Roma Music Sounds Across Scotland This December with Ando Glaso’s Barvale Nights

This festive season, audiences across Scotland are invited to join Scotland’s top Roma musicians at a series of live music events. Produced by leading Roma arts organisation Ando Glaso and funded by Creative Scotland’s Multi-Year Funding programme, the Barvale Nights events are joyous occasions, offering an important opportunity for non-Roma people to experience the best in authentic Roma music and hospitality without travelling to Central and Eastern Europe.

Three events are scheduled to take place. The first takes place in Dundee’s newest venue Hidden Dundee on the 4th of December where powerhouse modern Gypsy band Zor are set to wow Dundee concert-goers for the first time as they make their debut in the city (ticket link). Fresh from their performances this year all over the UK, Zor are at the cutting edge of Gypsy music in the UK, combining traditional Roma music styles with funk, pop, and rock sensibilities. The following day, 5th of December, Zor will head north to the iconic and award-winning Blue Lamp in Aberdeen to delighted audiences in the Granite City (ticket link here)

Two days later, on the 7th of December, Scotland’s newest Romanian Roma act Taraful Emil will be filling the gloriously intimate Leith Arches with their joyful sounds (ticket link). Having honed their craft over decades of playing at Roma weddings and celebrations, the musicians are masters of authentic Gypsy music who blend traditional lăutar music with the modern energy of manele party beats to bring audiences to their feet.

Janos Lang, Creative Director of Ando Glaso said, “It’s such a pleasure to bring these incredibly talented musicians to Scotland’s established music venues. We do all sorts of development work with Roma artists and heritage practitioners in Scotland, but much of it takes place behind the scenes. Our Barvale Nights project, work that would not be possible without the funding provided by Creative Scotland, is one of our most important public-facing activities. We hope audiences this December embrace our events and come along to learn about and celebrate the joy and beauty of Roma culture.”

Siobhan Anderson, Music Officer at Creative Scotland said: “It’s fantastic to see Ando Glaso bringing creative talent from the Roma community to more people across Scotland. There is a wealth of new Roma talent emerging and Ando Glaso are providing the opportunity for audiences to experience and enjoy this talent in local venues.”