As domestic travel restrictions begin to ease and Australians eagerly await the green light to journey overseas, talk is turning to travel planning, and desired destinations for our next adventure. To help with inspiration for when the time is right to travel, Glasgow Grooves, the third Spotify playlist in the #SoundsOfScotland series has been released, curated specially for those dreaming of travel to Scotland once borders reopen.
The perfect soundtrack for Scottish holiday planning, the Glasgow Grooves playlist has been developed to showcase some of the city’s best emerging and established local artists performing trad and folk tunes, giving Australians a true taste of Glasgow’s epic music heritage and the diversity of its music scene. Artists included on the playlist* include Breabach and Siobhan Miller.
2020 had been earmarked as the Year of Scotland in Australia (YOSA) to showcase Scotland’s finest traditional, Gaelic, Celtic, and folk musicians to audiences around the country. Held in partnership with more than thirty of Australia’s leading festivals, YOSA had been planned as the largest ever programme of Scottish music events to be staged in every Australian state throughout the year. The global pandemic has resulted in the cancellation of many of the planned events, so YOSA is now streaming concerts on its Facebook page instead.
Discover Glasgow’s Live Music Hotspots
Acclaimed as a UNESCO City of Music, Glasgow’s music scene is legendary, with performances held almost every night across the city’s eclectic venues. From gigs in underground bars to spectacular arena shows, music is in Glasgow’s DNA. The Glasgow Grooves playlist reflects perfectly the richness of the city’s musical heritage.
Glasgow’s city centre is home to stunning Victorian architecture, an easy-to-navigate grid street system and bustling energy with George Square at its heart. It’s also known for its legendary nightlife and performing arts venues. Big names include the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall – the official home of January’s Celtic Connections winter music festival and the Old Fruitmarket, a former fruit market packed with an old-school charm and a vaulted ceiling which regularly hosts jazz, rock and pop concerts, as well as traditional Scottish ceilidhs – or socials.
Home to distinctive districts, historic attractions and leafy surrounds, the city’s west end features a diverse range of music venues. Òran Mór is a bar and brasserie housed within a converted church which has played host to Amy Winehouse, The Proclaimers, Calvin Harris and more. Often called the ‘beating heart’ of Glasgow’s cultural scene, it’s a must-see on any future Glasgow visit.
Ashton Lane is a cobbled laneway of bars, pubs, restaurants and live music with a magical vibe. In Finnieston, the ‘Highland Triangle’ of pubs often host folk music sessions – usually spontaneous – while at the other end of the spectrum, the SSE Hydro is ranked among the world’s top five live entertainment arenas, playing host to a parade of international stars.
Home to traditional architecture and the epic Bellahouston Park, the area south of the River Clyde is known as much for its exciting dining and entertainment scene as for its leafy natural beauty. The Ivory Hotel is a favourite for traditional music, while The Glad Café dishes up its indie, electronic, world and traditional music with craft beers and a cracking menu. Barrowland Ballroom is another Glasgow icon, and one of the city’s best-loved venues. The grand old dame of the local music scene, it is known for its incredible acoustics, famed neon frontage, sprung dance floor and space for more than 2000 revellers.
No Glasgow sojourn is complete without a visit to King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut – voted one of the world’s top live music venues – and the place where Oasis got their big break and signed on the dotted line back in 1993. Visit for the lager and live music, and soak up the ambience of the spot where acts like Radiohead, No Doubt, The Killers, Manic Street Preachers and more have rocked the stage.
Celtic Connections go virtual
In addition to listening to Celtic tunes on Glasgow Grooves, Australians will also be able to experience some of the biggest names on the Scottish music scene via Celtic Connections in a new digital format. Internationally renowned as Europe’s largest winter music festival, annually welcoming over 2,000 artists to take part in over 300 events, Celtic Connections was set to celebrate its 28th incarnation in 2021. However, as with the rest of the world, plans have been turned on their head as the global pandemic continues to take hold.
With the full programme set to be announced in early December, Celtic Connections fans can expect to see an array of the most well-known and best-loved acts that have traditionally graced the festival stages, using an online platform every night between Friday 15 January – Tuesday 2 February 2021.
While Australians dream and plan their future travel to Scotland to experience Scottish music first-hand, here is some additional inspiration to help travellers plan their future visit to Glasgow, home to one of the UK’s liveliest music scenes.
