Scottish Album of the Year Award winners Redolent have been announced as 2025 Scottish Ambassadors for Independent Venue Week.

The Edinburgh-based quintet, who received the accolade of SAY Winner for debut album ‘Dinny Greet’ in October, appear alongside Welsh-Cornish musician Gwenno, named as Artist Ambassador for Wales.

Both acts will play exclusive shows during IVW25 – running from January 27th to February 2nd next year – as part of a series of hundreds of gigs and live events taking place across the country across more than 200 venues.

Venues wishing to participate in IVW25 have until Friday 6th December to sign up.

Since 2014, more than 1 million tickets have been sold to IVW events, providing a welcome boost to the live music sector and shining a light on these grassroots venues vital to the overall music industry.

Redolent – whose special IVW25 show will be announced soon – have of course planed many of the participating venues, and the band’s Andrew Turnbull said: “One of my most memorable gigs was when I was 17 and went to see The Xcerts at Sneaky Pete’s. They had just released their second album, ‘Scatterbrain’, which remains one of my favourite albums to this day.

“Sneaky Pete’s, though a smaller venue, has an incredible vibe, and I felt so lucky to get a ticket – it felt like a smaller setting for a band as big as The Xcerts. The show was one of the most intense and exciting shows I’ve experienced. The crowd hung on every word during the quiet parts of the songs, and the silence in those moments felt intimate and special. It’s a night I’ll never forget.”

Sybil Bell, CEO and founder of Independent Venue Week, added: “We’re over the moon to welcome Gwenno and rEDOLENT as our Welsh and Scottish Ambassadors. Alongside YolanDa Brown, they typify the kind of broad and innovative music culture that thrives in independent venues all across the UK.

“One of our biggest aims for IVW is to kickstart the new year with a wave of live shows that encourage fans to come out, buy a ticket, visit their local venue and have an amazing night out. It’s imperative that we support these unique spaces and the artists who appear on their stages all year round, and getting out in January is the best way to kick that support off.”

Among the acts already confirmed to play IVW shows next year are: Ibibio Sound Machine, Kathryn Williams & Withered Hand, Heavy Lungs, Caoilfhionn Rose, OneDa, Lake Street Drive, Gilles Peterson, The Magic Numbers, Rhoda Dakar, The Cactus Blossoms, E L U C I D, The Bug Club, Ryley Walker, Kublai Khan TX, Dirty Blonde, Lizzie Esau, Red Method, Martyn Joseph, Joshua Radin, Du Blonde, Cattle Decapitation, The Hara, Do Nothing, Dodgy, Utah Saints, Ten Fé, James Walsh, Fightmilk, Home Counties, C Duncan, KEG, The Covasettes, The Clause, Home Counties, Avalanche Party, Fyfe Dangerfield, GIRLBAND!, Tom A. Smith, TTSSFU, Daudi Matsiko and more. Full details here.