All roads will lead to Oban between October 11 to 19 as the Royal National Mòd lights up its historic home, its first ever event having been held in the town way back in 1892.

🎻 Scotland’s premier Gaelic cultural event will celebrate the language and Scottish traditional music, song, drama, literature, art and sport, with hundreds of musicians and artists bringing their talents to Oban venues during the nine-day event.

Multi award-winning trad supergroup Mànran will open proceedings with an electrifying concert at Corran Halls on Friday 11 October, starting off the week in spectacular style. At the end of the event’s nine days, on Saturday 19 October, Cuirm Crìochnachaidh a’ Mhòid (The Mòd Grand Finale) will welcome West Coast favourites Trail West to Corran Halls to close out the 2024 edition of Gaeldom’s premier musical and cultural event with a bang.

Others involved include celebrated Mull singer Alasdair Whyte, trad musicians from Oban High School and the Oban High School Pipers, Fèis Latharna musicians and Makaton Gaelic Choir ‘Aon Ghuth’, who combine singing with the Makaton communication system of signs and symbols.

The full programme can be viewed here.

This year’s Royal National Mòd in Oban is supported by EventScotland, Bòrd na Gàidhlig, Argyll and Bute Council, EventScotland, The Scottish Government, Caledonian MacBrayne, BBC ALBA, Creative Scotland and SQA.

🪗 Talking of supergigs, details of this year’s much anticipated Hoolie in the Hydro on December 7 have been released, with organisers pulling out the stops to help celebrate 100 years of Scottish trad music. Capercaillie, Skerryvore, Mànran, Rura and Talisk will all be on stage to make it a night to remember. Details and tickets can be found here at the official website.

🏝 There’s just so much going on at Bute Fest between Friday 26 and Sunday 28 July including singer-songwriter Callum Beattie, genre-bending trio Talisk, and Isle of Skye fusion legends the Peatbog Faeries, it was honestly just easier to share their poster below. You can get your tickets at this link to their website.

🌊 Leith-based folk music outfit Fidra, led by singer-songwriter Craig Salter, are set to release their debut album The Running Wave on Friday 2 August. By the teaser on this video, it’s going to be a belter.

💪🏻 Fife favourite naafi is warming up for a string of shows curating this mix tape and chat with the ever excellent Bicep. They have announced lives dates below.

🏰 Scottish singer-songwriter Little Win has announced the release of her latest single Castles in the Summer out for release on Friday 12 July. The upbeat track conveys a sense of hope and looking towards the future with an open heart after the songstress faced unimaginable grief and suffering in early 2023. Watch for a longer post coming soon.

🦊 Indoor Foxes new track White Rabbit is out now and getting rave reviews from all quarters.

🎻 Could listen all day to Laura J Wilkie’s latest track Mermaid.

🎶 Pre-sales for the English leg of Del Amitri’s UK tour open on Wednesday.

🎤 In a similar vein, Pale Waves will play in both Dundee and Glasgow among a list of show dates across the UK. Details at this link.

🎵 Laura Silverstone must be one of the hardest working singers on social media with a series of cheery videos and songs out and about in her van to promote her new Heartwood album and tour. So here’s another plug. Tour dates here.

🎶 Elsewhere, Dylan John Thomas plays King Tut’s next week, Breabach are back on the road this month, duo Snowgoose have revealed dates in Edinburgh and Glasgow, HARD-Fi return to Glasgow, tickets are also on sale for Rura playing in Edinburgh and Aberdeen, while Skerryvore get the December carousing underway in Inverness and Beluga Lagoon is appearing at Glasgow 02 Academy on December 19. Meantime a step back in time with Cyndi Lauper Scotland bound in February and Alison Moyet playing three Scottish dates the following month.

⭐️ Record of the Week: Sara Rae - Wish You Well