Our Man in the Field with Mikaela Davis

Our Man in the Field plays The Art School on Saturday 23 January, with Mikaela Davis on the bill as well. It's a Glasgow date that sits within the Celtic Connections 2027 programme, so it's one of the many shows the festival spreads across the city that January.

Our Man in the Field is the songwriting project of British artist Alex Ellis. He describes his sound as soulful indie-folk with Americana roots, and that's a fair summary of where it lands: the folk side comes through in the songwriting, the Americana in the lean towards rootsy, open-country textures, and the soulful part in the way he sings. It's a mix that works because it doesn't try to be one thing or the other, and it's built around the songs themselves rather than a particular scene.

There are two other things that give the project its shape. First, the arrangements: he doesn't just stick to a guitar and a voice, and the richer textures he builds around the songs are a good part of the appeal. Second, the storytelling: he writes with an emotionally direct approach, the kind of songwriting that doesn't hide behind too many metaphors and just says what it means. It's that combination of a full sound and a clear voice that makes it more than just a singer-songwriter set.

The show is at The Art School, 20 Scott Street, Glasgow City Centre G3 6RJ, on Saturday 23 January, as part of the Celtic Connections 2027 programme.