BELLA Caledonia, the pro-independence news and commentary site with whom The National publishes its magazine on the first Saturday of every month, is putting on a night of poetry and song at Edinburgh’s Counting House on January 24.

Appearing will be Liz Lochhead, Scotland’s former Makar who has made headlines in recent days after describing a letter Robert Burns wrote in 1788 as “Weinsteinian” and “disgraceful”. As well as Lochhead, who will perform with saxophonist and composer Steve Kettley, the bill features two of the most singular Scottish female musicians to have emerged to wider audiences in recent years: Kathryn Joseph and Siobhan Wilson.

The supernaturally voiced Joseph, who won 2015’s Scottish Album of the Year Award for her searing LP Bones You Have Thrown Me and Blood I’ve Spilled, is also one third of Out Lines, the outfit behind one of the most acclaimed Scottish albums of last year. Titled Conflats, it saw her join The Twilight Sad’s James Graham and producer Marcus Mackay for an affecting album of songs based on true life stories told by people from Glasgow’s east end. Following Joseph’s Bella Caledonia gig, Out Lines then play Glasgow’s Saint Lukes as part of Celtic Connections on February 4, Perth Concert Hall (February 12), Aberdeen Tunnels (March 16) and Edinburgh’s Summerhall (March 17).

Joseph’s previous gig support, fellow singer songwriter Emme Woods, has just been named as performing at SXSW, the world-renowned annual music convention in Austin, Texas, between March 12 and March 18. Also flying the flag will be fellow Scotland-based bands Breakfast Muff, Spinning Coin, LAPS, Nina Nesbitt, Tijuana Bibles and LYLO, the dreamy, 1980s-inspired band who spoke to The National about their excellent Post Era album earlier this month ahead of its launch at Glasgow’s Stereo on January 26.

Last summer The National also featured Siobhan Wilson, the third act on the Bella Caledonia bill. If she’s still a new name to you, check out There Are No Saints, her first album for Edinburgh label Song, By Toad. The Elgin-born musician leaps the octaves on this stunning, minimalist collection, produced by Catholic Action’s Chris McGrory. Now based in Glasgow, where she studies contemporary classical composition at the Royal Conservatoire, her five years living in France drives There Are No Saints, which includes a stunning take on French standard J’attendrai and Paris Est Blanche, a song written by ex-boyfriend Simon Campocasso aka acclaimed musician Le Noiseur.

Lochhead, Joseph and Wilson are a lock-tight line-up for the gig, which marks 10 years of Bella Caledonia’s support for “independence, autonomy and self-determination”.

Tickets are available at bit.ly/Bellagig

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