Mànran

Here for one night only and variously tagged as “folk-rock”, “trad-rock”, “Celtic-rock” and even “grown-up folk-rock”, Mànran are one of the best-known and best-loved Scottish bands on the scene today.

Following their first footstomping appearance at the festival back in 2012, the Shetland Folk Festival Committee are delighted to welcome back the hugely popular Mànran to headline this year's Spanging Spree event. The band witnessed a meteoric rise to the top of the Scottish music world following the 2011 launch of their debut single, “Latha Math”. From then, a multi-award-winning debut album followed as the band set about living up to the hype surrounding their early release while establishing their characteristic sound and distinctive approach to musical arrangement.

Mànran’s music has always defied easy labelling due to the eclectic mix of influences on the band and the alchemy that melds them. With a central ethos built around the band’s traditional Celtic roots, fiery tunes from fiddle, accordion, flute, uilleann and Highland bagpipes bind powerfully to a rhythm section awash with elements of funk, jazz and rock to create some of the most innovative and uplifting instrumental music around.

Coupled with songs in both Gaelic and English that undergo the same musical mixology, it’s easy to understand why Mànran are in such high demand as a live act. The band members appearing in Shetland will be Gary Innes (accordion), Ewen Henderson (fiddle/pipes), Ross Saunders (bass), Ryan Murphy (uilleann pipes/flutes), Mark Scobbie (drums) and Craig Irving (Guitar)