Opening Night-James McMurty plus Betty Soo
£25 (plus stbf)
Doors 7pm, 7.30pm start
Over 14’s with an adult
Unreserved seating
A Lone Star sheriff hunts quail on horseback and keeps a secret second family. A mechanic lies among the spare parts on the floor of his garage and wonders if he can afford to keep his girlfriend. A troubled man sees hallucinations of a black dog and a wandering boy and hums “Weird Al” songs in his head. These are some of the strange and richly drawn characters who inhabit James McMurtry’s eleventh album, The Black Dog & the Wandering Boy. A supremely insightful and inventive storyteller, he teases vivid worlds out of small details, setting them to arrangements that have the elements of Americana—rolling guitars, barroom harmonies, traces of banjo and harmonica—but sound too sly and smart for such a general category. Funny and sad often in the same breath, the album adds a new chapter to a long career that has enjoyed a resurgence as young songwriters like Sarah Jarosz and Jason Isbell cite him as a formative influence.
As varied as they are, these new story-songs find inspiration in scraps from his family’s past: a stray sketch, an old poem by a family friend, the hallucinations experienced by his father, the writer Larry McMurtry. “It’s something I do all the time,” he says, “but usually I draw from my own scraps.” As any good writer will do, McMurtry collects little ideas and hangs on to them for years, sometimes even decades. “South Texas Lawman” grew out of a line from a poem by a friend of the McMurtry clan, T.D. Hobart. Driven by gravelly guitars and a loose rhythm section, it’s a careful study of a man whose feelings of obsolescence motivate him to take drastic action in the final verse. “Dwight’d stay at our house way back in the ‘70s, when we lived in Virginia. During one visit he wrote this poem about his father’s attitude toward South Texas. He wrote it down on cardboard, and I came across it recently. There was a line about hunting quail on horseback, and that was the seed of the song. I’ve lost the poem since then.”
Dar Williams plus Heather Maloney
£18.50 (plus stbf)
Doors 7pm, 7.30pm start
Over 14’s with an adult
Unreserved seating
"It’s a highway, filled with deep, exotic colors and beautiful delicate things as well as the perils that come from moving so fast," says Dar Williams, describing modern life.
On her 13th album, Hummingbird Highway, out September 12 on Righteous Babe Records, Williams celebrates the colors she glimpses from her vantage as a touring musician. "I was a kid from the suburbs who listened when her hippie teachers said to get out in the world," Williams muses.
Hummingbird Highway is the latest chapter in a richly unfolding story. Drawing on her experience as a playwright, Williams populates her latest album with nuanced characters that come alive in the space of a few minutes.
On the title track, Williams sings from the perspective of a child speaking to her peripatetic and sometimes struggling parent. Blooming columbines, china blue teapots, and cinnamon bark number among the "treasures" in her life, despite the "pirates" that she imagines populating her worldly parent’s life.
"The pirates can be all sorts of things living inside and outside your head. The child, for better or worse, knows that there is joy, unpredictability, and instability on the home front. She’s rooting for the joy."
The Black Denims plus support
£15 (plus stbf)
Doors 7.30pm, 8pm start
Over 18’s with an adult
Standing Show
The Black Denims have been dubbed “Scotland’s newest country supergroup” by Americana UK, though the country they most proudly represent through their music is Scotland itself. Bringing together eight award winning musicians, songwriters and performers, the band has forged a distinctive sound that honours the traditions they love while refusing to be confined by them.
At the heart of The Black Denims lies a deep respect for great songwriting. Their music is built on stories: sometimes tender, sometimes cutting, often humorous, but always rooted in authenticity. Across their songs, painstaking truths sit alongside sharp satire, heartfelt romance and observations of everyday life, creating a body of work that feels both deeply personal and universally familiar.
What makes The Black Denims unique is the wealth of songwriting talent within the group. Each member arrives with their own
musical history, influences and creative voice, resulting in a collective where diversity becomes a strength rather than a compromise.
Their arrangements are rich and dynamic, allowing individual perspectives to blend into a sound that is unmistakably their own.
Their musical journey wanders freely across genres and continents. They pick their way through the mountains of folk, atop the hills of bluegrass, drift down the back alleys of jazz and wade gently through the rhythmic currents of Latin American music. Along the way, they weave these influences together with a distinctly Scottish sensibility.
This genre bending approach is captured across their ambitious mini-album trilogy, Grateful For Small Mercies. Released in three acts, the series serves as both a showcase of the band's broad musical palette and a testament to their commitment to storytelling. With anticipation building around the forthcoming third instalment, the final act promises to bring the series to a barn burning conclusion.
On stage, The Black Denims have earned a reputation as one of Scotland’s most compelling live acts. Their performances combine virtuosic musicianship, infectious energy and a genuine sense of camaraderie that quickly draws audiences into their world. Whether delivering intimate ballads or full throttle ensemble numbers, the band possesses a rare ability to make every room feel like a gathering of old friends.
Their growing reputation has led to notable appearances, including supporting Gretchen Peters at Celtic Connections, one of the inductees to Nashville’s Songwriting Hall of Fame. Combined with sold out headline performances in the south of England and standout appearances on festival stages across the UK, The Black Denims continue to build momentum wherever they go.
