Hebridean 'Peatlemania' band in the running for live act of the year honour 18 months after forming

A Hebridean band who have gone from playing in bars to selling out the Barrowlands in the space of a year and a Gaelic choir's bid for Eurovision glory are in the running for major music industry awards.

Peat & Diesel have built a huge following thanks to their 'Western Isles' anthem.

Peat & Diesel, the band behind the "Peatlemania" phenomena which has swept across the Scottish festival scene this year as the band has gone viral on social media, and Alba, the group led by the singer and weather presenter Joy Dunlop in the Eurovision Choir contest in Sweden, are among the contenders for honours at the Scots Trad Music Awards next month.

Other contenders include singer-songwriters Karine Polwart, Claire Hastings, Siobhan Miller, Kim Carnie and Hannah Rarity, the groups Blazin' Fiddles, Tannahill Weavers, Tide Lines and Shooglenifty, musicians Adam Sutherland, Jenn Butterworth and Tom Oakes, and composers Catriona Hawksworth, Hayley Keenan, Jenna Reid and Mischa MacPherson.

The venue of the year title will be contested by An Tobar, on the Isle of Mull, St Margaret's, a new arts hub in Braemark, The String Cafe, in Lerwick, in Shetland, and the Soundhouse series of concerts at the Traverse Theatre in Edinburgh.

Peat & Diesel formed on the Isle of Lewis only 18 months ago.

The Alba choir's participation against nine other countries is shortlisted for event of the year, along with the Tiree Music Festival, a series of Under Canvas shows staged in the grounds of Eden Court Theatre in Inverness and a series of shows staged by the Ross & Cromarty traditional music group Feis Rois at the world-famous Festival Interceltique de Lorient in France.

Dunlop said: "Being Scotland’s first ever Eurovision entry was a unforgettable experience and to be able to do so in Gaelic, made it all the more special.

"The singers worked unbelievably hard to produce a first rate performance and I’m thrilled that their hard work and dedication is being recognised with this nomination."

Peat and Diesel will compete with Rura, Talisk, Fara and The Outside Track for the coveted live act of the year title at the awards, which are being staged at The Music Hall, in Aberdeen, on 7 December.

Gaelic singer and TV presenter Joy Dunlop led Scotland into Eurovision for the first time in its new choir competition.

Fisherman Callum “Boydie” MacLeod, electrician Innes Scott and delivery driver Uilleam “Uilly” MacLeod formed Peat & Diesel on the Isle of Lewis 18 months ago and have swiftly built a following on social media thanks to videos of their "nonsense songs," which are written by singer MacLeod.

This year saw the band attract huge audiences at festivals in their native Stornoway, Mull, Inverness, Ullapool, Skye and Benbecula.

They were forced to move a show next year at Oran Mor in Glasgow to the Barrowland Ballroom due to huge demand for tickets when they went on sale in July. When the Celtic Connections show sold out immediately they added dates for a full Scottish tour.

Scott, the band's accordionist, said: "I don’t even know why we have been nominated for anything!

Skerryvore are among the acts performing live at next month's Scots Trad Music Awards.

"It’s crazy what is going on, we are just 3 amateurs that plays the songs Boydie writes for a bit of craic.

"We don’t have the ability or the perfection all the other bands on the Scottish music scene have but if we can supply some craic to even one person we are happy.

The band started in the house about 18 months ago as a way to pass time on a Saturday night but for some reason it has spiralled out of control.

"Most people wonder how it’s happened but me and Uilly both know it’s because of the magic that Boydie creates in his comedy songs - there is nobody on this earth like him."

Rising stars Heisk will be playing at the awards ceremony in Aberdeen next month.

Organisers of the awards, which are broadcast live on BBC Alba and streamed worldwide on the BBC iPlayer, have announced that Skerryvore, Heisk, Session A9, Sian, Robyn Stapleton and Benedict Morris, the current BBC Radio Scotland Young Musician of the Year, will all be playing at the awards ceremony.

Simon Thoumire, founder of the Scots Trad Music Awards, said: "As always, the awards amaze me. They shows the strength of the scene, breadth of talent and sheer scale of the industry."

SCOTS TRAD MUSIC AWARDS NOMINATIONS IN FULL

ALBUM OF THE YEAR

Beyond, by Talisk

Drawn From Deep Water, by Gnoss

Free One, by Kinnaris Quintet

Frenzy of the Meeting, by Breabach

Laws Of Motion, by Karine Polwart, Steven Polwart & Inge Thomson

Mercury, by Siobhan Miller

Neath the Gloaming Star, by Hannah Rarity

Steer By The Stars, by Skipinnish

The Reeling, by Brìghde Chaimbeul

What Makes You, by Elephant Sessions

BELHAVEN BURSARY FOR INNOVATION

Breabach

Kinnaris Quintet

Lau

Niteworks

Ross Ainslie

Rura

Karine Polwart

Project Smok

Fara

Treacherous Orchestra

CLUB OF THE YEAR

Largs Folk Nights

Sutherland Sessions

Button and Bows Accordion and Fiddle club

Montrose Folk Club

COMPOSER OF THE YEAR

Catriona Hawksworth

Hayley Keenan

Jenna Reid

Mischa MacPherson

COMMUNITY PROJECT OF THE YEAR

Blazin’ in Beauly

Kin in the community

SEALL Festival of Small Halls held on Skye last November.

Bogha Frois

EVENT OF THE YEAR

Scotland at Lorient - Fèis Rois

Tiree Music Festival

Alba Choir at Eurovision

Under Canvas in partnership with Eden Court

GAELIC SINGER OF THE YEAR

Brian O’Headra

Ceitlin Lilidh

Kim Carnie

Mary Ann Kennedy

MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR

Adam Sutherland

Jenn Butterworth

Paul Anderson

Ross B Wilson

Signy Jakobsdottir

Tom Oakes

LIVE ACT OF THE YEAR

Peat and Diesel

Rura

Talisk

Fara

The Outside Track

CITTY FINLAYSON SCOTS SINGER OF THE YEAR

Amy Papiransky

Dougie Mackenzie

Steve Byrne

Fiona Ross

SCOTTISH DANCE BAND OF THE YEAR

The Cruickshank Family Band

Ewan Galloway Scottish Dance Band

Gary Sutherland Scottish Dance Band

Scott Band Scottish Dance Band

SCOTTISH FOLK BAND OF THE YEAR

Blazin Fiddles

Dallahan

Iona Fyfe Trio

Tannahill Weavers

SCOTTISH PIPE BAND OF THE YEAR

Renfrewshire Schools Pipe Band

Inverary and District Pipe Band

Closkelt Pipe Band

Dollar Academy

TRAD VIDEO OF THE YEAR

Fair Weather Beggar by Claire Hastings

Heroes – Tide Lines

Hope in the Chaos by Ross Ainslie and Malcolm Jones

Playlist East West by Shooglenifty featuring Tanxugueiras

MUSIC TUTOR OF THE YEAR

Claire Gullan

Iain Ruari Finlayson, Skye Schools

Ingrid Henderson

Louise Hunter

Sharon Hassan

UP AND COMING ARTIST OF THE YEAR

Calum Jones and The Trad Project

Dlù

Hecla

Man of the Minch

VENUE OF THE YEAR

An Tobar (Mull)

Soundhouse at the Traverse (Edinburgh)

St Margaret’s Braemar

The String Cafe (Lerwick)