Latest news with #GlasgowRoyalConcertHall
Glasgow Times
11 minutes ago
- Entertainment
- Glasgow Times
'Rock legend' joining well-known singer at Glasgow gigs
Adam Ant will host two concerts at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall in the city centre. The shows will take place on Sunday, October 26, and Monday, October 27, 2025. READ MORE: Legendary British 90s band announced Glasgow concert READ MORE: Popular rock band announced exciting Glasgow concert Ahead of the shows, the venue announced that 'rock legend' Toyah will be joining Ant at his gigs in the city. Announcing Toyah's performance, the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall said: "Rock legend Toyah will be joining Adam Ant as his special guest for his shows at Glasgow Royal Concert Hall on Sunday, October 26 and Monday, October 27, 2025." Toyah, real name Toyah Ann Willcox, is a popular English singer-songwriter, actress, and TV star. The 67-year-old is known for her tunes, such as I Want To Be Free, Thunder In The Mountains, Relax, and Good Morning Universe. Meanwhile, Adam Ant, real name Stuart Leslie Goddard, is an English musician, singer-songwriter, and actor. He gained popularity as the lead singer of the new wave group Adam and the Ants. READ MORE: Scots band to host Glasgow gigs to celebrate 30 years of two iconic albums However, he is known for his solo tunes, including Goody Two-Shoes, Strip, Wonderful, Dog Eat Dog, and Desperate but Not Serious. The star recently announced his run of gigs. In a Facebook post on August 15, Ant said: "ANTMUSIC 2025, coming your way soon." In addition to performing at Glasgow's Royal Concert Hall, he will also host concerts in cities such as London, Liverpool, Birmingham, and Manchester.
Glasgow Times
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Glasgow Times
Piping Live! wraps up with global talent and big crowds
The international piping festival is now in its 22nd year. Finlay MacDonald, artistic director for Piping Live!, said: "There aren't enough words to describe this year's Piping Live!, so I'll start with just one – thank you. "A huge thanks to each person who made it such a successful year – from the hugely talented performers who travelled far and wide to be here, our dedicated organisers and volunteers, our funders and sponsors, and everyone who attended any of our events – we are beyond grateful to everyone for the support." Read more: Five Glasgow roads to close for major cycling event- here's when The festival, which ran for nine days, featured concerts, workshops, and competitions at venues including Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, and a newly reimagined outdoor site at the National Piping Centre. Artists such as Beinn Lee, Assynt, Cala, and Malin Lewis headlined the festival's Centre Stage. The final event was held at Saint Luke's, where the Ali Levack Big Band and Falasgair performed for a crowd of 500. Mr Levack, a former participant in the festival's emerging talent programme, said: "Piping Live! is an amazing festival, they are to be commended with how many opportunities they offer to younger musicians. "They have made such a difference to my own experience over the years." This year's Big Band showcase, which opened the festival on August 11, saw more than 200 pipers and drummers march through Glasgow's west end. The event supported Eilidh's Trust, a charity honouring Eilidh Macleod, a young piper who died in the Manchester Arena attack in 2017. Bailie Annette Christie, chair of Glasgow Life, said: "The 22nd edition of Piping Live! has been an outstanding success. "Celebrating traditional and contemporary bagpipes music, this year's dynamic programme demonstrated the great versatility and popularity of the pipes, as well as the fantastic talent and skills of pipers of all ages from near and far." The festival also featured international performers from countries including Ukraine and Australia. Many participants went on to compete in the World Pipe Band Championships at Glasgow Green. Piping Live! will return next year from August 10 to 17.
