Concerts
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Sessions - Festival Club (Islesburgh), Lerwick
Throughout Thursday afternoon there will be sessions led by some of this year's visiting acts and a resident Club band.
Festival Club Opening
The 42nd Festival will get underway with the official opening at our Festival Club at Islesburgh Community Centre! Each afternoon of the Festival, members will have access to live programmed music in Room 16 featuring both visiting and local artistes. Thursday afternoon will showcase short sets from some of the acts appearing over the Festival weekend - providing attendees with a flavour of what lies ahead. This is not a ticketed event and afternoon Club programming is included as part of your Festival membership. Numbers will be limited in room 16 and we anticipate this event will be very popular. Please be considerate of this. We request that you do not hold seats for others as it is unfair to those who have queued
'Scots with a Twist' Concert - Mareel, Lerwick
This concert helps celebrate just how rich and diverse the Scottish music scene is by showcasing Scottish Jazz Award winners, Irish influenced banjo groove mastery laced with rock pop & post punk, an award winning rising star on the UK Americana circuit AND Shetland’s very own Mandolin Band, an excellent example of a “community” and intergenerational band that brings musicians together with a common purpose. So while all 4 acts are from Scotland (or Shetland!) the diversity of music on offer will be world class and wide ranging. Bar facilities will be available, and table service will be available for the cabaret seating downstairs in the Mareel auditorium. There will be limited balcony seating available to purchase separately. As with all our concerts, seating is unallocated. This concert is scheduled to finish around 10.45pm. We reserve the right to alter line-ups as circumstances may dictate.
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Ringin' Strings with a Twist Concert - Hamnavoe Hall, Burra
With our rich fiddle heritage, the Festival proudly showcases "Ringin’ Strings with a Twist," that will celebrate traditional fiddle players from Shetland, Norway, and Canada but with four acts presenting a fresh take on their traditional roots and sounds. Jazz, blues, pop, dub, rock, and even folk metal influences will all be heard. While this is a seated concert in the Burra Public Hall in the village of Hamnavoe (a 15 minute drive from Lerwick), it will most certainly be a lively concert offering for a Thursday night!
Please note that seating will be unallocated and will be arranged in rows facing the stage (although you might it difficult to stay in your seat). Bar facilities will be available and this concert is scheduled to finish around 10.45pm. We reserve the right to alter line-ups as circumstances may dictate.
Vidlin Concert
A traditional Shetland Folk Festival seated concert in a rural hall representing 4 acts from Shetland, Asturias and Canada and a wide range of musical styles on offer. Sometimes referred to as the Lunnasting Public Hall too, this venue is in the north/central mainland of Shetland and is about a 30 minute drive from Lerwick. Seating is unallocated and will be arranged in rows facing the stage. Bar facilities will be available and this concert is scheduled to finish around 10.30pm. We reserve the right to alter line-ups as circumstances may dictate
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Da Big Kirk Concert - St. Columba's Church
A special concert held in the beautiful St Columba's Church in Lerwick on the opening night of the Festival. Featuring folk hymns and vocal and instrumental harmonies from Shetland, Sweden and the USA, audiences will also be wowed by the terrific Gemma Donald & Shetland Swing. Seating is unallocated and the chairs are arranged in rows on the ground floor. There is additional seating upstairs in pews if needed. This venue does not have disabled access to the upper floor so please let us know in advance if you require reserved seating on the ground floor. The concert will finish no later as 10pm and there will be no bar facilities at this concert. We reserve the right to alter line-ups as circumstances may dictate.
Legion Concert (Thursday) - Lerwick British Legion
With more of a traditional focus, this is a seated concert in the Lerwick British Legion featuring Shetland, Irish and Scottish songs and tunes. Seating is unallocated and will be arranged with a combination of tables and in rows. Bar facilities will be available and this concert will finish around 10.30pm. We reserve the right to alter line-ups as circumstances may dictate.
Sessions - Friday - Festival Club (Islesburgh), Lerwick
Our resident Festival Club musicians will be leading sessions at various points through the afternoon.
