Scotland's live music tradition

Scotland has a long tradition of live music, both traditional and contemporary, and boasts numerous festivals and venues around the country which celebrate this diversity.

Some of these venues and festivals have gained national and international recognition, leading the way in developing fresh talent as well as giving more established acts a platform to perform.

Traditional Music

Scottish traditional music, although both influencing and being influenced by Irish traditional music, is very much a genre unto itself. Despite the popularity of various international pop music forms, Scottish music remains a vital and living tradition, with more to it than just bagpipes and fiddles.

Traditional music encompasses a range of styles and forms that emerged from different strands of the country's historical, geographical and social heritage.

There are several Scottish record labels as well as music festivals and venues where there are regular music concerts, sessions, workshops and ceilidhs (a type of Scottish dance). Check the Internet to get a directory of what is on in your area.

Study

Study in traditional music has been available at Lews Castle College, Benbecula since 2000. The College has made a commitment to the teaching of traditional, and especially Gaelic music, but are also invested in giving our students a wealth of hands-on experience using the latest music technology.

Promotion

Since its foundation in 1966, The Traditional Music and Song Association (TMSA) of Scotland has helped to foster and promote Scotland's unique musical traditions.

The TMSA is a membership organisation open to all. Its members include music enthusiasts, festival fans, amateur and professional performers, tutors, academics and entire families. It provide opportunities for participation (as performer and audience) for people of all ages and abilities by running festivals, ceilidhs, concerts, workshops, tours and competitions.

Contemporary music scene

The contemporary music scene is as buoyant as its traditional cousin. With Scottish bands headlining all over the world as well and bands from all over the globe touring in Scotland. Since the 1980's Scotland has produced numerous top selling pop and rock artists, including Edwyn Collins, Garbage and Franz Ferdinand.
Iconic venues like King Tuts, The Lemon Tree and Strathpeffer Pavilion keep the scene alive by attracting musicians from all over the globe.

King Tut's Wah Wah Hut

King Tut's Wah Wah Hut is one of Glasgow's leading concert venues, renowned in Scotland as an exciting showcase for new and emerging bands and as the venue that supported some of the UK music industry's biggest names at the start of their careers.

The Lemon Tree

Aberdeen’s Lemon Tree is an important North-East venue for locals to enjoy both local and national bands and a quick look at their website shows a diverse selection of groups coming to the city soon.

The Strathpeffer Pavilion

The Highlands of Scotland are well served by The Strathpeffer Pavilion, located in the small town of Strathpeffer, near Inverness. The venue hosts a number of musical events throughout the year.

Related links

• Music Festivals in Scotland
  
• Toby Shippey
• Scotland is the place to study contemporary music