Donald Shaw, Creative Producer of Celtic Connections 2025 speaks to The Scotsman
The second week of the festival started with a cast of incredible folk talent breaking boundaries for In the Tradition, a sensational show from emerging talent Cala at Óran Mòr, and an awe-inspiring collaboration between Breabach and the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra, while Stornoway rockers Peat & Diesel became the first band to ever play the Emirates Arena on Thursday night.
Audiences still have the chance to see a number of groundbreaking performances including Scottish-Palestinian showBethlehem Calling at Tramway this evening, the 25th Anniversary of folk greats Malinky, a Burns Celebration at Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, and much more.
The second week of the festival started with a cast of incredible folk talent breaking boundaries for In the Tradition, a sensational show from emerging talent Cala at Óran Mòr, and an awe-inspiring collaboration between Breabach and the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra, while Stornoway rockers Peat & Diesel became the first band to ever play the Emirates Arena on Thursday night.
Audiences still have the chance to see a number of groundbreaking performances including Scottish-Palestinian showBethlehem Calling at Tramway this evening, the 25th Anniversary of folk greats Malinky, a Burns Celebration at Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, and much more.
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00:00I'm Don Shaw, creative producer of Celtic Connections.
00:03I'm really delighted with the broad spectrum of artists coming in from around the world.
00:07I think musicians from over 20 countries and exploring some big collaborative shows as well,
00:13bringing people together that haven't played before in the past.
00:16So, yeah, a bit of the old, a bit of the new, and very exciting.
00:20Well, essentially, the festival celebrates our own music, and when I say our own music,
00:26I mean traditional folk and roots music of this country,
00:29but then alongside that, kind of really highlight other cultures and indigenous languages from around the world.
00:35And I think that the performances are very much about celebration, they're about bringing community together.
00:42I'd argue that it's often not just a concert, it's an experience, and good for the soul, food for the soul.
00:49Yeah, that's Celtic Connections.
00:51We come off the end of one year, and we start the new year, and we think about going ahead,
00:56and maybe we think about the big hill to climb, but we're the party before you start that.
01:03So, yeah, kick the year off in style with a musical celebration.
01:08People coming in from all around the world to see the acts,
01:11and we've got bands coming in from India and Pakistan, New Zealand, Australia, South America,
01:18really all over.
01:20In some cases, it might be just one or two musicians that are being mixed up with our artists from here,
01:27and in other cases, it's full bands.
01:30But even this weekend alone, you'll see a country star like Lil Lovett,
01:35you'll see Orchestral Kowali Project celebrating the Soupy songs,
01:41you'll see African artists, and then you'll see homegrown talent from Scotland.
01:46Right through till February 1st, and you can find everything about the festival and tickets at CelticConnections.com.
01:52Get your dancing shoes on, get out, and come and see a show.