Govan music festival returns to the city for its second show

Regenerating Govan through music, The Glasgow Barons present the second Govan Music Festival from Wednesday 15 - Sunday 19 March 2023.

The Festival opens on Wednesday March 15 with a showcase of the work done by Glasgow Life’s Artists-in-Communities project. Artists-in-Communities is a new initiative delivering arts projects in communities throughout Glasgow to benefit local people and their areas.

The Glasgow Barons is one of five artists bringing art to the Southside of Glasgow and is working in schools.

Karen Shaw, Glasgow Life’s Senior Arts Producer, Creative Communities said: “These projects offer a great variety of exciting opportunities to support local communities throughout the city. They’re designed to encourage and enable people of all ages and from all groups to come together to connect and take part in enjoyable, enriching shared activities that make a real difference to lives.”

The 2023 Govan Music Festival programme includes:

Wednesday March 15 | 1pm | Free (no ticket required)

Fairfield Club, 211 Crossloan Road, Glasgow G51 3QD

All of Govan’s eight school choirs and Hazelwood School, a school for children and young people with sensory impairment and complex learning needs, come together to perform the premiere of a climate-change song cycle, written and composed by Jennifer Andrews, Principal of Music at Govan High School.

Commissioned by The Glasgow Barons with support from Creative Scotland and Glasgow Life.

Wednesday 15 March | 7.30pm | Free (no ticket required)

Fairfield Club, 211 Crossloan Road, Glasgow G51 3QD

A celebration of local talent involving Indepen-dance, #1BLUD DANCE CLUB, VK Dance and Akro Academy strutting their stuff whilst Gilded Lily, Sunny G FM, Govan High pupils, Govan Allsorts Choir and FIVO & Eyve celebrate the new murals around Govan painted by SWG3’s Yardworks artists.

Thursday 16 March | 7.30pm | £1 on door or through Eventbrite

The Pearce Institute, 860 Govan Road, Glasgow G51 3UU

The Glasgow Barons present the Scottish premiere of Anna Clyne’s cello concerto, DANCE, with cellist Bartholomew LaFollette. The programme also includes Barber’s Adagio for Strings and Sibelius’ Symphony 2.

This concert will be conducted by The Glasgow Barons Artistic Director, Paul MacAlindin and will be performed by a full orchestra.

Friday March 17 | 6pm - 11pm | Free - includes dinner (Eventbrite ticket required)

Kinning Park Complex, 43 Cornwall Street, G41 1BA

The Glasgow Barons and The Scottish Recovery Consortium bring you FREED UP, an alcohol and drug-free event involving a string quartet (The Four Barons) and hip hop with rappers Solareye, Empress and Freestyle Master.

FREED UP presents the culmination of a 10-week rap course at Phoenix Futures, a group rap involving all participants. Phoenix Futures is a residential unit for people struggling with alcohol and drug addiction. Special guest FIVO & SUMBOY.6pm buffet dinner, 7.30pm live set, 8.30pm – 11pm rave with FREED UP DJs.

Saturday 18 March | 7.30pm | Free (no ticket required)

Govan & Linthouse Parish Church, 796 Govan Road, Glasgow G51 2YL

Two of Glasgow’s world community groups Musician in Exile and Ando Glasgo team up with The Glasgow Barons Balkan brass and string sections to deliver an unforgettable multi-cultural feast on your doorstep.

Featuring lightning Cimbalom player, Janos Kallai, singing cellist, Calum Ingram and Persian pop sensation Aref Ghorbani. Musicians in Exile recently came highly recommended at The Danny Kyle Open Stage at this year’s Celtic

Sunday 19 March | 7pm | £10 on the door or through Eventbrite

The Grand Ole Opry, 2-4 Govan Road, Glasgow G51 1HS

DEMONS is the latest Glasgow Barons commission from Scottish hip hop producer Steg G, set for release on Friday March 17 2023. The Glasgow Barons morphs into a 10-piece orchestra performing the album live along with guest stars LOKI and Mcroy. This night will also reveal the collaboration between The Glasgow Barons’ string quartet - The Four Barons, rappers Solareye, Empress and Freestyle Master in an innovative fusion of folk, hip hop and classical.

Steg, who wrote, produced and recorded DEMONS, drew inspiration from the mental health issues he tackled after the coronavirus pandemic and the process of facing his own personal demons head on.

Steg G is an award-winning hip-hop artist from Glasgow who has been working in the industry for nearly three decades and is actively involved in music education, broadcasting and community development.

Steg G said: “Creating this album was extremely cathartic and it forced me to closely examine the internal confusion and anxiety I have battled with since the pandemic. It deals with the regrets I have for my own past actions, and the processes of trying to be a decent human in the midst of an existential crisis.

“I know I’m not alone in the challenges I have faced as a result of isolation, and I hope people will be able to relate to the topics raised on the album and seek some comfort from them.”

Paul MacAlindin, Artistic Director of The Glasgow Barons said: “After the first Govan Music Festival last March, we saw how the community had created a powerful vitamin shot, pushing through Omicron to spring and renewal.

“This year, we showcase community, world, orchestra and hip hop music from the grassroots of Govan’s residents and places. We commission new songs from local singer/songwriters and groups about the giant murals gifted to us by SWG3’s Yardworks and Glasgow Riverside Innovation District, remembering the impact of COP26 and climate change on Govan.

“The Govan-Partick footbridge means Govan will be in spotlight again and we want the Festival to help build all the right reasons to do that.”