THE Scots Trad Music Awards celebrated their 13th birthday on Saturday night with one of its biggest ceremonies to date.

For the first time in the history of the traditional music awards, the ceremony at Dundee’s Caird Hall was live-streamed across the world as some of the finest musicians in Scotland performed.

We take a look at some of the acts that picked up awards at the Hands up for Trad ceremony this weekend.

Taking the award for Best Album for their second release Grind were Glasgow-based 12-piece trad-rockers Treacherous Orchestra.

The band have had one of their most successful years to date and will be finishing it off with shows in Glasgow and Inverness later this month.

Although battling it out against albums by the Peatbog Faeries, RURA and Mike Vass, Grind was always a big favourite to win the award due to its relentless energy and unique sound.

As well as the big win, founding member Ross Ainslie also picked up the Composer of the Year gong, after working alongside Greg Lawson on the orchestration of Martyn Bennet’s Grit at the Celtic Connections Opening concert, which was named Event of the Year.

When The National spoke to Treacherous Orchestra’s Martin O’Neill last month, he said some of their edge came from the fact they were making traditional music within the borders of Scotland’s most populated and built-up regions.

“Our music and design may seem bold compared to some traditional music but the ideas of industrialisation hit a nerve,” he said.

That nerve is certainly very present on Grind, and they are unlikely to be complaints about its selection as the year’s top record.

While their album Despite the Dark may have missed out on the Album of the Year award, the folk-five piece RURA managed to snap up the coveted Live Act of the Year award.

The band’s energetic performances have sold out across the country and earned praise from pundits and punter alike.

Since the release of their first album in 2012 the band, who are also based in Glasgow, have really blossomed, with songs such as the haunting Mary and their rendition of Murray Attaway’s Allegory winning them fans worldwide.

After picking up the award the band thanked fans who had supported them, adding that the win would “take a while to sink in”.

The band’s next planned show will be at Glasgow’s Old Fruitmarket on January 29 next year.

Ballachulish-born rapper, singer and songwriter Griogair Labhruidh took home the Gaelic Singer of the Year winner, beating off stiff competition from Alyth McCormack, Ainsley Hamill and Fiona J MacKenzie.

He has played all over the country in 2015, from stages in George Square at pro-indy rallies to the Isle of Skye, even making an appearance alongside indie-rock group The Girobabies.

Labhruidh also performed at Celtic Connections earlier this year, as well as the Commonwealth Games last summer.

The artist is not one to shy away from controversy and fully believes Gaelic rap has a place in Scotland’s musical make-up.

“A lot of rap is about struggle,” Griogair told The National earlier this year.

“Hip hop began as a mode of expression for an African-American community who were colonised. We don’t need to imitate them though, we have our own traditions. People don’t hear the Gaelic struggle.’’


THE WINNERS IN FULL

Album of the Year sponsored by Birnam CD – Grind by Treacherous Orchestra

Composer of the Year sponsored by PRS for Music – Ross Ainslie

Club of the Year sponsored by Traditional Arts and Culture Scotland – Orkney Accordion and Fiddle Club

Community Project of the Year sponsored by Gordon Duncan Memorial Trust – Live Music Now Scotland

Event of the Year sponsored by VisitScotland – GRIT: Celtic Connections Opening Concert

Gaelic Singer of the Year sponsored by Macmeanmna – Griogair Labhruidh

Instrumentalist of the Year sponsored by Royal Scottish Country Dance Society – Mairi Campbell

Live Act of the Year sponsored by Greentrax Recordings – Rura

Citty Finlayson Scots Singer of the Year sponsored by Traditional Music and Song Association – Fiona Hunter

Scottish Dance Band of the Year sponsored by National Association of Accordion and Fiddle Clubs – Simon Howie

Scottish Folk Band of the Year sponsored by Threads of Music – Dàimh

Pipe Band of the Year sponsored by The National Piping Centre – Shotts and Dykehead Caledonia Pipe Band

Trad Music in the Media sponsored by Skipinnish – Port, BBC ALBA

Music Tutor of the Year sponsored by Creative Scotland’s Youth Music Initiative – Jenn Butterworth

Up and Coming Artist of the Year sponsored by the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland – League of Highland Gentlemen

Venue of the Year Award – SEALL at Sabhal Mor Ostaig