Bobby Womack, Mogwai, The Pop Group and Smog are among the acts who form the lineup for 2014’s Celtic Connections festival.
The fortnight-long event opens with a performance by acclaimed Scots classical violinist Nicola Benedetti, on January 16th, and the eclectic musical mix continues with show by Mull Historical Society on 17th at The Arches, and a double header with The Pop Group and Sexual Objects at O2 ABC the night after – the band’s Gareth Sager of course a regular on the SObs Creeping Bent label.

Also in the programme are Gaelic folkie Julie Fowlis with RANT and Parveen Sabrina Khan as well as former Spit Enz / Crowded House man Tim Finn.
And following their recent appearance on BBC2’s Later, Lloyd Cole and the Leopards are in the lineup with Jazzateers as special guests

A reformed Del Amitri appear with special guests The Big Dish and The O’s on the 24th, while Mary Chapin Carpenter plays with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra.

The New Mendicants – the collaboration between Teenage Fanclub’s Norman Blake and Joe Pernice – play on the evening of the 25th, while alt.folk artist and murder ballad enthusiast Alasdair Roberts appears with his ‘Friends’ plus Georgia Ruth at the Tron on the 26th while there will be an Olive Grove Records showcase on the same night.

Soul legend Bobby Womack‘s show at the Royal Concert Hall on the 27th is one of the biggest coups, alongside the previously-announced set by Mogwai the following night while other big names include Susanne Vega and Gretchen Peters.
Other gigs under the CC banner include Sharon Shannon at the Mitchell Library and Bill ‘Smog‘ Callahan who appears on February 1st. And there are a fewmore collaborative events including Lau along with Annabelle Chvostek while Seth Lakeman gets together with KAN.

Full details at www.celticconnections.com