Drawing inspiration from artists such as Guy Clark, Tony Rice, Bob Dylan, Waylon Jennings and Antônio Carlos Jobim, The Black Denims stand at the crossroads of tradition and reinvention.
Gathering Sessions South: with Sociograss & Kate Kyle
£12 (stbf)
Doors 7.30pm,8ppm start
Limited Unreserved seating/standing space
Over 18’s only
Gathering South Sessions
Hosting the finest of Folk & Traditional song in intimate, homely spaces in the heart of Glasgow’s Southside. Est. 2018. Having hosted twenty-seven house concert sessions in the past six years, this creative community project has expanded into a live studio session ‘Gathering South Goes West’ and now grows further with this special run of unique live concerts with ‘Gathering South Presents:’
Winner of Folk ‘Club of the Year’ at the MG Alba Scots Traditional Music Awards 2023
Sociograss is a five piece band of musicians based in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Come together under a shared love of American roots music the band has been well known on the Scottish scene for years now becoming a regular fixture at Scottish music festivals and hosting jams in Edinburgh and around the country.
The band formed when guitarist and singer Tim Leslie of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania found himself for the first time in Edinburgh and chancing upon members of Dundee band Wire and Wool. Finding musical harmony between them and a passion for the music of Appalachia the group was soon after joined by fiddle player Ben Errington of Auld Reekie String Band, and later Conal McIntosh, on double bass.
A seasoned live performer, Kate Kyle has performed extensively across the UK and internationally, with appearances at Celtic Connections, Hidden Door Festival, Eden Festival, Millport Country Music Festival, a songwriter round in Nashville, TN, and a headline show at the legendary King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut. Her performances are marked by authenticity, strong audience connection, and a clear love for the craft of songwriting. Follow Kate Kyle's journey as she continues to bring her music to stages across the UK and beyond.
The Delines plus support
£25 (plus stbf)
Doors 7.30pm, 8pm start
Over 18’s with an adult
Unreserved seating
The Delines are set to return with their sixth album to day on March 6th via Decor Records entitled 'The Set Up'. The Portland, Oregon country-soul act has been touring the UK now for over ten years and are coming off the back of their previous album Mr Luck & Ms Doom which finished in the top 40 albums of the year end polls in UNCUT Magazine. The album will be followed by Willy Vlautin's new novel 'The Left and The Lucky" next May on Faber & Faber.
Willy Vlautin of The Delines says " we were finishing the Mr. Luck & Ms. Doom sessions when I brought in a tune called Walking With His Sleeves Down. Amy learned it on piano and we recorded it live. Her take was stunning but the song didn’t quite fit the record. It was lonelier, more rattled, and it missed that rudderless romance that inhabits the world of Mr. Luck & Ms. Doom, so we set it aside. Next I brought in The Reckless Life. The song worked sonically but again didn’t feel quite right lyrically. Both it and Walking With His Sleeves Down pulled the listener into the lives of the drug-addled, the grifters, and the lost and not the romantics adrift on the road like Mr. Luck & Ms. Doom. So we shelved the songs and finished the record.
But even as we toured Mr. Luck & Ms. Doom I couldn’t stop writing songs for it. I think seeing the residue of the opioid epidemic in the US, the thousands of young people rattled with addiction and living in tents and on the streets and in old cars and RVs, influenced Luck and Doom but even more so with The Set Up: Dilaudid Diane, The Reckless Life, Jumping off in Madras, and Walking With His Sleeves Down all live in that world.
Harry Bird (full band show)
£16 (plus stbf)
Doors 2.30pm, 3pm start-no support
All age matinee show, under 18’s with an adult
Limited Unreserved seating
On tour with his inspirational band and songs from the forthcoming album "Absurditties", Harry Bird is a modern day troubadour, mixing “genius songwriting” (RnR Magazine, UK) with a voice that has captivated audiences all over Europe and beyond.
Drawing on British folk, Americana and other world music genres, his lyrically charged performances are a freewheeling cabaret of finely crafted songs and good humour.
An experienced circus and theatre musician, his compositions have featured on stage and on screen, most recently in Damian McCarthy’s horror films “Oddity” (2024) and “Hokum” (2026).
“Absurditties”, his fifth studio album, follows 2023's "Mucho Picnic" and three earlier albums released as Harry Bird and the Rubber Wellies on his own label Hot Drop Records.
His band of foot stomping folkies features Scottish-Australian bluegrass maestros Pepita Emmerichs and Theodore Barnard (Rain of Animals / Good Guy Hank) along with powerhouse Dundee songwriter Gavin McGinty (GAVIN / Sinderins) and globetrotting Scottish-Icelandic drummer Signy Jakobsdottir.
Original, entertaining and thought-provoking, his energetic, feel-good shows are not to be missed.
Annie Keating Band & The Dreaming Spires
£17 (plus stbf)
Doors 7.30pm, 8pm start
Over 18’s with an adult
Limited Unreserved seating
It’s show(down)time: these two acclaimed acts from the international Americana scene have decided to face off with a co-headline tour!
