In this the Year of Scottish Islands Transatlantic Sessions are performing their first ever show in Shetland, the home of Transatlantic stalwart Aly Bain, on Friday 3 February 2012 at the Clickimin Leisure Complex, Lochside, Lerwick, Shetland, ZE1 0PJ. Tickets will be priced at £24.

From the award-winning Pelicula/BBC TV series, the Transatlantic Sessions continue to revisit shared roots and forge new common ground between today’s finest Celtic and Americana musicians. Fresh from the success of last year’s sold out tour are musical directors fiddle maestro Aly Bain and dobro legend Jerry Douglas.

Making their Transatlantic Sessions debut are Grammy-winning ex-Mavericks frontman Raul Malo, the Wailin’ Jennys’ dulcet soprano Ruth Moody and Irish balladeer Declan O’Rourke.

Further gracing the stage are Scottish stars Eddi Reader and Karen Matheson, while the Stateside posse features Tim O’Brien and Bruce Molsky, flanked as ever by the ultimate house band of John Doyle, Russ Barenberg, Phil Cunningham, John McCusker, Donald Shaw, Michael McGoldrick and James Mackintosh.

The countdown has begun for Celtic Connections 2012!

Since our launch in October there have been a number of new shows added to the festival including a special 40^th anniversary concert for the Average White Band with special guests including Michael Marra and Niki King and others TBA (3 February 2012, GRCH). Returning to the festival direct from Shetland performing on their 21^st anniversary of forming as a band are Rock Salt & Nails (3 February 2012, Oran Mor) and A Celebration of the Dewar Awards (23 January 2012, St Andrew’s in the Square) features some of Scotland’s best new talent. Celtic Connections will celebrate the increasing popularity of club culture with Beat Bothy Club Night which takes place at The Arches (3 February 2012) which includes a special set by Mylo.

Source: Celtic Connections