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Pulsating, vibrant, rousing and… electrifying?!? It's safe to say the Scottish traditional music in the 21st century offers a few surprises. You might think you know what traditional music is all about, but delve into today's dynamic music scene and you're bound to find something unexpected yet wholly captivating. Beware: it's pretty easy to get hooked!
Please note that due to the current COVID-19 advice, any large events are subject to cancellation. If you are planning to visit in 2020, please check the event website for the latest information. Feel free to sing along with Auld Lang Syne on Hogamany from the safety of your own home.
Traditional music and Gaelic songs have been at the heart of Scottish culture for centuries and it has never been more important to support our many creative talents. So put on your dancing shoes and get ready for some foot-stomping tunes as you travel through Scotland to the sounds of the most exciting contemporary folk musicians and singers.
Scott Wood Band at Oran Mor during Celtic Connections 2016 © FirstThreeSongs/James Carney
Did you know Celtic Connections features over 2,000 artists? A firm favourite in the live music calendar, this Glasgow festival offers a diverse range of Celtic, roots and world music, so unsurprisingly it's a hotbed for some of the most talented contemporary trad artists.
Usually spanning over three weeks in late January and early February, it's the perfect start to get a feel for the Scottish musical landscape with showcases and collaborations such as the World Beat Bothy and the Roaming Roots Revue.
In late April and early May, check out Edinburgh's TradFest, one of the biggest festivals promoting Scotland's traditional arts and Gaelic culture, with events across a range of city venues including The Pleasance and The Caves.
In the north, experience live music at the lively Shetland Folk Festival in April, a must for fans of fiddle music, or voyage to Orkney in May for the Orkney Folk Festival which features a bill of both home-grown talent and international acts.
On the Isle of Mull, spirits are high during the Mull Music Festival in April. Over the course of a weekend, the pubs and bars of Tobermory become filled with Scottish music and cheerful revelry.
Curated by trad-fusion band Skerryvore, Oban Live serves up two days of Scottish sounds in May, while near Castle Douglas in the beautiful Dumfries & Galloway, also in May, you can join a community of world music lovers at the likes of Knockengorroch World Ceilidh.
Starting in late May, Fèis Ìle, the Islay Festival of Music and Malt, is the ideal opportunity to sample fine whiskies, Islay's most famous export, as well as experience folk sessions, trad concerts and ceilidhs.
Trad music has something special about it nowadays. You get the freedom to play what you want, be as creative as you can be, experiment with your different influences and essentially express yourself as who you are.
