Glasgow Warriors and Hoolie Talent team up on St Andrews Day

Glasgow Warriors and the Hoolie in the Hydro have teamed up to shout about the best of Scotland this St Andrews Day as they showcase a weekend packed full of Scottish entertainment set to take place this December.

The weekend before Christmas will see the mighty Glasgow Warriors take on Perpignan at their home ground of Scotstoun on Friday 16 December, before the world’s biggest ceilidh takes to the Ovo Hydro’s stage on Saturday 17 December. This world-first event is set to be the biggest night of traditional music to ever have taken place and it will feature some of the top musicians on the Scottish and Irish music scene.

🎟 Match tickets are now on general sale for Glasgow Warriors 🆚 Perpignan, Edinburgh (1872 Cup) Stormers and Bath

Secure your seat today and be there to roar on your Warriors at Scotstoun! 👉 https://t.co/X4CVuBDT3V pic.twitter.com/RkEwuTS8yH

— Glasgow Warriors (@GlasgowWarriors) November 15, 2022

Just 24 hours beforehand, Glasgow Warriors welcome Catalan side Perpignan to Scotstoun for their first home European match of the 2022/23 season under the Friday night lights. With the Warriors undefeated at home in over a year, the match promises to be a firecracker as Head Coach Franco Smith and his team look to start the festive period in style.

Hoolie in the Hydro will be a watershed moment for Scotland’s cultural scene and will mark the first time an arena has been hired by an individual in the UK to showcase a night completely dedicated to traditional music.

The night’s star-studded line-up includes famed Caledonia singer Dougie Maclean, former Runrig frontman Donnie Munro, Celtic-rock sensations Mànran, Ireland’s Sharon Shannon Band, award-winning Scottish outfit Skerryvore and festival favourites Trail West. Special guest Gaelic songstress Kathleen MacInnes has also been confirmed, alongside two fantastic hosts for the evening – farmer Jim Smith and BBC Scotland’s Anne McAlpine.

Stirling and District Schools Pipe Band will welcome the crowds to The Ovo Hydro, and an all-star ceilidh band will open the night. An unforgettable encore will welcome a host of special guests to the stage to finish this legendary night in extraordinary style. Special guests confirmed so far include the Ceilidh King himself Fergie MacDonald, the legendary left-handed fiddler Aonghas Grant and the inimitable John ‘Iky’ Carmichael.

Hoolie in the Hydro organiser, broadcaster and musician Gary Innes said: “I have been blown away by how much support there has been for this hoolie! It really is set to be an incredible night, not just for the advancement of Scottish culture and traditional music, but to also highlight that our music can hold its own on our country’s largest indoor stage. We can’t wait to welcome you all in your thousands for this historic night and for one hell of a party!”

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Happy St Andrew’s Day everyone 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 and delighted that Hoolie in the Hydro have teamed up with @GlasgowWarriors ahead of the historic night @OVOHydro on Dec 17th and as the Warriors take on Perpignan in their European clash on the 16th at Scotstoun Stadium 🏉 🪗 pic.twitter.com/BdwK3iTrVK

— Gary Innes (@GaryInnes) November 30, 2022

Glasgow Warriors Managing Director, Al Kellock, added: “We can’t wait to be a part of what promises to be an outstanding weekend of live sport and music in Glasgow.

“The calibre of musicians that Gary has been able to attract to such an innovative concept is hugely impressive and it’s an event that we’re proud to lend our support to.

“In addition to representing Glasgow and the west of Scotland, our ties to the Highlands and Islands are a proud part of our heritage and our identity; if anyone coming down is looking to make a weekend of it, we’re ready to welcome you with open arms to Scotstoun on Friday ahead of the big night at the Hoolie on Saturday.”

Sparked by a Facebook post by musician and BBC broadcaster Gary Innes in early 2020, this unique concept has grown in momentum with unequivocal support from individuals both at home and abroad.

The idea first hatched in January 2020 after Gary reached 20,000 likes on his Facebook Page. To celebrate, he put out a slightly tongue in cheek post which said if half of the people who had ‘liked’ his page bought a ticket for the Hydro, they could have the world’s biggest ceilidh. The likes, shares and support for the idea started flooding in so he decided to properly research and scope the idea, meeting with the venue and further gauging people’s interest. The feedback was resoundingly positive so in early March 2020, Gary went ahead and booked Scotland’s largest indoor venue.