FOR 25 years Celtic Connections has been a mainstay on the Scottish gigging calendar, brightening up the winter and helping to banish the January blues.

This year’s event, from Thursday January 18 to Sunday February 4, saw over 2,000 artists, 300 shows and 20 venues.

There were world music stars, arena gigs and a host of unique collaborations, as well as the likes of the ever popular Danny Kyle Open Stage.

In the most ambitious event in 25 years of Celtic Connections, The GRIT Orchestra performed the late Martyn Bennett’s second album Bothy Culture at the SSE Hydro, complete with a special appearance by stunt cyclist Danny MacAskill, aerial dancers, and a commitment to getting people dancing all night long.

The January 27 gig was one of the centrepieces of this year’s bash but there were many other highlights.

Shawn Colvin played at the Royal Concert Hall, 20 years after the South Dakota native released her classic album A Few Small Repairs.

A man with links to the glory days of southern R ’n’ B, Lee Fields together with his band the of Brooklyn soul veterans The Expressions appeared at Oran Mor.

Events such as The Baltimore Fiddle Fair at St Andrews In The Square, served as a celebration of that tradition offering up the Irish duos of Liam Flanagan & Derek Hickey and Cormac & Ciodhna Begley, plus many other guests.

Festival favourites Dougie MacLean played songs old and new, a full 40 years after he released his debut album Caledonia he is as relevant today as he was then.

By contrast, Highland quartet Elephant Sessions took folk, rock and electronica and spun it together into a dizzying package at The Old Fruitmarket.

And Sharon Shannon, 25 years after the Irish star appeared at the first festival joined a host of returning faces such as Eddi Reader, Cherish the Ladies, Maya Youssef and Admiral Fallow frontman Louis Abbott.

Closing out this year’s jamboree were Manran, a year after they released their third album An Da La – The Two Days. They were joined by Irish quartet the Young Folk and special guests to ensure a memorable party.

There were many other terrific evenings ... browse through the slideshow above and check some of them out.

For more on Celtic Connections check www.celticconnections.com