Syne of the Times
Royal Concert Hall
★★★

Delgres
Drygate Brewery
★★★★★

SCOTLAND always sees in the New Year in style and my own head was testament to that on January 1. But it didn’t feel like 2019 had truly begun until the opening of Celtic Connections, with the comforting knowledge that this wonderfully eclectic celebration of the traditional genre and its impact across the musical world will continue until the start of next month.

The world-famous festival opened with a taster session of its sheer breadth at Glasgow’s Royal Concert Hall. Kin and the Community, a film made by Uist musician Padruig Morrison, brought this year’s guiding theme — the handing down of tradition — to the fore.

With just a handful of musicians providing a live accompaniment, it was a little underwhelming as kick-offs go. True, the numbers gradually swelling on stage made for a nice effect but, patient as I am, I had to sympathise with the high-profile figure I saw slipping out after the first half.