This Autumn, sun-drenched country-rock from Oxfordshire meets smoky Americana from Brooklyn as The Annie Keating Band and The Dreaming Spires join forces for a highly anticipated double-bill. More than just a series of concerts, this promises to be a celebration of a quarter-century of musical exploration and a profound transatlantic dialogue woven into both artists’ songwriting.
The Dreaming Spires’ debut, Brothers in Brooklyn, was inspired by their time in Annie’s home borough, while Keating herself has become a "staple of the contemporary Americana scene" in the UK, championed by the legendary Bob Harris. Since Jamie Dawson (drummer for The Dreaming Spires) also tours as part of The Annie Keating Band, the musical chemistry should be seamless.
With the Spires’ Robin and Joe Bennett bringing sibling harmonies and jangle, and Annie bringing gritty folk-rock with her storming band, also featuring Joe Coombs and Scott Warman, each show with these two acts will feel like a Friday night gig regardless of the day, leaving the audience in a much better mood than when they arrived!
When they test-drove this combination last year, both acts got rave write-ups from the local paper, which called it “a great night of American-inspired music”. Now the show is going nationwide, and rumour has it some special collaborations are in the works. Don’t miss out on an unforgettable night of equal parts heart-on-sleeve songwriting and stirring rock & roll!
The Coaltown Daisies plus support
£16 (plus stbf)
Doors 2pm, 2.30pm start
All age matinee show, under 18’s with an adult
Limited Unreserved seating
The Coaltown Daisies are a duo of singer songwriters who write and perform dynamic folk, soul and americana music and who have a wealth of experience as performers, recording artists and event managers. They are renowned for their highly engaging live performances and steady professionalism which has resulted in them performing at sought after venues and festivals all over the country.
The records they have released under their own Little Bird Records label feature a lineup of highly established musicians and have been exceptionally well received by listeners worldwide. One of their compositions was chosen as the original theme for World Whisky Day and won them the coveted CalMac Culture Music prize. Their acclaimed album, Listen, has previously been nominated for UK Album of the Year and UK Song of the Year at this year’s British Country Music Association awards. It explores the wide spectrum of americana; the tracks have been intentionally arranged to draw attention to the album's core theme of mental health. Each song is packed full of incredibly well-thought-out vocals and deliberate instrumentation as well as featuring an absolutely stellar line-up of some of Scotland's most revered musicians. Invoking the likes of Steve Earle, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Bruce Springsteen, Shawn Colvin, Montgomery Gentry and the Indigo Girls, this is an album that definitely should not be missed.
This year, The Coaltown Daisies, have released one of their most exciting singles to date, which is a cinematic, stirring and thoughtful version of one of Scotland's most revered folk songs, The Dark Island. This entirely unique arrangement is lready being played repeatedly on radio stations around the world and the performance takes a deeper and more cultural approach to their signature americana, folk and roots sound; it simply must be heard, especially by those who recognise Scotland as their home, wherever in the world they may be.
An Evening with Darden Smith
£18 (plus stbf)
Doors 7pm, 7.30pm start
Over 18’s with an adult
Limited Unreserved seating
Darden Smith is an Austin, Texas-based songwriter / musician / artist / educator whose almost forty-year career continues to evolve and change with time. Since getting his start in 1986, he has released seventeen critically acclaimed albums and toured extensively in both the US and Europe.
His latest work, Western Skies (2022), is a sprawling multimedia collection comprising two albums (music and spoken word); a book of photography, lyrics and essays; videos; drawings, a suite of lithographs and a one-man theater show. Among his other diverse projects, Smith has composed a symphony, scored three full-length dance theater works, produced a documentary for BBC2 Radio and written music for film and TV.
His visual art is in both private and corporate collections as well as the Library of Congress. He is the co-founder and former creative director of SongwritingWith:Soldiers, an organization that brings collaborative songwriting to veterans and their families.
The Habit of Noticing: Using Creativity to Make a Life (and a Living), a collection of his writings, photos and drawings, was published in 2018. Smith is the 2024-2025 Songwriter Emeritus at the University of Texas at Austin.
Robert Vincent plus Mally Smith
£18 (stbf)
Doors 7pm,7.30pm start
Over 18’s only
Limited unreserved seating/standing space
The moment he started to sing I knew that this was something special’ Bob Harris OBE (BBC Radio 2)
It is Vincent’s powerful and soulful voice that has continually attracted acolytes such as Bob Harris, Paul Carrack, Robert Plant and Mary Chapin Carpenter.
Announced as winner of UK Song of The Year at the UK Americana Music Association Awards 2025 for his track ‘Follow What You Love & Love Will Follow’ alongside a highly coveted nomination for UK Artist of The Year, Robert Vincent continues to enthral audiences and critics alike, showing his versatility as both a solo performer and with a full band.
Most recently receiving the invitation to support Robert Plant & band Saving Grace across their UK and European Tour dates, there is an ever-growing excitement surrounding Robert Vincent, his captivating live performances and his new album.
