Shooglenifty was formed in 1990 by musicians from the Scottish Highlands, Orkney and Edinburgh. Its bright spark was the idea of fusing traditional and traditional-sounding melodies with the beats and basslines of a mixed bag of more contemporary influences. As happy playing a small highland village hall as they are on an outdoor festival stage playing to tens of thousands, the Shoogles (as they’re known to their fans) have promoted Scottish music all over the world for three decades.
In 2015, Shooglenifty celebrated their 25th Anniversary by playing venues in Sarawak and Stornoway, Lorient and London, Adelaide and Aberdeen, Bangalore and Bristol, and released their seventh studio album The Untied Knot. This featured the first ever collection of Shoogle songs and introduced their newest member, “puirt à beul” vocalist, Kaela Rowan. It received a 5* ‘Top of the World’ rating in Songlines, among many other favourable reviews. Songlines also nominated the band for Best Group in early 2016. The Untied Knot was nominated for Best Album at ‘Na Trads 2015’ – the Scottish Traditional Music Awards.
The band’s gig calendar for 2016 included festivals in The Netherlands, Australia, New Zealand, Austria, Switzerland, England, and, of course, Scotland. They were nominated for Best Scottish Group at the Sunday Herald Culture Awards in July 2016, manfully losing out to Scottish Opera.
In October 2016, the band lost their fiddler Angus R Grant to cancer, and took the end of that year to take a well-earned pause. They were bowled over by the numerous tributes and stories shared about their influential front man, not to mention the outpouring of love for Angus on social media. In January 2017 they channelled that emotion into a tribute gig for Angus at Celtic Connections featuring no less than 62 musicians who were all touched by his music. In December 2017, A Night For Angus won Event of the Year at the Scottish Traditional Music Awards (Na Trads).
2017 was about re-grouping, recording and beginning work on a documentary about the band and Angus’s influence on Scottish music over the past three decades. The documentary is slated for release in 2022, watch this space!
In February 2018, Eilidh Shaw joined the band as permanent fiddle player. Eilidh is a West Highland fiddler with a playful, infectious energy who was taught by Aonghas Grant (our Angus’s father).
Shooglenifty reached the ripe old age of 30 in 2020. Hopes that they would finally settle down to the quiet life were dashed when they accepted an invitation to start the year in style by performing at midnight for Edinburgh’s Hogmanay. The band played gigs in the north of Scotland in February 2020 before all dates for the rest of the year were cancelled, postponed or put on hold due to the Coronvirus pandemic.
Thankfully their new album, Acid Croft Vol 9, was already in the can and the band were able to finish it in time for release on 18 September 2020.
A few crazy promo videos and a 50-minute live album launch were made during lockdown 2020. And they made virtual appearances on Celtic Connections and Edinburgh Tradfest in 2021. Now they can’t wait to get back to doing what they do best: playing live to big bouncing audiences.
“30 years together and still one of the most exciting bands on the scene”
Special Early bird price! £21 until 31 May
£23 from 1 June
Please note, online bookings are subject to a booking fee. Tickets can also be bought by phone on 01729 825718, or in person at our box office. Opening hours are 10am-2pm, Monday-Friday.
Show end times given are an estimate only. Doors open 45 minutes before show start times.
Settle Victoria Hall reserves the right to turn away any customers not adhering to social-distancing laws, government guidelines, and/ or venue safeguarding policies.
Tickets are non-refundable, except in the case that the event or date has been changed by Settle Victoria Hall.
