Celtic Connections 2017: First shows announced

The festival's opening concert sees Laura Marling team up with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra for a special gig at Glasgow's Royal Concert Hall on 19 Jan, with gigs from folk legend Shirley Collins (4 Feb, City Halls) and Scottish Album of the Year winner Anna Meredith (4 Feb, CCA) also featuring in this year's programme.

A pair of Edinburgh International Festival smash hits from stalwarts of Scotland's folk scene return at Celtic Connections. Karine Polwart's Wind Resistance – a piece of 'gig theatre' which debuted at this year's EIF – hits the Tron Theatre from 25-28 Jan, while FLIT by Lau accordionist Martin Green plays the Mitchell Theatre on 2 Feb. FLIT tackles themes of migration through a combination of animation (from Ainslie Henderson's Whiterobot studio) and music from members of the Unthanks, Portishead and Mogwai. 

Senegalese pioneers Orchestra Baobab play the Royal Concert Hall on 2 Feb, Mexrrissey – the star-studded Mexican tribute to Morrissey and The Smiths – play O2 ABC on 25 Jan, and Billy Bragg and Joe Henry present tracks inspired by the US railroads at Old Fruitmarket on 26 Jan – read our review of their recent set at Summerhall. Dirk Powell & Jon Cleary will play music inspired by Booker Prize-winner James Kelman's latest novel Dirt Road at Old Fruitmarket on 29 Jan, and former Scots Makar Liz Lochhead teams up with The Hazey Janes for The Light Comes Back at Tron Theatre on 1 Feb.

Elsewhere, Lost Map head The Pictish Trail plays Oran Mor on 20 Jan, C Duncan presents his new album The Midnight Sun at Saint Luke's on 26 Jan, and King Creosote plays Old Fruitmarket the following night. Celtic Connections 2017 takes place at venues across Glasgow from 19 Jan to 5 Feb 2017; read full listings at celticconnections.com