Festival Retrospective

Celtic Connections 2006 - Return to The Old Fruitmarket

11th January - 29th January 2006

One of the undoubted highlights of 2006 was the festival’s return to The Old Fruitmarket. Blazin’ Fiddles were the last band to play in the venue before it closed for renovation at the end of the 2002 festival and Lunasa launched its return to the heart of Glasgow’s music scene. With its lofty vaulted roof, cobbled walkways, cast iron columns and balcony, the Old Fruitmarket is one of the city’s most loved performance spaces.

Artists appearing at the festival in 2006 included:

Altan
Bagad Kemper
Eric Bogle
Fairport Convention
Hayseed Dixie
Levellers
Maria McKee
The Renaud Garcia Fons Trio
Richard Thompson
Roddy Frame
Savourna Stevenson’s “Persian Knights Celtic Dawn”
Steeleye Span
The Waterboys

What the critics said...

Songs of Scotland

The Old Fruitmarket wasn’t the only new festival venue in 2006. The intimate Universal Folk Club brought together the great tradition bearers of Scottish Song, with each evening throughout the Festival dedicated to the unique musical characteristics of each region of Scotland.

First and Last

First

The first concert was an unlucky 13 for Celtic Connections. La Fura del Baus (who were due to perform with Galician piper Carlos Nunez) had to pull out because of technical difficulties. The first official concert in 2006 was a school concert which saw 2000 school children enjoy Quebecois sensations – Le Vent du Nord.

Last

A massive choice was on offer on the last day of the festival in 2006 including early morning gospel music with Hans Theessink, high energy funksters Croft No 5, Juliet Turner, Cliar and Session A9.

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