Tonight’s show for Scotland Unwrapped has The Gathering return to its roots, with an all-Orcadian house band welcoming star turns from surprise special guests. From rising talent to veterans and tradition bearers from Orkney’s rich cultural vein.

A corner stone of every Orkney Folk Festival programme since 2011, the festival’s Gathering concerts have become something of legend. Originally conceived as a means of creating a main stage show with an all-Orcadian cast, whilst celebrating the camaraderie and community spirit of the isles’ famed local music scene, across the generations, The Gathering has since travelled and born collaborations with a number of acclaimed international artists, all the while keeping Orkney’s own music front and centre.

The Gathering features members of Fara, Gnoss, The Chair and Saltfishforty, alongside Aimee Leonard, Eric Linklater, Jennifer Austin and Colin Nicholson, under the musical direction of acclaimed fiddle player, and lynchpin of Orkney’s flourishing folk revival, Douglas Montgomery.

See all Orkney Folk Festival Spotlight events here.

This event will last approximately 2 hours, including an interval.

Reviews

‘The undisputed jewel in the crown [of the festival]…The Gathering emphatically foregrounded Orkney folk’s greatness as musicians.’ The Scotsman

‘The energy on stage was electric. Judging by the faces of each performer, the enjoyment of the audience was also felt by those on stage.’ The Orcadian

Orkney Folk Festival 

Amongst Scotland’s longest established folk festivals, the Orkney Folk Festival has been a world- renowned stage for over four decades, proudly showcasing the islands’ famed home-grown talent and local folk scene alongside leading artists from around the globe – See more about Orkney Folk Festival.