Review: 10 YEARS OF LOST MAP, Oran Mor, Glasgow

It's the last day of Europe's premier folk festival and rounding off the proceedings is one of my most anticipated events of the festival- 10 Years of Lost Map. Lost Map Records is a record label run by Johnny Lynch (also known as The Pictish Trail) from his home on the Isle of Eigg.

Lost Map events are not for the faint of heart- especially when they start at 3pm. Running until venue curfew at 11pm, they've managed to pack eight acts into the lineup. The organisation of this event is brilliant and utilises the auditorium and downstairs space of the venue so that changeovers between acts are slick and you don't have more than fifteen minutes between bands.

Starting us off gently at 3.20pm is Amy May Ellis in the beautiful auditorium with an acoustic set. The bill has been packed with Lost Map artists and between the two venues we are treated to sets from Maranta, L.T. Leif, Savage Mansion, Ballboy and Free Love.

Susan Bear is an artist most familiar to me from being part of my favourite play of all time (What Girls Are Made Of) and has an impressive CV of theatre sound design. Bear's set was a definite highlight of the day.

In the 8pm slot in the downstairs venue is label boss man The Pictish Trail. It's a full band show that seems to take its inspiration from folk music, electronica and...thrash metal. Focusing on newer material from 2022's Island Family album and 2020's Thumb World, the set list includes the title track "Island Family" ; "The River It Runs Inside Of Me" ; "Double Sided" and my personal favourite - "Turning Back".

Something that both Celtic Connections and Lost Map have in common is an extremely respectful crowd who are open to new music and new friends. It's the only gig that I reckon I could go to solo and (happily) end up involved in a ceilidh with strangers.

Lost Map have created something truly special and it is a joy to see them celebrate a decade as a record label. This all-day event was the perfect way to end the Celtic Connections festival- with a reminder of how much love this city has for music and how many exciting new artists are out there.

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