Edinburgh Tradfest 2020: main line up announced
We are delighted to announce our main music line up for May 2020.
Acclaimed folk musician Eliza Carthy and The Restitute Band will open the festival on Friday 1 May at Assembly Music Hall, bringing her boundary-crossing style, nuanced voice, and fierce fiddle playing to Edinburgh.
Following a hugely successful 2019 run, the main music programme, which is now on sale, runs for 11 days and features the very best of traditional music happening across the world today. Highlights include: BBC Radio 2’s 2018 Folk Singer Of The Year Karine Polwart, iconic Scottish band Shooglenifty celebrating their 30th year; unchallenged champions of straight in the eye Highland music Dàimh; the dynamic Kinnaris Quintet whose influences range from traditional Scottish and Irish music to Bluegrass, Old-Time and Classical; ‘nordgrass’ Finnish group Frigg; cutting-edge klezmer and world folk music from Moishe’s Bagel; Irish folk-singer Daoirí Farrell; contemporary champions of traditional Scots song Malinky; and all-female band with powerful vocals and instrumental prowess The Shee. New for 2020 is the specially commissioned Shetland Springs: a celebration of the Shetland fiddle tradition at the Traverse Theatre on Sunday 10 May. Curated by Catriona Macdonald, it will feature performances from herself and other luminaries from the northern isles, including Chris Stout, Kevin Henderson, Ross Couper and Margaret Robertson.
Douglas Robertson, Founder of The Soundhouse Organisation and Programmer of Edinburgh Tradfest said: “After a highly successful Edinburgh Tradfest in 2019 we are excited to present even more concerts in 2020. We, again, expect to entertain young and old, local and international guests with a taste for both the traditional and the new direction of folk music. Roll on May 1st!”
Alan Morrison, Head of Music at Creative Scotland said: “Last year Tradfest reclaimed Scotland’s traditional music heritage for the capital city, with a festival that celebrated the trailblazers of the past and the rising stars of the future. With double the amount of gigs on offer this year, Tradfest will provide a bigger platform for Scotland’s world-class talent while spreading its net wider to catch even more international acts. It’s also great to see a home-grown event shine a brighter light on the superb female musicians who are the heart and soul of the folk and trad scene.”
Tickets for the main music programme are on sale now.
The full Tradfest programme, which will include events from different art forms happening all across the city, will be announced mid-March.
Edinburgh Tradfest 2020 is funded by Creative Scotland’s open funding programme, the Royal Military Tattoo, the City of Edinburgh Council, and the William Grant Foundation.