Scotsman
06-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Elio Pace celebrates Billy Joel's legacy ahead of Scottish tour dates: ‘His music changed my career and my life'
'Billy Joel's music taught me how to play piano, how to sing, how to communicate with an audience,' says Elio Pace in tribute to the iconic singer songwriter, whose music he celebrates in The Billy Joel Songbook tour. Sign up to our Arts and Culture newsletter, get the latest news and reviews from our specialist arts writers Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... 'He has always had an incredible ability in knowing he's a star, but to still make you feel like you're listening to him play in your front room - that is a truly wonderful skill.' Elio is currently planning his latest tour, bringing Joel's music to audiences across the UK in September and October this year and March and April 2026. The exciting run includes dates at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall (Wednesday October 1) and Perth Concert (Friday October 3). Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Preparations for the tour briefly stalled earlier this year, when Billy Joel initially announced he would be postponing, then later cancelling his UK dates. Elio Pace Performing The Billy Joel Songbook Elio was shocked to hear his 'musical hero' had been diagnosed with Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus (a condition caused by excess fluid in the brain, which can lead to neurological symptoms). 'It was awful news to hear, as we were all so looking forward to those two UK shows this summer,' Elio said. 'Hearing the words 'brain disorder' associated with the man whose music changed my career and my whole life, was so, so sad. 'I wasn't sure how I felt about the news, or how to respond to it, for a few weeks. In that time, I saw so many messages of love from fans to Billy on social media, and I was receiving messages from friends about it too. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'Then we had our first show after the news came out, and it was very much on my mind how to approach it. 'But the people coming to our show were coming out to celebrate Billy's music, his artistry, and that fact had not changed with the news of Billy's health issues. 'They want to hear those songs being played, and if it's not Billy, and it's not us, then who would it be? 'It's probably more important we have this show out on the road now than ever because we all are, and always have all been, huge fans of Billy's work. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'From the bottom of my heart, I truly believe that Billy Joel is the greatest singer/songwriter of all time. So, I'm honoured that it's me who gets to do the show. It's an honour and privilege to be the guy behind the piano, singing these songs. 'I'm a strong believer that the power of music is medicine. It really is. Music is important and I'm extremely proud to be a musician. 'When we acknowledged Billy's situation in Paris, the audience reaction was so positive in sending good vibes so we will be talking about it on the tour – in honour of Billy and to ensure the shows really are a celebration of his music.' Elio has long maintained that The Billy Joel Songbook is not a 'tribute show' in the way that that title has come to describe a type of show, and that it's about celebrating an incredible body of work while at the same time retelling Billy's incredible story. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The latest tour marks Elio's 11th year of touring The Billy Joel Songbook, and Elio and the band have something special in store for their long-term fans. 'When I created the show with a friend of mine, we went over every song for hours, days, weeks, looking for the opening number, the closing, first act close, every moment of the show,' Elio explained. 'We wrote that set list in 2014, and in all the years since – we've only ever changed the odd song or two… Until now! This year, we're taking out four songs which have been there since the beginning – not Piano Man, Uptown Girl, anything like that… But of course, there will be someone who says 'he's got rid of my favourite'. 'Having recorded the album shows, and after playing venues like The London Palladium – as well as the show being hosted on BBC Sounds for the best part of six months after BBC Radio Wales recorded it fully for broadcast last year, it felt like the right time to mix it up a bit and to offer something fresh.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Elio has been a fan of Billy Joel and his music since discovering his work as a teenager – a moment he describes as being like a light switching on, and an instant influence over everything he did as a musician. 'I was 16 or 17 at sixth form college in Hampshire, when I fell in love with Billy Joel's music,' he said. 'I was already music mad, already gigging, even at that age but from that moment, I envisaged, one day, singing my favourite Billy Joel songs on stage.' He forged a successful career as a musician in his own right, touring with Albert Lee, Shakin' Stevens and Suzi Quatro, as musical director for Bill Kenwright musicals, starring in West End jazz musical Song Of Singapore, and appearing as Sir Terry Wogan's featured-artist and musical director for BBC Radio 2's Weekend Wogan, before turning his attentions to The Billy Joel Songbook – a journey which began in 1993, when he spoke to a contact. 'I pitched the whole concept for a show called Piano Man,' Elio explains. 'He looked through it and said he could see my passion, that it was a brilliant idea, but he said at that time we were too soon because Billy was still touring. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'But 20 years later, almost to the month, in 2013, I started booking shows for The Billy Joel Songbook.' Since then the show has built up a loyal following across the country, from initial audiences of a few dozen people, to The London Palladium in 2024. As a true musician, Elio's emphasis with The Billy Joel Songbook is always first and foremost the music – and it's from this point that he has such great respect for Billy Joel. 'I always tell people, and it's really important to me to make this distinction, I am not a Billy Joel 'tribute artist' – I'm not out there on stage with a goatee or black glasses pretending to be Billy Joel' he said. 'I'm out there as me, paying tribute to the music, and celebrating the music and the musician with my world-class band and telling his story. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'I'm there telling you how much I love this songbook, reminding you how much of the music you also love but may have forgotten – or never even realised – that it was Billy Joel's work. Songs like She's Always A Women, Allentown, New York State Of Mind… They are classic Billy Joel songs, but you forget that. 'I just have this absolute bee in my bonnet about getting this under-rated genius out there to get the credit he should. Billy's popularity has definitely risen in the UK during the past 10 years. 'When we started out, Billy Joel hadn't toured anywhere around the world for years and really wasn't in the public eye or in the media like he had been. 'The Billy Joel Songbook starting in 2014 coincided with Billy beginning his monthly residency at Madison Square Garden in New York. However, there was no 'Billy Joel show' travelling around theatres in the UK, or the world for that matter. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'We were the very first and if we have played even a small part in helping to bring Billy's music back to people's ears and reminding everyone of his genius, then that makes me very proud. 'The greatest rock and roll songbook in the history of popular music, in my humble opinion, should never be allowed to die and as long as I can keep doing it, I will continue to do my part in sharing the Joel love to everyone, far and wide.'
