The Quiggs - 28th May

Songs from Scotland and beyond - the Danish/Scottish folk duo presents a unique tapestry of songs woven with a Celtic thread. Whether the material is traditional or contemporary the distinguishable mark of the Quiggs is the quality of the voices in harmony and the strength of the songs. "The Quiggs" is a Scottish/Danish duo consisting of the married couple Stephen and Pernille Quigg. Stephen Quigg is a well-established folksinger who has made a living playing music for over 40 years. He grew up on the west-coast of Scotland where music played an important part of his formative years. Stephen has through all the years performed solo but for 10 years he was also part of the legendary folk group The McCalmans until they finished up in 2010. Stephen toured with the group all over Europe and it was from Denmark (Viking raids revisited) that he brought with him home his future wife and singer/songwriter Pernille. Pernille grew up in a very small village in the East of Jutland, where the old folk still recall a certain songbird sitting in the neighbour's apple tree. As a young adult she moved to Ireland looking for musical inspiration and later to Scotland where love and music combine in perfect harmony.

Adam Holmes - 18th June

Adam crafts lyrics that resonate like old folk songs, set to melodies rooted in the haunting slow airs and church hymns that echoed throughout his childhood. Only in the world of folk music could you imagine the staff at one of the liveliest, smokiest and most famous Folk music pubs in Britain, Sandy Bells, making a space at the end of the bar so that an eight year old child could get the best view of the singers and musicians. But that was the very place that Adam first picked up the skill of learning music by ear. Age 15, after the death of a close friend and a cascade into drugs and alcohol he found his way out through the focus of rapping and producing hip hop. Simultaneously he began to play guitar and write songs and after leaving school and moving into his first flat aged 16 he worked on building sites, trying to pick up an apprenticeship as a joiner. On the very same day that he was finally offered an apprenticeship aged 19 he received a phone-call offering him a place in the semi finals of the BBC Young Traditional Musician of the Year 2009. He chose his place in music and hasn't looked back since. His masterful songwriting and enchanting voice has, over the years, seen him work and share stages with; Martin Simpson, Karine Polwart, John Prine, John McCusker, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Martin Green (Lau), Adrian Utley (Portishead) and many more.