Shetland Arts' Summer of Music

Shetland Arts is delighted to announce we will be presenting a variety of excellent concerts in Mareel and other venues in Shetland this summer. The line-up from May to July so far includes Roddy Woomble with support from Freda Leask and Brian Nicholson, Vamm, Shooglenifty with support from Vair, Matthew Barley, the Edrom String Quartet, Peatbog Faeries, Rachel Sermanni, and Paul Brady, with more to be confirmed and on-sale in the coming weeks, including the line-up for Fiddle Frenzy 2013, which runs from 4 – 11 August this year.

Shetland Arts’ Marketing Officer, Lisa Ward, said: “We have an amazing line-up of gigs and concerts programmed for the summer, with even more to go on sale soon! We hope that Shetlanders and visitors alike will be as excited by the upcoming performances as we are, and that we’ll continue to see good audience turnout at these events.”

In May, Shetland Arts will welcome Roddy Woomble to Mareel for a concert on Monday 13. Roddy is familiar many thousands of music fans as the front man in the Scottish rock band Idlewild, and is also a celebrated solo songwriter & performer. As well as songs from his new album released in March, his live set will feature tunes from both his solo albums, alongside several Idlewild numbers. Support on the night will come from local stars Freda and Brian.

Roddy Woomble

Also in May, Vamm will play live in Mareel on Sunday 26 and at the Fetlar Hall on Saturday 25. Formed in 2012, Shetland born Catriona Macdonald (formerly of Blazin' Fiddles), Perthshire's Patsy Reid (of Breabach), and Norwegian Marit Falt seamlessly create a dynamic yet intimate sound that will take your breath away. Their concerts are described as “a must-see” for trad fans.

Vamm

June is jam packed with events, beginning on Saturday 1 with Shooglenifty and support from Vair. Shooglenifty is one of Scotland's most unique musical exports, playing an infectious blend of Celtic traditional music and dance grooves that they describe as "hypno-folkadelic ambient trad." Vair have already gained a shining reputation for their unique take on the folk sound and are sure to start the night in style. Tickets are already selling fast.

Shooglenifty

Just a few days later, on Tuesday 4 June, world-renowned cellist Matthew Barley will play a concert in Mareel as part of his Around Britten national tour, celebrating 100 years of Benjamin Britten. In what promises to be a fascinating and intriguing solo performance, showcasing his ever-growing virtuosity as a cellist, Barley will place Britten’s powerful Third Cello Suite at the centre of a programme which also includes a suite by J.S. Bach, who greatly inspired Britten. The programme will also include solo cello music by Tavener and specially commissioned new works by Dai Fujikura, James MacMillion, and DJ Jan Bang.

Matthew Barley

And that’s not all June has to offer for strings fans: on Wednesday 12 Shetland Arts’ is delighted to present the Edrom String Quartet, consisting of Lucy and Maeve Auer, Ferdinand Erblich and Shetland resident Donald MacDonald. The 4 musicians first met over 40 years ago through studies in Vienna and Austria and met regularly over the years as Coaches at Courses of the International Cello Centre (now known as the Edrom Casals Centre).

And just a few days after that, music-fans will get their dancing shoes on again for a gig on Saturday 15 by Peatbog Faeries in Mareel. Peatbog Faeries are a Celtic fusion band featuring Shetland's own Ross Couper on fiddle. Their music embodies many styles and influences, including folk, electronica, rock, and jazz. They have twice won "Live Band of the Year" at the Scottish Traditional Music Awards, and were nominated for "Live Band of the Year" at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards.

Peatbog Faeries

The end of June will see 21 year old singer Carrbridge singer-songwriter Rachel Sermanni playing a concert in Mareel on Wednesday 26. Rachel has wowed audiences across the UK, Europe, India and the USA over the past year playing in excess of 150 shows. A straight-up storyteller with a voice that Mojo magazine described as 'clean as cut glass', Rachel packs an almighty punch with her earthy melodies and incredible acoustic guitar skills. On her only previous visit to Shetland Rachel provided the support slot for Mumford and Sons during their gig in the Whiteness and Weisdale Hall. At that she made such an impact that there has been a substantial demand to bring her back to the islands again to deliver a full show of her own.

Rachel Sermanni

And finally, in July Tally Ho Entertainment in association with Shetland Arts presents Paul Brady live in Mareel on Friday 12 & Saturday 13. Paul Brady is one of Ireland's most highly regarded and successful artists, incorporating folk, rock, blues, traditional Irish, and classic pop styles into his song writing. Often classified as a musicians' musician, Paul Brady's songs have been covered by a huge array of major artists including Bonnie Raitt, Tina Turner, Cher, and Maura O'Connell, Brookes and Dunnie, Joe Cocker, and Carlos Santana.

Paul Brady

Other non-Shetland Arts’ events in Mareel this summer include the Shetland Choral Society Spring Concert on Friday 17 May, and Inferno To Malawi on Friday 14 June.