Scotsman folk critic Jim Gilchrist on the must-see shows of 2025

John McCusker

Celtic Connections Glasgow’s annual roots music behemoth, Celtic Connections, presents an astonishing 1,200 artists at some 300 events across the city. The opening night at Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, celebrating the 850th anniversary of the Dear Green Place, remains under wraps but promises “surprises incorporating music, spoken-word, dance and film”. Thereafter, expect everything from orchestral film epics (Jim Sutherland and Morag McKinnon’s When Fish Begin to Crawl) to East African singers The Zawose Queens, the Bulgarian Voices choir to Irish fiddle hero Frankie Gavin, as well as Americana aplenty and such renowned Scottish names as Julie Fowlis, Karine Polwart, Session A9 and infinitely more. Various venues, Glasgow, 16 January until 2 February​

John McCusker’s Southside of the Tracks 2025 A man who has been playing music since he first skipped out of his school gates and into the Battlefield Band many years ago, Bellshill-raised roving fiddle player, composer and producer John McCusker returns to the Queen's Hall, one of his favourite venues, with a veritable Who’s Who of traditional musicians and singer-songwriters. A formidable house band includes the likes of flautist-piper Michael McGoldrick, accordionist Phil Cunningham, singer-guitarist Kris Drever and drummer James Mackintosh, while guests confirmed so far include Katherine Priddy, Deacon Blue’s Ricky Ross and Ireland’s Niall McCabe. Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh, 11 January

​Robyn Stapleton: Songs of Robert Burns This special Burns night performance showcases Robyn Stapleton, a former BBC Young Traditional Musician of the Year, now acknowledged as a peerless interpreter of the Burns canon, singing it with poise, delicacy and palpable affection, having grown up with these songs in her native Galloway. As well as old favourites, she’ll include some new poetry settings. Accompanied by such accomplished musicians as cellist Alice Allen, guitarist Heather Cartwright, Patsy Reid on fiddle and viola and pianist Alastair Paterson, Stapleton can bring freshness to the most well-worn of songs. Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh, 25 January

​Edinburgh Tradfest Having just recently pulled off their first their first and eminently successful Winter Festival, the ever creative Soundhouse are now working on May’s Edinburgh Tradfest, which has become a major date in the capital’s music calendar. While planning is in its early stages, they’re looking to build on the success of last year’s event. Soundhouse expect some 75 per cent of the acts to be Scottish, but also confirmed so far are the excellent English traditional trio Leveret, featuring seasoned musicians Sam Sweeney, Andy Cutting and Rob Harbron, and, from Virginia, those inspired purveyors of bluegrass and old-time stringband music, the Hot Seats. Various venues, Edinburgh, 2-12 May

​Orkney Folk Festival The 42nd iteration of the award-winning island festival will present artists from further flung islands, not least a major transatlantic contingent including eminent Cape Breton fiddlers Troy McGillivray and Natalie McMaster, as well as American fiddle-cello duo Brittany and Natalie Haas. From Scandinavia come Denmark’s genre-defying Dreamers’ Circus, while Finnish fiddle band Frigg celebrate their 25th anniversary. Orcadian talent includes The Chair and Saltfishforty and the wider Scottish contingent includes the high-energy Project Smok, singers Kim Carnie, Findlay Napier and Paul McKenna, while piper Malin Lewis, who recorded music for the Orkney-set film The Outrun, makes their festival debut. Various venues, 22-25 May

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