The Liverpool singer/songwriter released his fourth studio album ‘Barriers’ in June 2024 to critical acclaim spending multiple weeks in the Country Music Charts nestled between Beyonce and Taylor Swift - but it was reaching the top 10 of both the Independent Album Chart and Record Store Chart that really gave Vincent reason to celebrate, with critics removing the constraints of category, declaring:
“Barriers' is a masterful album that blends introspection with musical sophistication, cementing Robert Vincent's place as one of the UK's finest songwriters. His music, deeply rooted in personal and social narratives, continues to resonate widely, securing his place in the pantheon of great Liverpudlian artists” Entertainment Focus.
Robert Vincent plus Mally Smith (Copy)
£18 (stbf)
Doors 7pm,7.30pm start
Over 18’s only
Limited unreserved seating/standing space
The moment he started to sing I knew that this was something special’ Bob Harris OBE (BBC Radio 2)
It is Vincent’s powerful and soulful voice that has continually attracted acolytes such as Bob Harris, Paul Carrack, Robert Plant and Mary Chapin Carpenter.
Announced as winner of UK Song of The Year at the UK Americana Music Association Awards 2025 for his track ‘Follow What You Love & Love Will Follow’ alongside a highly coveted nomination for UK Artist of The Year, Robert Vincent continues to enthral audiences and critics alike, showing his versatility as both a solo performer and with a full band.
Most recently receiving the invitation to support Robert Plant & band Saving Grace across their UK and European Tour dates, there is an ever-growing excitement surrounding Robert Vincent, his captivating live performances and his new album.
The Liverpool singer/songwriter released his fourth studio album ‘Barriers’ in June 2024 to critical acclaim spending multiple weeks in the Country Music Charts nestled between Beyonce and Taylor Swift - but it was reaching the top 10 of both the Independent Album Chart and Record Store Chart that really gave Vincent reason to celebrate, with critics removing the constraints of category, declaring:
“Barriers' is a masterful album that blends introspection with musical sophistication, cementing Robert Vincent's place as one of the UK's finest songwriters. His music, deeply rooted in personal and social narratives, continues to resonate widely, securing his place in the pantheon of great Liverpudlian artists” Entertainment Focus.
Nathan Bell plus Scott Ashworth (Copy)
£17 (stbf)
Doors 2.30pm,3pm start
All ages matinee, under 18’s with an adult
Unreserved seating
An Iowa-bred, Tennessee-grown, down-to-earth American original, Nathan Bell creates spellbinding live performances with a combination of impeccably sung stories and dazzling musicianship not always found in the singer-songwriter genre.
An Americana-UK male artist of the year selection three years running, he delivers a master class in storytelling and original guitar playing.
"An inspired guitarist with a droll, dark wit"- The Scotsman
Bell, live and unvarnished, is how he should be experienced. All fire in the belly and world-weariness through a voice box designed by a genius on a six-string cloud." - Keith Hargreaves for AmericanaUKs.
Gathering Sessions South: Auld Reekie Stringband, Robin Adams & Robyn Smith (Copy)
£12 (stbf)
Doors 7pm,7.45pm start
Limited Unreserved seating/standing space
Over 18’s only
Gathering South Sessions
Hosting the finest of Folk & Traditional song in intimate, homely spaces in the heart of Glasgow’s Southside. Est. 2018. Having hosted twenty-seven house concert sessions in the past six years, this creative community project has expanded into a live studio session ‘Gathering South Goes West’ and now grows further with this special run of unique live concerts with ‘Gathering South Presents:’
Winner of Folk ‘Club of the Year’ at the MG Alba Scots Traditional Music Awards 2023
Auld Reekie String Band
‘Our band formed out of a shared community in the Edinburgh folk scene. We came together in 2018 in the musician's corner of the Royal Oak and discovered we had a shared passion for Oldtime folk music from the Appalachian mountains of the southern U.S. We soon discovered other mutual influences in punk and metal and a shared vision was born.
We began our career as a band playing sessions around Edinburgh and busking on the streets of the old town - some of the best times of our lives and something that we still enjoy at any opportunity. This soon progressed on to a fruitful career playing festivals around Scotland and the rest of the UK.
In these early years we focused on establishing a unique sound - something that people hadn't heard before. Blending our love for the Oldtime repertoire with our interest and experiences in the punk scene, we crafted our own punkified, foot-stomping DIY sound. We seek to capture the spirit of porch jams and barn dances and infuse it with the essence of a squat show.
Robin Adams
‘More commonly found in folk territory inhabited by Bert Jansch, John Martyn and the likes, Wrong Road Home (due for release on Holy Smokes Records DECEMBER 2021) sees Robin Adams take a somewhat unexpected detour from his usual route. Drawing inspiration from some of his favourite songwriters, this record sees Adams channel his American songwriting heroes from the story telling of Hank Williams to the eerie atmospheres of Michael Hurley. The record has won acclaim and extensive airplay on BBC Radio Scotland's Ricky Ross, Roddy Hart & Iain Anderson shows and more.
Robyn Smith
‘Robyn Smith, a singer-songwriter from Dunfermline, Scotland, finds inspiration in the folk and country genres, crafting music deeply rooted in Americana. Her EP, 'Muse', is available for purchase and streaming on all major platforms.’
