Kinnaris Quintet to star at Mareel’s Hogmanay show

The Kinnaris Quintet will be the headline act for Shetland Arts’ Hogmanay celebration at Mareel as early-bird tickets for the event went on sale this week.

They will join a number of acts for the party, which will start at 7pm on Tuesday 31st December.

This year’s event will also take the theme of glitter, with the auditorium and acts destined to dazzle.

The night will begin with a traditional Shetland variety concert, opened by the Kinnaris Quintet with performances by local bands and musicians, followed by supper and the chance to relax in one of the cinema screens.

The stage will then be re-set for the Kinnaris Quintet to bring in the bells to herald 2020. Then it will be time to dance the night away with DJs and a dance band.

Having appeared at Shetland Folk Festival, the Kinnaris Quintet are no strangers to the isles. The five-piece are revelling in the success of their debut album Free One, released last year.

Combining Scottish and Irish folk with bluegrass and classical music, their style could make for a riotous addition to the evening’s entertainment, as Shetlanders and visitors get set to welcome in the New Year.

All accomplished musicians in their own right, the quintet comprises Fiona MacAskill and Laura Wilkie on fiddles, Aileen (Reid) Gobbi on five-string fiddle, Laura-Beth Salter on mandolin and Jenn Butterworth on guitar.

Shetland Arts programme manager Tim Matthew said: “We’re thrilled to be welcoming Kinnaris Quintet to Mareel as we bring in the bells.

“This year, the event will take a glitter theme, so we expect to see party-goers in their shiny shoes, sequins and silvery outfits.”

The event has again received support through Scotland’s Winter Festivals, a programme designed to celebrate the spirit and fun of the winter season with a range of events and activity throughout the country.