Celtic Connections 2014 festival line up revealed

The Celtic Connections festival is now entering its 21st year.

The programme for Glasgow's 2014 Celtic Connections event has been announced.

Del Amitri will make their Celtic Connections debut - playing their first UK show in over a decade at the SSE Hydro.

Bobby Womack, Suzanne Vega, Seth Lakeman, Mogwai and Roddy Hart are among the other acts confirmed to perform at next year's event.

The festival will see thousands of other performances and runs from 16 January to 2 February.

Originally conceived as a way of filling Glasgow Royal Concert Hall's January schedule, Celtic Connections is now entering its 21st year.

Donald Shaw, artistic director of Celtic Connections, said: "Next year's line-up will be the biggest celebration yet of the tunes and songs that connect Scotland's musical legacy to the rest of the world.

"It's very exciting to be showcasing the festival at the brand new SSE Hydro with an International Burns night celebration and Glasgow's own Del Amitri.

"The expansion into this world-class venue really demonstrates the ever increasing stature of the festival and firmly cements its place as one of the world's top music festivals."

International appeal

Councillor Archie Graham, chairman of Glasgow Life, said: "The festival attracts visitors from all over the world and therefore contributes to a hugely positive cultural and economic impact for Glasgow and the rest of the country.

"Celtic Connections continues to have an international appeal and enhance the city's reputation as a major tourist destination."

More than 100,000 festival goers attended last year's event and revenue from ticket sales topped £1m.

Previous acts to play the festival include Snow Patrol, Bob Geldof, The Mavericks, Idlewild and Steve Earle.

Tickets for Celtic Connections are on sale now.