Bronwynne Brent plus Adriana Spina- Matinee Show (Copy)
£16 (stbf)
Doors 1.30pm,2pm start
All ages matinee, under 18’s with an adult
Unreserved seating
When BBC radio and TV legend, 'Whispering' Bob Harris first discovered Mississippi Delta songbird Bronwynne Brent and she became his fave rave, her arrival on these shores got off to a dream start.
After her first run of live dates, the circuit turned white hot with excitement, she won an invitation to appear at Glasgow's Celtic Connections festival, and on her second UK tour, began packing them in.
Then Bob invited her into his studios for TWO live sessions at a time when his BBC Radio 2 rock show attracted one of the biggest audiences. Now, firmly established as one of the most popular touring artists, with many sold-out shows each time she returns to these shores, she has also carried off the Female Vocalist of The Year award in the annual Readers’ Poll at AmericanaUK.
On tour here in trio format with two of her favourite musicians on bass and electric guitar, get set to fall under a particularly entrancing spell.
The Wynntown Marshals Magic Torch
£15 (stbf)
Doors 7.30pm, 8pm start
Over 18’s only
Standing Show
Keith Benzie – vocals, guitars
David McKee – bass, backing vocals
Brendan O’Brien – drums, percussion
Ali Petrie – keyboards, piano, backing vocals
Andy Nicholson - electric and acoustic guitars
Edinburgh-based Americana stalwarts The Wynntown Marshals were once described by Uncut magazine as ‘colonising the shadowlands between Tom Petty and Teenage Fanclub’. This description sits more than comfortably with the band, who are happy to dial up the radio-ready power pop alongside their more rootsy leanings.
Now in their seventeenth year, the Marshals have a fervent fan following, who have long praised the band’s lyrical smarts, way with melody and less obvious take on the Americana genre. Honesty, authenticity and a down-to-earth love of consuming, playing, writing and creating music are the common themes; firm friends, bandmates, music lovers, all.
The band has recently commenced recording their as-yet-unnamed fifth album, again recording at Slate Room Studios with Garry Boyle, who mixed 2022’s critically-acclaimed ‘Big Ideas’. Lyrical themes cover loss, loyalty, friendship, romance and failed bank robberies, and the genuine and continued joy of playing together lies at the core of this latest set of songs. Release date TBC, but expect new music in early 2026!
Riley Catherall plus Kenneth Noah Blair (Copy)
£15 (stbf)
Doors 7.30pm,8pm start
Over 18’s only
Unreserved seating
Riley Catherall is a Singer-Songwriter based in Melbourne whose graceful trajectory into the Australian Alt-Country Music world has not gone unnoticed. Riley has built a credible status as a one of the country’s most promising songwriters through his poetic sincerity and alluring live shows.
Riley released his debut full-length album in late 2021: “When I Go” is an amalgamation of songs about leaving, losing love, and finding somewhere to settle down. National praise came in spades for singles “Mother Please”, “Vacant Lot” and “Leave Me Out To Dry” – all receiving extensive streams, national airplay and an addition into ABC National's high rotation in November 2019. Catherall’s writing has also attracted international attention with radio play across Europe and the UK – “A F***ing Virtuoso” Chris Jagger delicately put it after he appeared at the Maverick Americana Festival in Suffolk, UK where he was listed as a festival favourite alongside Lachlan Bryan and The Wildes and Hannah Aldridge.
Those with a keen eye at such festivals will notice Riley on stage playing guitar for the likes of those mentioned above, as well as having accompanied and collaborated with Kasey Chambers, Charm Of Finches, Alan Fletcher, Imogen Clark and Loretta Miller (Clairy Browne & the Bangin' Rackettes).
Paper Sparrows plus Niamh Corkey
£15 (stbf)
Doors 7.30pm,8pm start
Unreserved seating
Over 18’s only
“Highly recommended!” Celtic Connections
Paper Sparrows’ sound centres on their distinctive twin-acoustic guitar style, finger-picking, harmonies and double bass. Arrangements draw upon 60s folk-revivalists such as Bert Jansch, John Renbourn, Dylan and Donovan up to contemporary acts such as Dave Rawlings, Kris Drever and the Milk Carton Kids.
Paper Sparrows grew out of a successful Edinburgh folk club founded in 2014 by multi-instrumentalist, Ross Fairbairn. The combination of Fairbairn, singer-songwriter David Hershaw and double bassist, Colin Morris, soon coalesced into a de facto house band. Given the talents involved, it was only a matter of time before original music began to flow.
Debut album Hiding Away From The Light is true to the trio’s Scottish folk roots, building around acoustic instruments and songs that blend thoughtful lyrics and engaging melodies. Any group featuring a couple of acoustic guitars and harmony vocals almost begs comparison with Simon & Garfunkel but Paper Sparrows’ key influences lie more in the British folk revival of the 60s.
A Kick Up The Arts with Jill Jackson & Carol Laula
£18 (plus stbf)
Doors 7.30pm, 8pm start
Over 14’s with an adult
Unreserved seating
Glasgow Americana is more than thrilled to be teaming up with Nicola Meighan and her excellent podcast "A Kick Up The Arts" during the festival this year.
