Celtic Connections
City Halls Recital room, Glasgow
31st Jan, 2026
City Halls Recital room is a brightly lit opportunity to make some soft and soulful music for deepening senses, time for some old time Canadian and Celtic music with strings. The music is always nothing less than royal. Paper Sparrow (Over the Moons support) was of, acoustic guitar, double bass, sharing voices for their song’s vocals. Very, very soft & gentle.
Inside this country music swaying hip to hip with Spanish classical guitar, the motivating Blue Grass and its magically musically set journeys entertained an audience totally transfixed. While at earnest singing along to their lyrics ‘…it’s not the day, it’s the dawn…’ the audience were together.
Scottish dress, free flowing jazz, the three were a minstrel a poet and double bass artist. A decorative Guitar and flowing lyrical employments. A song so fateful; darkness’s pull ‘…Whisper to the waves…’ leaving us in a musically beautiful mood filling soul.
Over the Moon are a Canadian Folk Duo. After Sparrows they joined us dressed in very stylish Cowboy apparel. The couple picked up their choices of instrument and began to play this Celtic selected series of sets for the well-attended crowd.
Her double bass work along side the banjo’s plucking ran with sensational energy It proved that country can be found in a great many genres. Their joint stance ran through musical treatment, done wearing probably the finest wool and silk there is and those unmistaken awesome hats they get to wear.
They have united to spend their time playing, writing and recording. Admitting to never recording anywhere but at home in their country pad. They both described it and a portal was being worked open with songs of joy and sorrow and some of the things in-between. Their ever so rolling music involved a longing for making it and a skill impressive to encounter. They played on in a gentle, joyful state. These two proved, that you can put so much of the style you wish to have, make it yours while drawing on the old and having fun doing it.
Everything gorgeous; attire, style, the grace (a live one) of gratitude for heart whelming things; home, life’s courage in adventure. It was then all there in their lyrics and stories.
As soft as water they played their instruments, you could hear his stroking fingering strings that had as great a hold as one might have in lyrical playing. Across from him plucking his partner on her bass. Having and moving rhythm at its roots with high joys and light-hearted energy. Jiving, foot tapping artistry sang through a great smile and a favour in the wind.
Telling favourite or funny tales of their great and filled outback, the musical flowing carriage and lyrical houses on the hill, whip things up to his steady smiling face. Playing their unique take on such music genres and styles coming from a heart of the wild.
This was the great performance I wanted to go out on, this was my final Connections gig 2026. It’s been pleasure enjoying this annual bypass of misery, coiling it instead to a great time. Special moments, outstanding performance’s the well-oiled mechanics of front and back stage. Every year new connections are made and perhaps more importantly old alliances celebrate.
Daniel Donnelly
themumble.uk 