ONE of Scotland’s biggest nights of live traditional Scottish music has announced its return and revealed this year's lineup.
Hoolie in the Hydro will return to Glasgow’s iconic OVO Hydro on December 7 as it celebrates Scotland's vibrant traditional music scene.
The star-studded line-up of some of the country's most successful bands aims to make history by being the single biggest night of traditional music to have ever taken place in Scotland.
To mark the announcement of the return of Hoolie in the Hydro this December some of the acts who are lined up to play have been revealed.
Folk trailblazers Capercaillie are one of the leading acts for the evening as the band will be celebrating 40 years of being at the heart of the Scottish traditional music scene.
Famed for releasing the first-ever Gaelic single to reach the Official Top 40 the internationally loved Capercaillie are a symbol of Scotland’s cultural renaissance.
Skerryvore, a dynamic eight-piece band which plays a fusion of folk, traditional, rock and pop, and is famed for their high-energy performances have also been announced.
Mànran and RURA, who will both be celebrating 15 years in the Scottish music industry, will be playing at the event with the three-piece newcomers Talisk rounding off the bill so far.
Capercaillie’s Karen Matheson shared her band's excitement for playing the event this winter as she said: “I am mad excited to be joining this awesome line-up for Hoolie in the Hydro 2024, giving us a chance to perform live from our new album Re-loved which has just been released as part of our 40th-anniversary celebrations.
“Bring it on!”
Hoolie in the Hydro organiser, broadcaster, and musician Gary Innes said the event highlights the popularity and the cultural power of Scotland’s traditional music scene.
The event originated from an idea of Innes who had celebrated his own personal milestone of reaching 20,000 likes on his Facebook page.
To celebrate he posted a tongue-in-cheek message saying if half the people who liked his page bought a ticket for the Hydro, they could have the world’s biggest ceilidh.
Following the overwhelming support Innes booked Scotland’s largest indoor venue for December 2022 and hasn’t looked back since.
He said: “The overwhelming response to Hoolie in the Hydro over the past two years has been nothing short of incredible. I am so excited and filled with gratitude as we gear up for this year’s event.
“The success we’ve seen can be attributed to the phenomenal support from our audiences, the unmatched talent of our artists, and our unwavering commitment to putting Scottish traditional music on the country’s biggest stage.
“Last year we welcomed over 10,000 people to The OVO Hydro, creating a vibrant atmosphere that truly showcased the power of Scotland’s traditional music.
“Today’s exciting line-up announcement highlights a century of remarkable growth and innovation and I can’t wait to see what magic will be created this December.”
Calum McConnell, commissioning editor at BBC ALBA, also hailed the event as a huge success and is excited to see who else will be joining the evening's festivities.
He said: “Hoolie in the Hydro is back and set to be bigger than ever to celebrate 100 years of Scotland’s iconic trad music scene.
“As the event continues to grow in popularity, there is no doubt that this is one of the highlights of the year on BBC ALBA and we look forward to bringing the magic of the Hoolie to viewers’ homes across the country once again.
“With some top acts already confirmed for Hoolie 100, fans can now mark the date in their diary for an unforgettable night of Scottish music - and we can’t wait to see who else is joining the party this December.”
You can find tickets or further information for Hoolie in the Hydro HERE.
