Many years ago, hopes were kindled that Glasgow's Mayfest would emulate that other festival in the east and sprout a Fringe. And verily it would be named, with appropriate style and a lick of pomade, the Glasgow Quiff. Alas Mayfest is no more and with it had gone such hopes. But wait! As befits the city's most successful modern-day festival, Celtic Connections is now attracting adherent events, and somehow that moniker best suits events that are musical.
First up to sport the new title of Quiff Event is the grandly-named Glasgow Festival of Songwriting, the initiative of Big Jim McKenna and in residence at the Buchanan Hotel, just down the road from Celtic HQ at the concert hall, from Wednesday. It includes evenings in tribute to Woody Guthrie, Ewan McColl and Pete Seeger and oor ain Matt McGinn, the latter culminating in a rerun of the legendary McGinn of the Calton show by Adam McNaughton and his chums. Featured performers include Attila the Stockbroker (Friday), Alan Taylor and Tam White (Fri January 26), and Ben Sands and Christine Kydd, (Friday February 2). Other evenings showcase particular themes or geographical areas and participants include Tom Clelland, Peter Nardini, Jim King and Ian Davison among a host of folk-scene favourites. There are also songwriting workshops and, running throughout the three weeks, a songwriting competition with cash prizes. Talent from Lanarkshire will battle it out on Thursday, Edinburgh on Tuesday January 23, Glasgow on Thursday January 25 and there is an open heat on Tuesday January 30. The final is on Thursday February 1. With the exception of a closing charity concert (£10), tickets for the events are never more than £7 and some events, including the competition nights, are free. For full information visit www.glasgow festivalof songwriting.co.uk.
Old ones still the best?
Down in the Merchant City, 7:84 Theatre Company Scotland is making its own contribution to the Celtic Quiff with An Evening of Political Song at Laurie's Bar in King Street, just round the corner from the Tron Theatre.
If the songs are the focus for the Buchanan Hotel event, here we may expect the emphasis to be on the politics.
The theatre company's unofficial contribution to Celtic Connections is being developed in short order on the model of its newspaper theatre projects and the programme has been put together by Jo Ronan with Mark Rafferty and Anita Vetesse. It promises to ask whether the old songs still matter and identify the new ones that have the same power. Less a look back over the glory days of protest singing, the plan is to illustrate a legacy that runs all the way from cabaret to rap (by way of The Clash). Admission is free, doors open at 7.30pm and the show starts at 8.30pm.
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