We bring the podcast to the live stage with two of Scotland's finest and most respected singer song writers in the shape of Jill Jackson and Carol Laula.
Join us for an evening of conversation, laughs and some really special musical performances.
Jill Jackson is a leading female artist in the UK’s Americana scene, known for her raw talent and honest storytelling. From her Paisley roots to performing on Top of The Pops and T in the Park and touring with Bryan Adams, her career has been a testament to authenticity.
Her latest album, Curse of The Damned (2024), marks a bold new chapter, where she fully embraces her true identity. Blending pop, country, and Americana, Jill explores the complexities of neurodiversity and life’s challenges. As she puts it, the album is "a front seat to my life," reflecting her tumultuous journey with raw, vulnerable lyrics.
Known for her storytelling prowess, Jill draws comparisons to icons like Brandi Carlile, Joan Baez, and Joni Mitchell, fusing Americana with her Scottish roots in a sound that transcends genres. Curse of The Damned is a deeply personal, empowering album that showcases her deep growth as an artist and a person.
Scotland is renowned the world over for its exports, and one of its finest is singer-songwriter Carol Laula. With a style that floats somewhere between the sweet, clear delicacy of Joni Mitchell and the edgier tones of Joan Armatrading, it’s little wonder she has risen from a young unknown to become a household name. She first captivated both the media and her audience in 1990, when her independent single Standing Proud was chosen to represent Glasgow during its year as European City of Culture.
Laula is passionate about supporting emerging talent and believes strongly in the need for more platforms to help new artists break through. From 2015 to 2018, her Wicked Women shows featured Carol onstage with her full band, performing alongside a vibrant range of new talent and helping to showcase emerging acts to wider audiences.
With eight albums to her name, she continues to inspire critics, who describe her as “one of Scotland’s leading singer-songwriters” and “an undeniably passionate and wholehearted singer” (Billboard). Q Magazine noted: “Laula’s songs deal with strength in adversity – especially from the modern woman’s perspective – on a personalised but universal level.”
Arts writer and broadcaster Nicola Meighan has interviewed names like Dolly Parton, Joan Collins, Martha Reeves, Judas Priest and Russell Crowe on her BBC Radio Scotland show (Friday Afternoons, 2-4pm), along with contributions to Radio 4, 6 Music, STV, The Herald, The List, MOJO, the Quietus and more. She's also worked at Monorail Music, the Arches, The Tron Theatre, Triptych festival (Grace Jones, Herbie Hancock, Karlheinz Stockhausen, Candi Staton), and with Nick Cave,Goldfrapp and Depeche Mode at Mute Records. A Kick Up The Arts is her Scottish Arts and Culture podcast: previous guests include Ian Rankin, Val McDermid, Clare Grogan and Deacon Blue. Listen via akickupthearts.org
Opening Night-Kirsten Adamson & The Tanagers plus The Silver Arrow Collective (Copy)
£16 (plus stbf)
Doors 7.30pm, 8pm start
Over 14’s with an adult
Unreserved seating
Award-winning singer/songwriter Kirsten Adamson (daughter of rock legend Stuart Adamson (Big Country, Skids)) summons the same heart-stopping purity as Sandy Denny, by way of Emmylou Harris and Kate Bush, with an engaging mix of heartland Americana folk rock.
Having recently finished recording Dreamviewer (follow-up to 2023’s critically acclaimed Landing Place), with award-winning producer/multi-instrumentalist Joe Harvey-Whyte, and impressed audiences and critics with sellout tours, festivals (including British Country Music Festival), and tours with Horse and Nazareth, 2025 is set to be the year Adamson creates some big waves.
'Exceptional' (Americana-UK.com)
'A talent to watch' (NoDepression)
Finale-Annie Keating Band plus special guest Hannah White
£16 (plus stbf)
The Annie Keating Band features Keating on acoustic guitar and vocals, rising star Joe Coombs on electric/slide guitars, Scott Warman on bass and Jamie Dawson on drums. This band believes that live show clips capture the magic better than words can; for a taste of what the band delivers live, visit the YouTube Channel
Talent spotted by BBC Radio‘s Bob Harris with the release of her breakthrough album, “Belmont” in 2008, Keating has been growing in stature and reputation, having released 11 critically acclaimed studio albums drawing formidable comparisons to artists including Lucinda Williams, Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Bonnie Raitt and John Prine along the way. A staple of the contemporary Americana scene, Annie Keating writes and sings like a woman who knows deep down that heartache is the price of hope, and she can make us believe — in that way that only the best artists can — that all of it is worth the cost.
Hannah White began 2023 standing on the winner's podium at the Americana Music Association UK Awards, as a hugely popular winner for UK Song of the Year with the goosebump-inducing 'Car Crash.' But the London-based singer-songwriter described by Uncut as possessing “an expressive voice & measured songcraft” is one of those artists who is always about the next thing, and the exciting new album Sweet Revolution is a completely fresh adventure in her fast-expanding career. Released in November ‘23 the album reached #17 in the UK Official Americana charts and #14 in the Independent Album charts.