Festival Club - Friday Programme
Festival Club Live Music Programme Room 16
Each afternoon of the Festival, members will have access to live programmed music in Room 16 featuring both visiting and local artistes. Friday afternoon will be split into a lunchtime slot of two acts and a late afternoon slot of three acts. This is not a ticketed event or official concerts and afternoon Club programming is included as part of your Festival membership. Numbers will be limited in room 16 and we anticipate many members wishing to take advantage of this live music and hope there is an ongoing flow of members coming and going to enjoy the atmosphere. It would be greatly appreciated if members who have been seated in room 16 for some time give others the opportunity to come in if there are people waiting.
TIMINGS ARE APPROXIMATE AND MAY BE ALTERED AT ANY TIME
13.00 Kirsten Adamson & Tanagers
13.40 Haverin
ROOM 16 will be closed for sound checks between 14.30 and 15.30
15.45 Ciaran Ryan Band
16.30 Deira
17.15 Tenement Jazz Band
Jonny on the Spot Cocktails Friday - Festival Club (Islesburgh), Lerwick
Cocktails being served 1-6pm!
Legion Friday Afternoon Concert - Lerwick British Legion
Afternoon Concert
Featuring short sets from three of our visiting bands, what a perfect way to spend a Friday afternoon! Seating is unallocated and will be arranged with a combination of tables and in rows. Bar facilities will be available. This concert will finish around 4pm. We reserve the right to alter line-ups as circumstances may dictate.
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Mareel Concert (Friday)
A Friday evening concert held in the beautiful Mareel auditorium, Shetland's purpose built music venue. Bar facilities will be available with table service for the cabaret seating downstairs in the Mareel auditorium. There will be limited balcony seating available to purchase separately. As with all our concerts, seating is unallocated. This concert is scheduled to finish around 10.45pm (so plenty of time to get to either the Legion Lates or the Festival Club Lates before live music commences there). We reserve the right to alter line-ups as circumstances may dictate.
- The Friel Sisters & The High Seas
- Ahlberg, Ek & Roswall with Ulrika Bodén
- Haverin
- Sheila Henderson Band
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North Roe Concert
This is a seated concert in a rural village hall in the north mainland. This venue is about a 50 minute drive from Lerwick. Seating is unallocated and will be arranged in rows facing the stage. Bar facilities will be available and this concert is scheduled to finish around 10.45pm. We reserve the right to alter line ups as circumstances may dictate.
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Bigton Concert
This is a seated concert in a rural village hall in the south mainland. This venue is about a 25 minute drive from Lerwick. Seating is unallocated and will be arranged in rows facing the stage. Bar facilities will be available and this concert is scheduled to finish around 10.45pm. We reserve the right to alter line ups as circumstances may dictate.
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Clickimin Friday Rocks Concert (partially standing) - Clickimin Centre, Lerwick
It's Friday night – time to crank up the vibes and let loose on the dance floor! If you're all about shaking off the week with some electrifying tunes, this concert is your ultimate destination! Featuring 3 of the liveliest bands performing over the weekend, a common musical influence of all three acts is “Rock” but you can expect lashings of Irish trad, pop, post-punk, folk-metal and viking metal too.
The concert will take place in the main hall of Clickimin Leisure Centre with limited raked/tiered seating at the back of the hall AND some tables and chairs. As a partially standing concert, there will NOT be seats for all attendees and all seating is unallocated.
There will be fairly extensive use of lighting effects during this concert, including strobe lighting. Bar facilities will available and as with most Festival concerts, under 18s can only attend if they are accompanied by a responsible adult at all times. The music here will finish between 10.45pm and 11pm, leaving plenty of time to reach either of our late night ticketed options where you can continue to let you hair down!
Doors open one hour before the concert starts with entry through the venue’s side door - not the main reception area. We reserve the right to alter line ups as circumstances may dictate.
Legion LATES (Friday) - Lerwick British Legion
Building on the success of last two years, the Legion Lates are back! With live music starting around 11.15pm and continuing until 2am, Friday’s Legion Lates will be headlined by Orkney's favourite party and covers band, Stereo Lobsters. Bar Facilities are available but PLEASE NOTE this event is OVER 18s ONLY. Although there is some seating, it is predominantly a STANDING gig and lighting effects, including strobe lighting, are likely to be in use. Doors will be from 10.30pm and the Bar will close at 2am. We reserve the right to alter line-ups as circumstances may dictate.
