Phil Cunningham’s Christmas Songbook Returns to Edinburgh’s Queen’s Hall for two nights this December
Phil Cunningham’s Christmas Songbook will return to Edinburgh’s Queen’s Hall on Friday 21st and Saturday 22nd December. Having become an essential part of people’s festive season over the past 12 years and the perfect anecdote to brighten those winter nights and get everyone in the mood for a wonderful festive period, the Christmas Songbook is an unmissable night of heart-warming entertainment from some of Scotland’s best-known and best-loved musicians.
Bursting with jovial anecdotes, an unfaltering mix of modern and traditional music alongside exquisite musicianship, the Christmas Songbook is undoubtedly the perfect way for the whole family to get into the festive spirit this Christmas.
Phil Cunningham will be joined by some of the finest musicians on the Scottish folk scene including: Eddi Reader, Karen Matheson, John McCusker, Kris Drever, Ian Carr and Kevin McGuire along with a special guest Brass Band.
Best known as a superb and innovative instrumentalist, Phil Cunningham continues to enjoy an illustrious career having played with Silly Wizard and Relativity and still as witty musical partner of the great Shetland fiddler, Aly Bain. Also widely recognised from his television and radio presenting, Phil has been involved in some of the seminal programmes that have enabled Scottish music to walk tall, he is well known as a true ambassador for traditional music. A humourist and entertainer, his breezy banter can have a 2000-seat hall enraptured and laughing in hysterics.
Phil often keeps high company and no less is true for this year’s special Christmas gathering. A powerful mix of lead vocalists include the inimitable Eddi Reader, who has celebrated a career spanning over 3 decades and has effortlessly developed into one of popular music’s most thrilling and affecting performers. With an MBE for outstanding contributions to the arts, 3 BRIT awards, a #1 single and 8 critically acclaimed solo albums.
Karen Matheson OBE is recognized the world over as the haunting lead vocalist of Celtic supergroup, Capercaillie and has been described on a number of occasion as one of the finest Gaelic singers on the Scottish music scene.
Kris Drever, winner of the BBC Radio 2 Folk Singer of the Year award in 2017, is an Orcadian singer and guitarist who is part of the backbone of today’s contemporary roots scene and is widely admired as a solo artist, collaborator, and member of folk group Lau.
Also joining Phil are multi-instrumentalist, John McCusker, one of Scotland’s most accomplished and versatile musicians in any genre who has worked with artists as diverse as Mark Knopfler, Paul Weller and Patti Smith, Teenage Fanclub and Billy Connolly; Ian Carr, who is known for his original and eclectic approach to traditional music guitar and has established an instantly recognisable sound that has influenced countless musicians and Kevin McGuire who is a highly sought after double bassist who has performed with the likes of Karine Polwart and Kate Rusby.
The Christmas Songbook tour will once again take to the road this December for 6 shows across Glasgow, Edinburgh, Perth and Stirling, as well as adding a new venue in the shape of Eden Court Theatre in Inverness.
Make sure to oil your vocal chords and bring the family!
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