The Poozies

The Poozies play The Voodoo Rooms on Thursday 22 October, bringing their take on Scottish folk to the Ballroom. It's a night of traditional Scots and Gaelic music, and they've been a part of that scene since 1991. Back then they were an all-female group, which put them in the minority, and they were at the forefront of a wave that changed how traditional music was played in the nineties. They became known for an eclectic choice of material, unusual arrangements, and strong vocal harmonies.

Their breakthrough came from a television appearance on Shetland Sessions, filmed live at the Shetland Folk Festival. It showed off their originality, musicianship, and a genuine sense of fun, and it kick-started a long career of high-profile gigs and worldwide tours. Over the years, founding member Mary Macmaster and longtime collaborator Eilidh Shaw have played alongside Kate Rusby, Karen Tweed, Sally Barker, Mairearad Green and Patsy Seddon.

In 2015 the band returned with Macmaster's electroharp and Shaw's west coast fiddle joined by Orkney's Sarah McFadyen and Oban's Tia Files; their 2018 album Punch made a big impact. In 2023 they brought in guitarist Michael Bryan, and 2025 brought new music and a ramped-up, festival-headlining show. That's the version of the band you'll see here: Macmaster, Shaw, McFadyen, Files and Bryan.

The night is over 18s only. It starts at 7:30pm at The Voodoo Rooms, 19a West Register Street, EH2 2AA, and tickets are £22.