Review: SIOBHAN MILLER BAND, The Old Fruitmarket
Celtic Connections runs until 1 February
By: Natalie O'Donoghue Jan. 25, 2026
It was quite the night for live music at the Old Fruitmarket on Friday night as part of the annual Celtic Connections festival. This was Siobhan Miller’s biggest headline show to date and she was joined by two wonderful support bands.
First on the bill was The Wran who brought a fresh take on traditional music. The four brothers hail from Ireland and were a great choice for getting the room warmed up. Next up we had Saltfishforty from Orkney, who went down a storm. The audience was invited to join in sing-alongs (complete with actions), and the duo are very funny as well as extremely talented musically.
Performing in front of a packed-out Fruitmarket, Siobhan Miller is completely at ease on stage. The beautifully sung setlist is a mix of newer material and traditional song punctuated with storytelling. It’s not a small venue but the performance makes it feel a lot more intimate than it is.
There was a stunning performance of “Wild Mountain Thyme” where Miller ventured into the audience, but with the layout of the venue, it didn’t work brilliantly visually for those in the floor-standing area, which was a real shame.
A real highlight was “The Club of Squandered Youth” which is Miller’s tribute to her days as a student in Glasgow and it felt particularly special to hear at a hometown show. The evening was rounded off with “The Ramblin’ Rover” from the full band plus special guests which served as yet another reminder what a joy this wonderful festival is during the winter months.
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