Review: CELTIC CONNECTIONS OPENING NIGHT, Glasgow Royal Concert Hall

The 2024 Celtic Connections festival kicked off in style at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall last night. The world’s premier folk and Americana festival runs for three weeks and sees concerts and workshops from artists across the globe.

Dreamers Circus start off the evening with some traditional instrumental music ahead of Rachel Sermanni’s gentle acoustic folk songs. Sermanni’s voice is glorious and sets a lovely tone for this brilliant festival. As she remarked herself, “Celtic Connections brings light in the darkest months”.

As is usual with this loyal festival audience, the crowd is attentive throughout Sermanni’s set and the auditorium is pin drop quiet. There’s a little gentle participation on the last song of her set and she is met with rapturous applause.

After the short interval Chris Thile takes to the stage with the full BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. This is a new piece from the Nickelcreek mandolin player which blends spoken word, music and improvisation in a whirlwind performance. Again, the audience are respectfully rapt during this set but everyone is keen to shout out song requests for the encore. Thile obliges and performs “Julep” by his band Punch Brothers.

As expected, the opening night concert sets the tone for a wonderful festival ahead filled with incredibly talented musicians and extremely dedicated audiences.

Photo credit: Gaelle Beri

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