Atlantic Edge Music Services

Shetland's Trans-Atlantic Sessions

November 24, 2011

'Celtic Connections' legendary annual show the 'Trans-Atlantic Sessions' is set to visit Shetland as part of it's 2012 UK tour, the festival has announced. It will take place in Lerwick's Clickimin Centre on Friday 3rd February 2012.

The show, curated as always by joint Musical Directors Shetland fiddler Aly Bain and American dobro legend Jerry Douglas (Emmylou Harris, Alison Krauss and 'Oh Brother Where Art Thou) will feature lead singer of the 'Mavericks' Raul Malo - 'Wailin Jenny's' front-lady Ruth Moody - Irish singer / songwriter Declan O' Rourke - Scottish singers Eddi Reader and Karen Matheson, American blue-grass supremo Tim O' Brien and famed 'old-time' Appallachian fiddler / singer Bruce Molsky.

The 'house-band' for the evening also features a glittering array of creme-de-la-creme musicians including Aly Bain and Jerry Douglas, Russ Barenberg, DannyThompson, John Doyle, John McCusker, Mike McGoldrick, James Mackintosh and the Director of Celtic Connections himself Donald Shaw.

Having received rapturous ovations up and down the country throughout their two successful tours to date (2010 and 2011) 2012 will only be the third tour of its kind for the Trans-Atlantic Sessions and the very first to take in a smaller rural location such as Shetland. Indeed the event is only ever promoted in Scotland in Glasgow during at Celtic Connections itself, while additional dates normally only take in larger cities such as Newcastle, London, Manchester and Dublin. Shetland will be the only 'small' show of its kind during the 2012 tour and is part of the national celebrations of the 'Year of Scotland's Islands'

Trans-Atlantic Sessions, where "a dazzling array of internationally renowned musicians visit shared musical roots and forge new and common ground together", is almost always the fastest selling / sell-out show at Celtic Connections each year, bringing together its all-star cast of Celtic and Americana musicians for this unique event.

The concept was originally dreamed up by film-makers Douglas Edie and Mike Alexander of Pelicula films and has proved to be a huge hit on both BBC and RTE TV with the TV series winning the 2010 'Good Tradition' title at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards.

'Scotland's Islands' is a year long celebration of all that's special about our people and their culture and the Year of Scotland's Islands is an associated programme of events and activities to show-case the islands vibrant cultures, creativity, natural environment and quality produce.

Murdo Mackay - project leader for the Western Islands Council (Comhairle nan Eilean Siar) said "We are absolutely delighted with the programme of events that will make up the 'Year of Scotland's Islands'. In the 12 months that this initiative is running we are supporting over 100 events with a combined budget of more than £4m. The diversity and quality of requests for funding support has been very high and with music, art, dance, literature, theatre and gourmet events galore, whatever your interests this is truly a year to visit Scotland's islands.

Joint musical director for 'Trans-Atlantic Sessions' Aly Bain said "I'm delighted that the show is at long last coming to Shetland. I've wanted to bring it here for years and Jerry (Douglas) himself has always wanted to come here into the bargain, so he's equally delighted that at last we are taking the show to Shetland. I honestly never thought it would happen, given the cost and logistics of doing the show outside the mainland, or even the larger cities, so it's great we'll be taking such a terrific line up of musicians north for this very special event, especially in the 'Year of Scotland's Islands'.

Donald Shaw - Director of the Celtic Connections Festival - said he was equally delighted that the show would be taking place in Shetland. "It's a tall order, but everyone involved is really looking forward to doing the show in Shetland" he said. "We already know that many people travel to Glasgow for this event from the islands each year, so it's a real pleasure to not only bring the show to them this time around, but also of course to all those who perhaps don't have the opportunity to travel south to see it. We already know we will have a great and hopefully truly memorable night up there. Thanks again to the Year of Scotland's Islands for making this happen".

Davie Gardner of 'Atlantic Edge Music Services', who's managing the local show for Celtic Connections, said it was not only an amazing show with an incredible musical line up, but also a real honour for Shetland to be hosting the event. "The 'Trans-Atlantic Sessions is quite simply a wonderful and unique musical event in every sense of the word" he said. "To have such a show, together with an all-star line-up such as this, appearing in Shetland is fantastic news indeed and another feather in the islands cultural cap. I'm delighted to be associated with it and can't wait to see it happen" he said.

Davie also said that on behalf of everyone he would like to thank the 'Year of Scottish Islands' and 'Celtic Connections' themselves for making the show happen and having the confidence, drive and commitment to bring it to Shetland in the first instance.

Tickets for the show go on sale from 10am Friday 25th November. Face-to-face sales will be available from High Level Music in Lerwick, while online sales are via the Celtic Connections / Glasgow Royal Concert Hall Box Office at www.celticconnections.com/transatlanticsessions or by phoning 0141 353 8000

Tickets are priced £24 each.

Other dates on the tour are London Royal Festival Hall, Dublin Convention Centre, Birmingham Symphony Hall and The Sage Gateshead.

"If you had to choose only one show to see at the festival this would be it" ***** - The Herald

"Like a hybrid of Scottish ceilidh and a US back-porch session, uniting top class musicians from different traditions to explore and forge common ground and to share their delight of doing so with a raptly appreciative audience. ***** - The Scotsman

"A stunning night of folk, country and gospel from some of the world's finest musicians" **** - The Telegraph

"Great musicians having a great party. Even better, the sell-out crowd enjoyed it as much" **** - Scottish Daily Express.

For the Shetland Times story of the event click - HERE

For the Shetland News story of the event click - HERE