow Royal Concert Hall. She will also join the house band in Gun Sireadh Gun Iarraidh – The Frances Tolmie Collection on Friday 3rd February at Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Strathclyde Suite.
Donald Shaw, Creative Producer for Celtic Connections, said:
We are very much looking forward to welcoming audiences from near and far to the 30th edition of Celtic Connections in Glasgow – it’s set to be a really special start to the new year.
We’re always thrilled to be able to showcase brilliant Scottish artists from across the country and we’re looking forward to seeing them entertain crowds on this international stage this January.