Glasgow Times
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Glasgow Times
New art display lighting up Glasgow Royal concert hall
The Royal Scottish National Orchestra (RSNO) has unveiled nine original artworks by Scottish illustrator Katie Smith in the Clyde Foyer of the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall. These colourful portraits, revealed on Saturday, May 31, are designed to capture the energy and character of the orchestra's musicians in the Glasgow artist's signature style. (Image: Supplied) Read more: Christmas classic to be screened with live orchestra in Glasgow this December Katie, a graduate of the Glasgow School of Art, said: "I loved challenging myself with the portraits of this talented group of RSNO musicians. "I wanted to mimic the personal style and notes from each musician and bring them to life in colour for each portrait. "It was an important part of the process getting to know each musician and I hope that all audiences of the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall will be able to look at them and relate to their own experiences of live music." Katie is an established illustrator who has worked with global brands including BMW, Coca-Cola, and Nike. Her latest collaboration with the RSNO celebrates the connection between visual art and live music, and the creative talent within Scotland's artistic community. (Image: Supplied)In creating the portraits, Katie was given open access to rehearsals and concerts to observe the musicians in action. She aimed to reflect their individual personalities and the sense of movement found in live performances. The portraits feature eight RSNO musicians and the orchestra's music director, Thomas Søndergård. Among those depicted are assistant principal horn Alison Murray, principal cello Pei-Jee Ng, principal flute Katherine Bryan, principal timpani Paul Philbert, principal trumpet Christopher Hart, associate leader Lena Zeliszewska, principal trombone Dávur Juul Magnussen, and assistant principal double bass Michael Rae. (Image: Supplied) Read more: 'Queen of Rock 'N' Roll' announces celebratory Glasgow gig The project is supported by the RSNO's Chair Patron scheme, which enables individuals, trusts, and corporate organisations to build connections with orchestra members and support their work. The RSNO said that the installation reflects its commitment to supporting Scottish artists and creating opportunities for public art. Last year, the orchestra unveiled Anthem (A Portrait of Music), a triptych by Gerard M Burns also displayed at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall. That work was inspired by the orchestra's rehearsals and performance of Britten's War Requiem during its 2022–23 season.
Glasgow Times
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Glasgow Times
Love Actually in concert coming to Glasgow in December
Love Actually in concert will be performed at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall on December 8, featuring a full orchestra playing the film's score live-to-screen. Tickets go on sale May 23 at 10am via (Image: Supplied) READ MORE: Extra flights from Glasgow Airport to Rome announced for Six Nations clash READ MORE: Legendary artist to play Glasgow as 2-for-1 tickets go on sale The beloved romcom weaves together ten heartwarming stories of love at Christmas, with many of the characters' lives intertwining. The star-studded cast includes Liam Neeson, Colin Firth, Laura Linney, Bill Nighy, Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman, Martine McCutcheon, Keira Knightley, Rowan Atkinson, Martin Freeman, and more. (Image: Supplied) Part of a 16-date UK tour, the live concert kicks off in Poole on November 28 and wraps up on December 17, following a sold-out run last Christmas. The score, composed by BAFTA-winning Scottish composer Craig Armstrong, features one of the most iconic soundtracks in modern romantic cinema, including unforgettable moments set to Mariah Carey's All I Want for Christmas Is You.
