Shooglenifty – The Untied Knot Tour

2015 has been an epic year for Shooglenifty, a band formed 25 years ago in Edinburgh. Retaining four of their original members plus their bass player of 12 years standing, the line up has been invigorated in the past year by fiery young mandolinist Ewan MacPherson who contributes four tunes to their critically acclaimed new CD release The Untied Knot.

Also new in 2015 is ‘puirt a beul’ vocalist Kaela Rowan who graces the album with the first ever collection of Shoogle songs.

Shooglenifty’s sound springs from traditional Scottish dance music, energised by the beats and bass line of something altogether more contemporary. It is not a sit-down kind of music, it’s a join-in, and get on your feet kind of vibe. Attempts to describe this almost uncatagorisable band include: ‘dub-diddly’,‘hypno-folkadelic-ambient-trad’ and ‘Acid-Croft’. Whatever it is, it has endured, evolved and, above all, entertained for quarter of a century.

The band are most at home playing live, and matching the excitement of releasing the new album, 2015 has been a year of very special gigs. They enjoyed not one, but three(!) 25th Anniversary Parties – they sold out the city’s iconic Old Fruitmarket venue at Celtic Connections in January, they blew the roof off a packed Glenuig Hall in April, and, in May, celebrated at a late night album launch at La Belle Angele, Edinburgh, scene of their first residency in the early 90s.

But before we hit the fireworks at midnight on 31 December, Shooglenifty is coming to a village/town/city near you.

There will be dancing.