Orkney-born folk quartet FARA return to Celtic Connections with spellbinding vocals and driving fiddle tunes, supported by special guests.
FARA are back at Tramway on Friday 29 January, as part of this year's Celtic Connections. It's a return to the festival for the Orkney-born folk quartet, who've built a name for themselves as a powerhouse of the Scottish folk scene. Their sound draws on the centuries-old musical heritage of the Orkney Islands, and they're bringing that right into the city.
On stage, the band is built around three award-winning fiddlers — Kristan Harvey, Jeana Leslie and Catriona Price — with Rory Matheson on piano. The set weaves fiery fiddle sets with lyrical songwriting and three-part harmonies, breathing new life into existing melodies while crafting original compositions that push the tradition forward. It's that mix of the old and the new that defines them: the spellbinding vocals and driving fiddle tunes are the core, and the piano rounds it all out.
They describe themselves as drawing on the musical heritage of the Orkney Islands, and that comes through in the way they handle the material. The three-part harmonies sit alongside the fiddle sets, and the original songs sit alongside the melodies they've taken from the tradition. It's a full-band sound, with the three fiddles and the piano working together rather than taking turns.
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The show is part of Celtic Connections, and Tramway is an international art space that commissions, produces and presents contemporary arts projects, positioning itself as a space where audiences are welcomed to witness, engage, experience, participate, be challenged and learn. The concert starts at 7:30pm on Friday 29 January at Tramway, 25 Albert Drive, Glasgow G41 2PE, and tickets are £24.64, which includes the booking fee.
