This is a copy of my article that was printed in the Morning Star on Saturday. Watch out for further comments on Celtic Connections events, as it is already shaping up to be rather a good Festival!
Last
weekend saw the start of the Celtic Connections festival here in
Glasgow. This innovative music festival with its roots firmly in the
Scottish/Irish folk tradition is 20 this year! Since 1993 Celtic
Connections has encompassed a huge range of material - Blues, Reggae,
World, Jazz etc - mostly with an (occasionally tenuous) link to the
Celtic diaspora.
There
are often a number of events worth recommending to those of a left
perspective. Tony Benn, Alastair McDonald, Arthur Johnstone, Sheena
Wellington, Mark Thomas, Alistair Hulett and Dave Swarbrick are among
those making the red thread glow through this year's festival.
Unusually,
the music festival is throwing its schedule open to a film and Q&A
session on Saturday 26 January, when former Minister and Labour
MP,Tony
Benn arrives to preview his film biography Will
and Testament.
 |
| Tony is back in Glasgow! |
The hugely
influential politician has been participating in the making of this
film for the last two years (he is now 87). The preview will be
followed by questions on his life, his politics and current issues in
a session chaired by comedian Mark Thomas. Well-known singers Sheena
Wellington, Arthur Johnstone and Alastair McDonald will also perform.
Tony
Benn said
“I
am pleased to come back to Glasgow, the home of the UCS work-in, and
many prominent trade union and socialist activists. It is great to be
able to introduce this film at Celtic Connections. There is an
affinity between folk and radical ideas, that I also see at
Glastonbury.”
 |
| Sheena Wellington |
Arthur
Johnstone is having a busy Celtic Connections. In addition to the
Tony Benn event both he, Alastair, and Sheena are appearing in Songs
of Struggle on
the 29 Jan. This concert celebrates solidarity through song. Along
with Dave Anderson (ex- Wildcat) and new singer Siobhan Miller, it
continues the collaboration started by 2011's UCS anniversary
concert. It can also now be revealed that both folk-rock legend Rab
Noakes, and harmonica virtuoso Fraser Speirs will guest!
Both
these are organised by FairPley,
who stage events particularly for not-for-profit groups. The Tony
Benn event is backed by Unite the union, UNISONScotland and the STUC,
Arthur
also features in the Red
Clydeside
concert on Friday 25 January. Songs of the late singer-songwriter and
campaigner Alistair Hulett, whose suite revisiting Red Clydeside were
featured on his 2002 album with Dave Swarbrick, are being performed
by the political-song doyen Roy Bailey, Arthur, rising star Ewan
McLennan, and other special guests, including Karine Polwart and
Gavin Livingstone.
Arthur
Johnstone said
 |
| Arthur Johnstone |
“Jimmy
Reid said during the UCS work-in that folk music has no meaning
unless it expresses the lives and struggles of ordinary people. It is
good that Celtic Connections is keeping that link prominent in the
festival.”
Finally,
the launch of the third volume of Songs
by Robert Tannahill,
the eighteenth-century Paisley weaver/poet takes place at the
festival on January 31.
Links
between folk music and people's struggle have been well-established
over the years -especially in Scotland. Celtic Connections is one
festival which is benefiting from the reignition of a spark linking
new audiences to radical entertainment. Tickets for these events and
many more can be obtained from http://www.celticconnections.com
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