Craig Armstrong

Giant Sand songwriter Howe Gelb lines up for Celtic Connections date

3 Jan 2011

Mapping alternative routes between seemingly disparate worlds of music is a longstanding aim of Celtic Connections. It’s a vision shared by Giant Sand’s Howe Gelb, who for some 25 years has been a pathfinder and visionary, resulting in one of the most…

Trembling Bells, Rachel Sermanni and John Grant among Celtic Connections highlights

Mavis Staples and Tribute to Bob Dylan also on diverse programme

23 Dec 2010

Chicago’s music scene is the first stop in this very international round up, specifically the music of distinguished gospel and soul singer Mavis Staples. In the 60s Staples released a string of hits on the Stax-affiliated Valt label. Last year, aged…

Theatre adaptation highlights in store for 2010

Orlando, Lark Rise to Candleford and A Clockwork Orange making move from page to stage

22 Sep 2010

Orlando The latest production from Theatre Cryptic is a typically imaginative take on Virginia Woolf’s exuberant masterpiece about a young boy, born during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, who lives for centuries and transforms into a woman, going on…

2010 preview: Great expectations

7 Jan 2010

Favourite things are ending, exciting things are beginning and old things are coming back. 2010 is already shaping up to be a thrilling year and here are the 30 good reasons why we can’t wait

Scottish Opera - Five:15

28 Feb 2008

Think opera, and it’s usually think big. At 15 hours in total, for instance, the four operas that make up Wagner’s Ring are very definitely tipping the overblown end of the scale. Proving that the genre doesn’t always have to be of such towering…

The art of writing love songs

31 Jan 2008

How do you approach writing about love? Kenny Anderson AKA King Creosote, Fife’s own regal tunesmith of the heart With my heart on the accelerator and my head on the brakes. Emotional turmoil is exactly what you need to get the pen moving, but…

Hitting the right note

15 Nov 2007

Scottish Opera supremo Alex Reedijk has officially launched the company’s Five:15 programme, which features such Scottish talent as Grace Notes author Bernard MacLaverty and Rebus creator Ian Rankin (pictured) working alongside such musical talents as…