Festival Club LATES (Friday)
Only 2024 Festival members will be able to buy tickets and attend Festival Club Lates and performers will not be unveiled until the night. This ticket guarantees entry to Shetland's famous late night Festival Club on the Friday night where there will be live music programmed on two stages from around 11.15pm until 2am as well as the inevitable and infamous sessions that will occur in the many staircases and rooms that exist in Islesburgh Community Centre. Bar facilities will be available on the middle floor of the Club. The bars will close at 2am and the building MUST be cleared by 3am at the very latest.
Members aged 14 and over may attend our Late night Festival Club BUT only if accompanied by a responsible adult member at all times. There is only one ticket price for Club lates (and no reduced price tickets for 14-17 year olds).
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Shetland Heritage Concert, Lerwick - Shetland Museum
Afternoon Concert
This lunchtime concert is all about celebrating Shetland’s traditional musical heritage & customs. Staged within the stunning Boat Hall of Shetland’s five star Museum & Archives building in Lerwick, audience goers will be left inspired by Shetland’s incredible fiddle tradition & accompaniment and will hear a few dialect songs and stories too. The winning sets from this year’s Senior Young Fiddler of the Year competition concert will also be performed. With only 60 seats, this is an intimate concert and seating will be unallocated and arranged in rows facing the full-length windows that look over Hays Dock. The concert will close before 2pm.
- Shetland's Heritage Fiddlers
- Da Langstrings
- Claire White & Robbie Leask
- Shetland's Young Fiddler of the Year
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Scandi Sessions - Festival Club (Islesburgh), Lerwick
Following the popularity of the Scandi Session last year, we're repeating the theme once more - this time led by Ahlberg, Ek & Roswall and Ulrika Boden from Sweden.
Ross Couper Band ALBUM Launch - Festival Club (Islesburgh), Lerwick
We are delighted that Ross Couper and his band are launching their debut album, Homeroad, at this year's Shetland Folk Festival. Head to Room 16 at 12.30pm on Saturday 4th to hear a preview of the sizzling tracks and with opportunities to get some signed copies of the new release.
Jonny on the Spot Cocktails Saturday - Festival Club (Islesburgh), Lerwick
Being served 1-6pm
Legion Saturday Afternoon Concert - Lerwick British Legion
Afternoon Concert
An afternoon concert featuring a definite Americana vibe, all three acts will present short sets and powerful vocals. Seating is unallocated and will be arranged with a combination of tables and in rows. Bar facilities will be available. This concert will finish around 4pm. We reserve the right to alter line-ups as circumstances may dictate.
Sold Out
Festival Club - Saturday Programme
Festival Club Live Music Programme Room 16
Each afternoon of the Festival, members will have access to live programmed music in Room 16 featuring both visiting and local artistes. Friday afternoon will be split into a lunchtime slot of three acts and a late afternoon slot of three acts. This is not a ticketed event or official concerts and afternoon Club programming is included as part of your Festival membership. Numbers will be limited in room 16 and we anticipate many members wishing to take advantage of this live music and hope there is an ongoing flow of members coming and going to enjoy the atmosphere. It would be greatly appreciated if members who have been seated in room 16 for some time give others the opportunity to come in if there are people waiting.
TIMINGS ARE APPROXIMATE AND MAY BE ALTERED AT ANY TIME
12.30 Ross Couper Band Album Launch
14.00 Inn Echo
14.50 Haverin
15.40 George Spence and Jacob Henderson
16.25 Zdenka
17.10 Cosmic Country
Shetland Fiddlers Session - Festival Club (Islesburgh), Lerwick
The Shetland Fiddlers Society will be leading a session featuring exclusively traditional Shetland tunes. Come along and join in!
Mareel Concert (Saturday)
A Saturday evening concert held in the beautiful Mareel auditorium, Shetland's purpose built music venue. Bar facilities will be available and table service will be available for the cabaret seating downstairs in the Mareel auditorium. There will be limited balcony seating available to purchase separately. As with all our concerts, seating is unallocated. This concert is scheduled to finish around 10.45pm (so plenty of time to get to either the Legion Lates or the Festival Club before live music commences there). We reserve the right to alter line-ups as circumstances may dictate.
Sold Out
Clickimin Saturday Concert - Clickimin Centre, Lerwick
The Big Saturday Clickimin Concert is an all seated concert in the main hall of the Clickimin Leisure complex in Lerwick. This year, the concert will start with the 60-strong Hjaltibonhoga Big Band and fiddlers and their outstanding “Celebrating Sail” commission that was showcased as part of last year’s Tall Ships celebrations.
