Multi-award winning pub and live music venue in Inverness, the Highland capital.
What’s on at Hootananny and Mad Hatters
For 17 years, Hootananny has been promoting the best grass roots music in Scotland. Mumford and Sons, Sam Fender, Little Boots, Dougie Mclean and Skerryvore have all played the venue. The building is a lovely traditional Victorian Inverness old sweety shop with traditional and fusion Scottish ceilidh and celtic rock downstairs. Emerging original artists, indy, hiphop, heavy metal, ska and rock upstairs on the Madhatters stage. Djs in the Glow bar on the top floor. The family run business has been awarded Scotland’s Best Live Music Venue 2019 by Scottish Bar and Pub Awards and Best Inverness Pub of the Year, 8 years running, by Inverness City Advertiser. Open daily for pub drinkers, we have a delicious Scottish menu of traditional dishes cooked to perfection from 5-10pm daily
Since March 2020 Hootananny has been unable to promote live music or background music. We hope to bring back the best live music soon! Click on the Keeping Safe tab for details about safety.
KING KOBALT (Highlands) & NORTH ATLAS (Glasgow) team up for springtime Mad Hatters show. LATE LANDING (Montrose) will open the night!
KING KOBALT are a five piece Hard Rock/Metal band hailing from the Heart of the Highlands in Scotland. Powerful new Single “XVI” is available now on all major streaming platforms
LISTEN HERE: https://open.spotify.com/track/4W9rnGh8yowgHYDCHbwgrm
FFO: Black Stone Cherry, Shinedown, Bloodlines, Allusondrugs
Scottish alt rock trio North Atlas are a band of brothers who combine their contrasting influences to defy the traditional sensibilities of a rock n’ roll band. Gaining a reputation for thunderous live shows, the trio secured an eclectic mix of festivals last summer, including a roaring headline set on Belladrum’s seedlings stage.
Late Landing are an alt/rock band from Montrose on the North Sea in Scotland where a mighty and harsh landscape meets a generous spirit. Their aesthetic is unforgiving and uncompromising, but once you sit down for the first wee dram…
The DUGHOOSE SKA band is an experienced and talented group of musicians that enjoy all things SKA. They play classic SKA/ 2 tone tunes by bands like the Specials and Madness, with some cleverly thought out tunes from established artists coupled with some original material they guarantee to have any venue SKANKING from the first note.
Root System / Polar Bears In purgatory.
@ Hootananny
Mar 14 @ 10:00 pm
Root System are a four piece ska/punk band made up of three brothers Kev Fek ( vocals) Ronnie (guitar/voclas) Handsome Dan (bass) and close pal Ryan (Drummer). ROOT SYSTEM have been on the go for around 7 years now and have gigged up and down the country including the likes of Brixton, Glasgow, Inverness, Elgin, Edinburgh, the list goes on. They have also played at a few festivals including Rockness, Wickerman a number of times, Wizard Festival, Tartan Heart, Loch Lomond always getting the crowd going. They have also played with a number of times with ska legends such at Neville Staple, Bad Manners, The Beat and The Selecter..
“Ayr based Polar Bears in Purgatory are an energetic, melodic punk trio whose down to earth humour and catchy hooks are unparalleled”- The Daily Record
“PBIP are all about melody and speed” – Bumnote
“Not for the sensitive or those lacking a sense of humour” – the Moshville Times
If you were into music in the late 70s and early 80s, the chances are you were into 2-Tone, the iconic Coventry based label that was home to Ska revivalists like The Beat, The Selecter, Madness and the amazing Specials. Eight piece ska band Porkpie are coming to Madhatters in Inverness on saturday 21/3/20 to faithfully recreate the songs of 2 Tone and rocksteady ska. This band are the real deal, from the classic ‘big’ ska band mould, with a full brass section, keys, guitars and porkpie hats to match they play with an intensity and energy that will have you dancing into 2020 !
Ruvellas are an up and coming 5-piece band who originate from Dundee. They incorporate an experimental style taking influence from genres such as Indie and Alt Rock and popular acts such as Oasis, Arctic Monkeys, The Beatles, Catfish and the Bottlemen.
Esperanza are a nine-piece ska collective from Glasgow famed for live shows where their infectious rhythm has the crowd involuntarily jumping in time. In several hectic years of gigging around Scotland and beyond, they have honed and perfected a high-tempo set, with superb self-penned songs, until there isn’t an ounce of fat left on it.
The quality of the band’s live shows has led to them being increasingly in demand: playing at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony; festivals up and down the country; and sharing stages with some of the biggest names in ska, punk and reggae, including Toots and the Maytals, The Skatalites, Bad Manners, The Beat, The Selecter, Neville Staple, The Undertones, Fishbone and The Toasters.
“Esperanza are more at home on Jamaica Street than on Bob Marley’s native island, which is perhaps why there’s urban grit in amongst the Caribbean sunshine of their debut album, Permanent Ska. The Scottish Specials? Indeed, and they’ve now recaptured the energy of their gigs.” SUNDAY HERALD
“Highlights included Scottish seven-piece Esperanza’s snappy, brass-buoyed ska.” THE SCOTSMAN
Leading the charge in Scotlands’ world dance music scene, Samson Sounds carry the energy towards a positive dance floor vibration. Guitar strings, brass, vocals and digital align to form new audible experiences of World Bass music. Originating from the homemade dubwise Samson Soundsystem they are no strangers to bass weight and can deliver a good time guarantee at any party.
Hailing from Glasgow, Scotland and characterised by their uplifting stage presence they blend elements of African Highlife and Blues, Dub, UK Steppas, Kwaito and Jazz, leaving no-one behind.
In recent times the Samson family continues to expand, collaborating with new artists such as Dandelion, Tom Spirals, and B-Side. New spices in the mix always keep the studio and live flavours fresh!
Other Humans began at the very beginning of 2015 through a shared interest in 80’s synth pop music.
They began to write and record demo versions of songs at PaulsHalls Studios. Following those sessions, Other Humans recorded and released their debut track “Valley” which is available as a free download via soundcloud. This was followed with their debut show in Broadcast, Glasgow where over 100 people crammed in to the basement venue.
Aberdeen based Full Fat bring blues of class and vibrant energy in the vein of the great guitar power trios that should light up a Sunday afternoon. Here, expect this 3-piece band to show off why their 50’s rockabilly and rock-n-roll influences went down a storm with audiences in their sold-out show this summer. Passionate vocals, tight rhythm, full throbbing bass, and powerful, clear guitar tone: “Energetic, engaging… full of diverse influences” Citizen Mule.
The 6 piece band, Chango Munks, based in Edinburgh perform a combination of fast paced, high energy Ska/Punk/Rock.
The group represent a number of nationalities including: Flemish, Basque, Italian/Colombian/Sri Lankan (and Scottish).
Having released their first 4 track E.P. [Live Session] in November of 2018, their first full length, “Something Else Is Coming”, was released in early June of 2019.
Following a successful tour around the Basque Country in July, the band are looking forward to the rest of 2019.
Aberdeen based Full Fat bring blues of class and vibrant energy in the vein of the great guitar power trios that should light up a Sunday afternoon. Here, expect this 3-piece band to show off why their 50’s rockabilly and rock-n-roll influences went down a storm with audiences in their sold-out show this summer. Passionate vocals, tight rhythm, full throbbing bass, and powerful, clear guitar tone: “Energetic, engaging… full of diverse influences” Citizen Mule.
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