Latest news – Live events at last
HALL LATEST
We are beginning to see the return to our normal mix of films and concerts - see below. We will adhere to Covid-19 restrictions but will keep an eye on the latest Scottish government recommendations as they emerge.
Universal Hall Team, July 2021
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September 2021
Budapest Café Orchestra (music) Wed 1st Sept, 7.30pm
Led by Christian Garrick, the BCO play a blistering barrage of traditional folk and gypsy-flavoured music from across the Balkans and Russia, Klezmer laments, Romanian Doinas, Hungarian Czadas and their own unique re-imaginings of some of the biggest tunes ever written by the classical greats. With just four players, the BCO combines violin, guitar, accordion, double bass, saz & balalaika to dazzling effect. Christian Garrick is one of the world’s most celebrated jazz violinists and has played with the likes of Cleo Laine & John Dankworth, Wynton Marsalis and Nigel Kennedy.
“…Budapest Café Orchestra embraces an encyclopaedia of music and mischief.” The Scotsman
£16 full/£14 concs/£12 U16’s
To book tickets online (10% booking fee) click here
To see a video of the band click here
Please note: We are waiting to hear from the Scottish government whether face masks and social distancing will still be mandatory at the time of this event.
Find out more »October 2021
Breabach (music) Wed 6th Oct, 7.30pm
Scottish firebrands Breabach are one of the most talked about bands on the folk scene. Their innovative celtic style, blending double bagpipes, flute, fiddle, song and Scottish stepdance brings to the stage flare, excitement and diversity. They have previously been voted ‘Live Act of the Year’, ‘Folk Band of the Year’ and most recently, ‘Album of the Year’ at the MG Alba Scots Trad Awards, and this promises to be a fantastic night!
Breabach are in an electrifying new phase – one that illustrates the band’s strength and interest in experimentation. Exhilarating, energetic and accomplished…” Songlines ★★★★
Tickets £16 Full / £14 Conc / £12 U16’s
To book tickets online (10% booking fee) click here
To see a video of the band click here
Please note: We are waiting to hear from the Scottish government whether face masks and social distancing will still be mandatory at the time of this event.
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Peatbog Faeries (music) Thu 21st Oct, 8pm
Based on the Isle of Skye, the Peatbog Faeries bring Celtic Dance music into the 21st century by incorporating many influences which take them from traditional jigs and reels through jazz, hip hop, reggae and more. From the moment they take to the stage, the mood is set for a no-nonsense feel-good atmosphere – each number sounding like an encore itself. The Peatbogs have released seven studio albums, have played to audiences all over the world, and won the award for ‘Best Live Act’ at the prestigious Scottish Traditional Music Awards. Please note: we intend to have dancing at this event and it is quite likely to be loud. However we will follow the government Covid guidelines at that time.
“Powerful melodies …pumped out with a smart degree of techno attitude…” The Scotsman
£16/£14 concs click here to buy tickets online (10% booking fee)
To see a video click here
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November 2021
Jenny Sturgeon – The Living Mountain (Live Performance with Audio-Visual) Sat 20th Nov, 8pm
The Living Mountain is an evocative, uplifting and compelling audio-visual performance inspired by the celebrated book of the same name, written by Aberdonian Nan Shepherd in the 1940s and still hugely relevant today.
Devised and performed live by musician Jenny Sturgeon, The Living Mountain considers human connections with wild places through lyrical and melodic interpretation of the novel, and interweaves song with visuals from the Cairngorm Mountains National Park; filmed by videographer Robyn Spice, rewilding advocacy group Scotland The Big Picture and with archive imagery from the National Library of Scotland.
The meditative qualities of the combined audio and imagery provide a soothing and poignant exploration of what it means to connect with a landscape, and to find a sense of place. It marks a bold and significant step in Jenny Sturgeon’s development as one of Scotland’s finest singer-songwriters.
Sturgeon’s songcraft is at the centre of her engaging and honest performance. She accompanies her lyrics with a specially built guitar ‘The Nan Taran’ (made entirely from reclaimed Scottish wood and built by Rory Dowling of Taran Guitars), piano, shruti box and dulcimer and with her own field recordings from within the Cairngorms.
Sturgeon is “a wonderful singer who can change the atmosphere in the room with her affecting delivery” (Boo Hewerdine).
Music – Jenny Sturgeon
Film projection – Shona Thomson
Featuring field recordings by Jenny Sturgeon, Jez Riley-French and Magnus Robb, and footage of the Cairngorms by Robyn Spice and Scotland: The Big Picture.
Supported by Help Musicians UK
Tickets £14 full, £12 conc, £10 U16’s
To buy tickets online (10% booking fee) click here
Salsa Celtica – Gran Reserva 25 Tour (music) Thu 25th Nov, 7.30pm
Born amid the fabled stylistic melting-pot of Edinburgh’s 1990s folk scene, Salsa Celtica’s unique fusion of Latin and Scottish/Irish music went on to major international success, winning fans both across the Celtic circuit and on Colombian and New York dancefloors. An expanded line-up of over a dozen musicians from Cuba, Venezuela, Scotland, Ireland and beyond, plus old friends and special guests reconvene to celebrate the band’s quarter-century. It promises to be one mighty fiesta so book early. This is a welcome return to the Universal Hall for a great band.
Any Covid-19 measures still required at the time of the gig will be adopted.
£20 general admission
To book tickets online (10% booking fee) click here:
To see a video of the band click here
Find out more »December 2021
Elephant Sessions (music) Thu 16th Dec, 7.30pm
This show has been rescheduled from 2020
Please note that the band will be playing straight-through with no interval, and at this time we do not yet know if there will be a support act. Please keep your eye on our website and we will update as and when we have the information.
Hailing from the Highlands of Scotland, Elephant Sessions exploded onto the indie folk scene to unparalleled effect with their last album “All We Have Is Now.” The band have since gone on to be finalists as Best Group at the BBC Radio 2 awards and are already winners of the 2018 Scots Trad Live Act of the Year. A truly great band to see live in an intimate venue like the Universal Hall.
‘Elephant Sessions … are using their instruments like weapons to destroy clichés…We love them’ Rolling Stone Magazine
£16/£14 concs/£12 U16s/£14 dancing/non-seated wristband
To buy a ticket click here (10% booking fee)
To see a video of the band click here
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