This venue has extensive lighting installed for Festival concerts so a range of lighting effects could be used throughout. Bar facilities will be available and the concert will finish no later as 10.45pm (so plenty of time to get to either the Legion Lates or the Festival Club before live music commences there). Seating is unallocated and will predominantly be arranged with tables but there is some raked/tiered seating at the back of the main hall.
As this is a larger capacity venue, we will open doors 1 hour before the concert starts. Entry to concert will be through the events side door - not the main reception area of the Clickimin Leisure Centre. We will ensure that this is clearly signposted. We reserve the right to alter line-ups as circumstances may dictate.
- The Fretless featuring Madeleine Roger
- Ross Couper Band
- Kirsten Adamson & The Tanagers
- The Hjaltibonhoga Big Band
Sponsored by RSM Chartered Accountants
Baltasound Concert, Unst (ferry crossings required)
A concert in one of Shetland's rural halls on the most northerly island of Unst - in the settlement of Baltasound - which is at least a 2 hour journey from Lerwick. Seating is unallocated and will be arranged in rows. Bar facilities will be available and the concert will finish around 10.45pm. We reserve the right to alter line-ups as circumstances may dictate. The Friel Sisters and The High Seas will be performing separate concert slots.
This concert requires two ferry crossings, with bookings made though the local authority's ferry booking office.
PLEASE NOTE - we are hoping to secure an additional late ferry for our artists and crew and it will be possible for concert-goers to book space on these ferries too. Booking is essential and the Ferry Booking Office phone number is 01595 745804 (although it might only be possible to book space nearer the Festival time). See the Travel section in the 'About Us' section of the website.
Sponsored by R.G. Jamieson & Son
Aith Concert
This is a seated concert in a rural village hall in the south mainland. This venue is about a 30 minute drive from Lerwick. Seating is unallocated and will be arranged in rows facing the stage. Bar facilities will be available and this concert is scheduled to finish around 10.45pm. We reserve the right to alter line-ups as circumstances may dictate
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Legion LATES (Saturday) - Lerwick British Legion
Building on the success of last two years, the Legion Lates are back! Live music will start around 11.15pm and continuing until 2am, featuring Shetland's popular Isaac Webb Trio and Norway’s folk metal outfit Gangar – both will provide an irrestistible call to the dance floor! Bar Facilities are available but PLEASE NOTE this event is OVER 18s ONLY. Although there is some seating it is predominantly a STANDING gig and lighting effects, including strobe lighting, are likely to be in use.
Doors will be from 10.30pm and the Bar will close at 2am. We reserve the right to alter line-ups as circumstances may dictate.
Festival Club LATES (Saturday)
Only 2024 Festival members will be able to buy tickets and attend Festival Club Lates and performers will not be unveiled until the night. This ticket guarantees entry to Shetland's famous late night Festival Club on the Saturday night where there will be live music programmed on two stages from around 11.15pm until 2am as well as the inevitable and infamous sessions that will occur in the many staircases and rooms that exist in Islesburgh Community Centre. Bar facilities will be available on the middle floor of the Club. The bars will close at 2am and the building MUST be cleared by 3am at the very latest.
Members aged 14 and over may attend our Late night Festival Club BUT only if accompanied by a responsible adult member at all times. There is only one ticket price for Club Lates (and no reduced price for 14-17 year olds).
Sold Out
Adam Guest Band ALBUM launch - Festival Club (Islesburgh), Lerwick
Delighted to be able to give a Adam Guest (and his band) a Folk Festival album launch too, for Solitude & Grace which was released earlier this year. Hear songs from the new album and the opportunity to get some signed copies!
Sunday Singers Session - Festival Club (Islesburgh), Lerwick
We have invited some of the singers from this year's visiting acts to come together and lead a session of songs (oh and find some songs to collaborate on to feature on the Room 16 stage later in the afternoon)
Jonny on the Spot Cocktails Sunday - Festival Club (Islesburgh), Lerwick
Being served 1-5pm
Peerie Spang (fur da bairns) Concert - Clickimin Centre, Lerwick
Afternoon Family Concert
This is a predominantly standing concert targeted at families with children - an event that families can attend together, filled with lots of lively music to dance (or “spang about” to – ‘jumping around’ in Shetland lingo!). Bar facilities - with juice and snacks - will be available. This concert is scheduled to finish around 3pm and there will be some raked/tiered seating at the back of the hall (which is unallocated). This venue has an extensive lighting rig installed, so some lighting effects may be possible. Entry to concert will be through the events side door - not the main reception area of the Clickimin Leisure Centre. We will ensure that this is clearly signposted. We reserve the right to alter line-ups as circumstances may dictate.