The record expands hugely on the outstanding “Americana noir” ambience of 2022's widely-praised About Time, of which Maverick wrote: “The emotion she conveys in her vocal delivery gives you chills as her words tug at your heart strings.” Acoustic magazine called White “arresting and wholly believable. A voice you will want to protect and become besotted with,” while W21 Music wrote of “the restraint, the range, the softness, the clarity...a masterpiece."
Indeed, when Deacon Blue's Ricky Ross heard the album's breezy, country-leaning track 'Broken Bird,' he was not only moved to play it immediately on his BBC Radio Scotland show, but to invite Hannah to open on his 2022 solo tour. They became fast friends, and long lines of new converts waiting to meet Hannah and buy her music at each show were testament to her persuasive performing talents.
Follow all that, you might say, and she is. The opening single from the new album, 'Chains Of Ours,' is infectious with a percussive mood winning comparisons to a modern-day Fleetwood Mac. Hannah White was a special guest on Paul Carrack's 2023 autumn UK tour. Ahead of that, she and the band were delighting audiences throughout festival season at Glastonbury, Black Deer Festival, The Long Road Festival and more.
Peter Bruntnell plus Paper Sparrows
£16 (plus stbf)
In an uncertain number of years time, it will be acceptably cool to say that you first got into non-Grammy-winning artist Peter Bruntnell through his classic 2024 album Houdini And The Sucker Punch, before then going back and discovering his back catalogue of yet more “classics”. And you were there! You saw him live. You were one of those “10” people who saw him play in that modestly-sized room, almost 30 years into his career.
So here we are again. Three years on, another album into Peter’s 13 or 14 album catalogue and shouldering the burden of even more sublime reviews. Every possible positive adjective has been called into play, although it must be noted that the word “sublime” can never be used enough. Not even 2021’s primarily solo, slightly synthy lockdown album succeeded in putting an end to his non-success, despite Mojo echoing the plea that, “Somehow, some way, this cult and infinitely class songwriter must get his due wider recognition”. The Scottish Daily Express with its 5 star review, slightly frustrated, said, or perhaps yelled, “I’m getting tired of saying this: He’s brilliant”. The Irish Times thoughtfully combined two quotes into one, saving us the trouble of going back and getting crushed under the sheer weight of Peter’s archive of press quotes: “With Journey To The Sun, the man whose songs NME once noted should be placed on school curriculums has done it again.” And he continues to do so. But not without a brief foray into dance music, in collaboration with mega pop-hit songwriter Rob Davies. A foray that succeeded in sneaking by, almost completely unnoticed, therefore providing us with no further fresh quotes. If veering off entirely into the dark world of autotune would have increased his chances of hitting the big time, we shall never know. But fortunately Peter’s taking his chances.
Due for release this September, Peter Bruntnell’s new record Houdini And The Sucker Punch sees Peter re-employing his long-term band members Mick Clews on drums, Dave Little on electric guitar and Peter Noone on bass, along with a number of his favourite musicians making cameos throughout. Further details of Peter Bruntnell’s sublime new album are due to be revealed soon.
Malcolm MacWatt & Norma MacDonald
£14 (stbf)
Since signing to US label Need To Know Music, Scottish troubadour Malcolm MacWatt’s unique brand of Americana has been making waves on both sides of the Atlantic.
By choosing to sing in his own Scottish accent his work has been embraced by American, Canadian and European audiences for its authentic trans-Atlantic storytelling, garnering scores of superb reviews with the likes of Eliza Carthy, Gretchen Peters, Angeline Morrison, Nathan Bell, Kris Drever and Laura Cantrell lending their names and voices to his songs.
With comparisons to Dick Gaughan and Steve Earle, MacWatt weaves Celtic balladry into Appalachian string band influences while threading his own unique path between British Folk and Americana.
Norma MacDonald is an Americana singer-songwriter living in Halifax, NS. Her sixth album 'In Waves', released October 27, 2023 on Noyes Records, was produced by Juno-nominee Daniel Ledwell and features a slew of Halifax's finest musicians. 'In Waves' moves through seasons and moods, riding the crest of MacDonald's evocative songwriting and golden voice. Her previous five recordings have been nomination for multiple awards from Music Nova Scotia and the ECMA. In September 2023, MacDonald was invited to play at the Canadian Embassy in Paris, France.
“Yet another superb album from the excellent Norma MacDonald, a songwriter at the height of her powers…One of the best of 2023”—Paul McGee (Lonesome Highway, Dublin, Ireland)
The Countess of Fife plus Katie Whittaker
£17 (stbf)
5 piece alt country band led by legendary Rezillos’ frontwoman Fay Fife.
Urban grit combined with a touch of punk and soulful melodies, taking the alt country genre to warped frontiers of previously unheard terrain. Fay’s authentic, original lyrics, mellifluous vocals and out-there stage presence combine in an unholy alchemy of alt country, punk and a touch of gospel.
Their long since sold out debut album Star Of The Sea (greeted with glowing reviews and a top 10 chart position) is reissued this summer on iconic LNFG label.
