PERFORMING 4TH OCT W/ BRIGHDE CHAIMBEUL & AIDAN O ROURK

“Think Joni Mitchell meets Lisa Hannigan, with a delectably eccentric Scottish twist” The Guardian

Beautifully honest…sweetly poetic in its lyricism yet deadly accurate in arrangement” Clash

Hailing from the Scottish highlands, Rachel Sermanni is an enchanting singer-songwriter,
whose performance and lyrics draw from a deep well of mysticism, dreams, nature and the simple-complex experience of being human. A contemporary folk musician influenced by a wealth of genres including jazz, rock, old-time and traditional.

Rightly described by critics as a “Folk noir gem” (MOJO), “Stately, poetic” (CLASH) and
“Folk of the Highest Order” (Time Out), Rachel Sermanni has been making music for over a decade and has developed her artistic voice over her many releases, each time pushing
boundaries and experimenting with different musical textures while maintaining the raw
emotional connection, to herself and others, that defines her music. Rachel Sermanni has toured the globe, played alongside artists such as Mumford & Sons, Fink, Ron Sexsmith, John Grant, The Staves, Karine Polwart, The Maes and many more at venues and festivals all over. She also runs a songwriting workshop called Cultivating A Creative Life and her podcast, Rachel Sermanni’s Finger That Points To The Moon, similarly explores her relationship to creativity and inspiration, with the hope that it will help point in the direction of truth for herself and those listening.

Enjoy Rachel’s Dreamer Awake documentary

SAT 5TH OCT @ ST MARGARET’S BRAEMAR 7:30PM
W/ ROSS COUPER BAND

Welcome to London-based Somali artist FaceSoul (aka Faisal Salah) and his incredibly moving, soulful compositions and stories. Rendering the listener spellbound with his raw, honest account of his experiences and learning over equally immersive and atmospheric soundscapes, FaceSoul is one of those rare artists whose words and sounds speak directly to your soul.

Using art as a vehicle for healing, Facesoul’s message is one with intent. Faisal Salah, known by his stage name ‘Facesoul’ is a London-based artist born in East Africa. At 19 he began travelling the world, performing for different communities and sharing his story through his voice. These travels proved to be a formative step for his development as an artist, in which he discovered that these people, even with their apparent differences in race, language and environment, shared the same common internal emotions and feelings. And in that they were not separate. Faisal’s upbringing with traditional Islamic roots have been paramount to forming his truth and identity and his sense of spirituality is imbued in his practice. When he started performing at 15, he would combine his love of singing, poetry and storytelling as a tool to escape from the constraints of inner city living, and aspire for something better. The creative force behind his latest record YSRA has come from a period of personal grief and solitude after the passing of a dear friend in an accident during the recording period. It transformed the project into a creative documentation of his emotional reconnection himself and the journey home after losing a loved one. It celebrates and honours vulnerability, exploring themes of grief, sorrow, joy, love, family and the human experience.

Watch FaceSoul’s 2,000,000 viewed Colors Live Session

SAT 5TH OCT @ ST MARGARET’S BRAEMAR 7:30PM W/ FACESOUL

Ross Couper Band made their debut at Celtic Connections 2023 to a rapturous response. On the back of that performance they were invited to play at various festivals throughout the year. 2023 culminated with the band recording a debut album at the glorious Gorbals Sound studios in Glasgow. This was released on 3rd May 2024 at Shetland Folk Festival who organised a special launch event for the band.

In a relatively short space of time the band has become known for its distinctive energy and no holds barred approach. They delight using traditional instruments in an exciting way, whipping the audience up into a frenzy and leaving them wanting more every time.

Ross is from Shetland and is probably best known for playing his exciting brand of fiddle in the genre defining Peatbog Faeries. He’s been a member for 12 years and continues to tour with them both nationally and internationally.

The band line up is:

Ross Couper - FiddleSam Mabbett - MelodeonMichael Biggins (BBC Young Traditional Musician of the Year) - PianoPaul Jennings - Drums and percussion

Watch Ross Couper Band Live