Legion Sunday Afternoon Concert - Lerwick British Legion
Afternoon Concert
The perfect Sunday afternoon concert, featuring harmonies, jazz, songs and a lot of hilarity! Seating is unallocated and will be arranged with tables and in rows. Bar facilities will be available and this concert will finish around 4pm. We reserve the right to alter line-ups as circumstances may dictate.
Sold Out
Festival Club - Sunday Programme
Festival Club Live Music Programme Room 16
Each afternoon of the Festival, members will have access to live programmed music in Room 16 featuring both visiting and local artistes. This is not a ticketed event or official concerts and afternoon Club programming is included as part of your Festival membership. Numbers will be limited in room 16 and we anticipate many members wishing to take advantage of this live music and hope there is an ongoing flow of members coming and going to enjoy the atmosphere. It would be greatly appreciated if members who have been seated in room 16 for some time give others the opportunity to come in if there are people waiting.
TIMINGS ARE APPROXIMATE AND MAY BE ALTERED AT ANY TIME
12.30 Adam Guest Band Album Launch
14.00-1700 An afternoon of music where collaboration will be encouraged. We'll hear from local musicians in Vair , Jjaegg and appearances from some of the other visiting musicians!
Youth Session led by Kirrmirren - Festival Club (Islesburgh), Lerwick
A session led by some of the leading young musicians in Shetland - the more the merrier!
Sunday Finale Clickimin - Clickimin Centre, Lerwick - Foy
Get ready for the ultimate music marathon! Twelve acts, fifteen-minute sets, three epic venues – all in one unforgettable night! Just choose your hall and book your ticket, and let the musical magic unfold as the bands rotate around each venue.
Seating is unallocated and will predominantly be arranged with tables but there is some raked/tiered seating at the back of the main hall. As this is a larger capacity venue, we will open doors 1 hour before the concert starts. Entry to concert will be through the events side door - not the main reception area of the Clickimin Leisure Centre. We will ensure that this is clearly signposted. Bar facilities available. This venue has an extensive lighting rig installed for Festival concerts so a range of lighting effects could be used throughout. This concert is scheduled to finish around 11.15pm
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Sunday Finale Mareel - Foy
Get ready for the ultimate music marathon! Twelve acts, fifteen-minute sets, three epic venues – all in one unforgettable night! Just choose your hall and book your ticket, and let the musical magic unfold as the bands rotate around each venue. As with all our concerts, seating is unallocated. There will be cabaret seating downstairs in the auditorium and limited balcony seating available to purchase separately. Bar Facilities available. This concert is scheduled to finish at 11.15pm.
This venue has an extensive lighting rig installed, so some lighting effects may be possible
Sponsored by Arch Henderson LLP
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Sunday Finale Legion - Lerwick British Legion - Foy
Get ready for the ultimate music marathon! Twelve acts, fifteen-minute sets, three epic venues – all in one unforgettable night! Just choose your hall and book your ticket, and let the musical magic unfold as the bands rotate around each venue. As with all our concerts, seating is unallocated and will be arranged with tables and in rows. Bar facilities available. This concert is scheduled to finish at 11.15pm. This venue will have lighting rig installed, so some lighting effects may be possible
Sponsored by LHD Marine Supplies
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All workshops are free and are available to festival members only.
Fiddle Workshop
Friday 3rd May
Venue: Festival Club (Islesburgh), Lerwick
Fiddle Workshop led by Ross Couper in Room 10, 12 noon to 1.15pm
Asturian Melodies Workshop with Deira
Saturday 4th May
Venue: Festival Club (Islesburgh), Lerwick
No matter what instrument you play, come along to this 1 hour workshop on Asturian melodies led by visiting folk band Deira.
Norwegian Fiddle Traditions Workshop
Saturday 4th May
Venue: Festival Club (Islesburgh), Lerwick
Come along to the Drama room for 1 hour session all about Norwegian Fiddle Traditions, led by Mattias Thedens.
SFFS Members Only Ferry Crossing Required