The Countess of Fife is a 5 piece band featuring some of Scotland’s finest musicians - Kirsten Adamson (daughter of the late Stuart Adamson (Big Country, Skids)), Brian McFie (who played with Marianne Faithfull) on lead guitar, Al Gare (Imelda May, Jeff Beck) on double bass, Willy Molleson (Eliza Carthy Band) on drums, with Fay upfront on vocals and keys.
“A Celtic Ronnie Spector” **** Scotsman
The Seven Song Club
£12 (stbf)
Les Johnson & Me, Niamh Corkey, & Adam Thom
In association with Holy Smokes Records
We are thrilled to be teaming up once again with The Seven Song Club for a special show during Glasgow Americana this year.
Our line up for this show is in association with Holy Smokes Records, their founder Chris Blackmore has put together a very strong bill for the occasion.
Les Johnson & Me, Adam Thom, and Niamh Corkey. Each artist brings their unique sound and storytelling prowess, embodying the spirit of the roots genre we all love. We are very excited to share this matinee of amazing music with you all, celebrating the vibrant local scene and the incredible work Glasgow Americana does to keep it thriving.
Holy Smokes Records is a Glasgow-based label dedicated to folk and roots music since 2013.
The Seven Song Club is the brain child of Glasgow based singer song writer, Warren McIntryre.
Sulidae- Album Launch plus Emma Jane- SOLD OUT
£14 (stbf)
Sulidae (a solo musical project from Bobby Motherwell) is delighted to announce the release of the second album …an invincible summer, which will be released on 16th August 2024 on CD and vinyl and will be available to stream and download on all platforms.
A follow up to the critically acclaimed debut solo album Kitchen Sink Dharma which received generous UK-wide airplay from the likes of BBC Radio Scotland and BBC6 Music and attracted comments and recommendations such as “superlative songs and poetry”, “stunning” “creative class” “knocked us out how good it is” and “my album of the year” from broadcasters, reviewers and fellow musicians alike. This second album is the much anticipated follow up.
Rachel Baiman & Cahalen Morrison
£16 (stbf)
Glasgow Americana brings you an incredible double header with old friends Rachel Baiman & Cahalen Morrison.
They will share the stage swapping songs back and forth, which is sure to be a festival highlight this year.
Raised in Chicago, Baiman made her way to Nashville at 18 with the dream of being a professional fiddler and has since released two solo records and an EP, alongside session work with Kacey Musgraves and Molly Tuttle amongst others.
Since her first album in 2017, she’s carved out a niche as an increasingly important, distinctive and political solo artist. Her latest album, Common Nation Of Sorrow, is arguably her finest to date. It’s certainly her most outspoken, exploring the underbelly of American capitalism, and the devastation it manifests, particularly on her own generation. It’s a tribute to her ability as a writer, singer and producer that it does so to such powerfully moving effect.
Originally hailing from the high desert of Northern New Mexico, Cahalen Morrison has made a name for himself. Over the past decade touring solo, as a duo with Eli West, or with his roadhouse country band Western Centuries, Cahalen has played shows and festivals all over the world and performed on stage with the likes of Tim O’Brien, Kelly Joe Phelps, Hot Rize, Crooked Still and Kris Drever.
Karen Jonas plus guest
£15 (stbf)
Americana/Alt-Country songwriter Karen Jonas is a powerhouse creator and storyteller with a voice to match. Ambitious, smart, and magnetically retro, her 2024 album The Rise and Fall of American Kitsch (9 Aug) will charm you with dazzlingly quirky storytelling, stellar performances, and an adventurous Americana soundscape. Her 2023 album The Restless is “a stunning collection of dreamy and dark alt-country confessionals; a deep exploration of love and vulnerability from one of Americana’s most hopeless romantics” (Holler.Country). With “vocals that twist and snap with tension and emotional depth” and a dynamic band, it’s no wonder Karen is turning heads all around the world (Country Music People, U.K.).
Flanked by her longtime guitarist the inimitable Tim Bray and bassist Seth Morrissey, she dazzles with energy that showcases their ten-year touring chemistry and the true joy of their art. Karen is a four-time Wammie (Washington Area Music) Award winner for Best Country and Americana Artist, Mid Atlantic Song Contest winner, Ameripolitan Award nominee, and official SXSW and UK Americanafest Showcasing Artist. As Parklife Mag DC put it, “the voice of country music in the DMV is a big, bright voice that belongs to Virginia native Karen Jonas.”
Opening Night-Good Guy Hank plus The Black Denims
£15 (plus stbf)
From the harmonious Heartlands of Scotland and the musical metropolis of Melbourne, Australia, Good Guy Hank bring all of the heartbreak, joy and everything in-between with soulful voices, lightning mandolin & fiddle playing and three part harmonies galore! Influences range from Hank Williams, Lucinda Williams, Bill Monroe to Elbow, Gillian Welsh, Drive by Truckers and many more.
Good Guy Hank are: Dbl Bass & Vocals: Theo Barnard of Scotland’s much lauded hell-raising band of bluegrass desperados Wire & Wool. Fiddle, Mandolin & Vocals: Pepita Emmerichs of Australian indie-pop sensations Oh Pep! Guitar & Vocals: Donny McElligott of Scottish Americana outfit The New Madrids.