Review: ROAMING ROOTS REVUE, Glasgow Royal Concert Hall
Roaming Roots Revue runs across 25 and 26 January
By: Natalie O'Donoghue Jan. 26, 2026
Now in its 14th year, Roaming Roots Revue is always one of the highlights of the Celtic Connections programme. Accompanied by a 60 piece orchestra of final year students from RCS, Roddy Hart and the Lonesome Fire are joined by a selection of special guests who perform songs based around a theme. In previous years we’ve had the music of Tom Petty, Sargeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club and the Modern Scottish Songbook. The 2026 theme is Icons Vol 2- paying tribute to American icons.
Kicking things off with Roy Orbison’s “You Got It” is Roddy Hart and the Lonesome Fire, setting the tone for the musicianship we’re about to see for the evening. Highlights from across the evening include Rhianne Downey’s “Natural Woman”, Amythyst King’s “Heart of Glass” and Dylan Le Blanc’s “Always On My Mind”.
One small criticism of this year’s edition is that the theme feels a bit too loose. By having such a pool of work to choose from across the decades and genres, the setlist is chaotic in places, and at times the pacing of the evening suffers as we leap from ballads to soul classics and pop bangers. Guy Garvey delivered a wonderful rendition of “A Case Of You,” and it is acknowledged that although the theme is American artists, Joni Mitchell is Canadian.
Beautifully conducted by John Logan, listening to this orchestra is a real treat and the arrangements of the songs are stunning. Alice Faye brought the house down with her gorgeous performances of both “Somewhere Over The Rainbow” and “My Way”.
As is always the case at Roaming Roots Revue, it appears that all of the artists are delighted to be there. There were a couple of slightly shambolic group numbers at the end that they explained they didn’t have time to rehearse but it's clear everyone is having a great time. Rounding off the evening with Phil Campbell singing Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing”, Roaming Roots Revue have once again proven why they have such a solid reputation as a great night of music.
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