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.
The Tumbling Souls are a country music band from the Isle of Lewis. A supergroup of the best musicians from the Outer Hebrides from all genres of music.
The sound is heavily influenced by the Country music and Bluegrass of America from the 50’s and 60’s with more than a hint of Scottish Traditional music seeping in through the instrumentation of the band.
The Tumbling Souls were formed in April 2017 as an excuse for performing musicians and friends to spend time with each other and has spiralled out of control. Viral videos online ensured the band were quickly performing at festivals to crowds of thousands and are excited to share their debut album through Stornoway’s Wee Studio Records. The music is very fun and very entertaining. Be prepared to smile and dance.
Physical tickets available from Hootananny. If you can’t make it into the venue itself prior to the concert you can contact the band directly for tickets via the email keithie_boy@hotmail.com
In the age of Trump, populism and Brexit, the world probably doesn’t need another bloated ego pretending to give easy solutions. Thankfully what we need is a comedy character who skewers them with precision, hilarity and who isn’t afraid at showing vulnerability.
President Obonjo, is an upcoming and increasingly successful stand-up comedian. As the larger-than-life, uber-confident, self-appointed, side-splitting dictator of ‘Lafta Republic’, President Obonjo has quietly been leading a comedy revolution to become the first President to take over the comedy industry by storm.
Hip Hop Night
Friday May 3rd
Featuring:
The Vandal
Brude
Sherbit
Followed by our resident DJ until 3 am!
West Coast Ceilidh Band not to be missed!
Nick Firth and Friends present the fantastic “Trad Band” this Fri night.
Anyone who knows about the Scottish music scene will tell you that Mickey 9s is one of the best live bands around. The irreverent 4-piece from Glasgow combines elements of dance, rock and funk into a blistering, genre-defying groove that has been sending crowds into a frenzy for a decade.
Mickey 9s started when four young lads went to see Daft Punk at a music festival and decided that this was the kind of music they wanted to make. After returning home, the awestruck bandmates promptly ditched their guitars in favour of synthesizers and tried to join the electronic renaissance.
After countless nights of bleeps, buzzes and beats in the rehearsal studio, it was clear to the band that their new idea lacked the energy and emotion they needed. So, what could they do? Fortunately, for the 9s it was simple: The electric guitars reappeared and the Korg gear was sold on Gumtree. From then on, Mickey 9s continued to make dance music, but without any of the faff.
Mickey 9s’ first ‘release’, the (very) limited edition Moshi Moshi EP, was thrust upon anyone who’d listen in 2009 and it marked the beginning of the band as they’re known today (see: choppy guitar licks, funky basslines, and a song about Finding a Thing and Trying to Dance to It).
Now fast-forward one decade, hundreds of gigs, two (and a half) albums, countless music videos, comics and Tins of Funk. The year 2019 marks the 10th anniversary of Mickey 9s, and that can only mean one thing…
It’s party time, Inverness.
Amy Henderson is from the outskirts of Inverness, and plays the Accordion, whistle, step dancing, and she can also turn her hand to singing here and there! Her playing is a blend of many different styles influenced by musicians she has met along her musical path in various genres including Cajun,Scottish and blues.
She Burns Red are a rock band from central Scotland.
Combining grunge and hard rock influences to bring you high octane riffs
and thundering choruses, they’re rebellious with a fresh new twist that’s difficult to pigeonhole.
For fans of bands such as the Foo Fighters, Deftones, Metallica and everything in between.
Support comes from Highlands & Moray rock band Bad Actress who recently won the Rock Factor contest at Ironworks.
Mad Hatters teams up with The Tooth & Claw to present GIRDERS!
The event is a mini-festival over 2 venues showcasing some the heaviest and rockiest acts from the North of Scotland and featuring:
Zombie Militia
King Kobalt
The Broken Ravens
Devils Queen
Kryora
Catalysis
Below The Neck
Isolates
Devil Within
Overrun
Free Entry!
After the bands finish join us for our resident Mad Hatters DJ until 3 am!
GIRDERS – Saturday May 11th
10 Metal/Rock bands across 2 venues!
Mad Hatters / The Tooth & Claw
Featuring:
KING KOBALT / Zombie Militia
The Broken Ravens / Devil’s Queen
Below The Neck / The Devil Within
Catalysis / Isolates
1000 Mile Stare / This Machine
Free Entry!
West Coast Ceilidh Band not to be missed!
Arthur has been playing Fiddle since the age of 7, growing up in rural Aberdeenshire, north east of Scotland. His first teacher Sharon Hassan was a very big influence in his musical development. Upon attending his second annual ‘Gaitherin’ He was inspired to take up the Guitar by John Coletta (The Humpff Family). At the age of 12 Arthur was awarded a scholarship to attend the ‘Aberdeen City Music School’ to study Fiddle and Guitar. Here He was taught by Jonny Hardie (Old Blind Dogs), who is still a huge influence on his music. Around this time Arthur was at the Sidmouth Folk Week, he saw ‘Le Vent Du Nord’ who would become his favorite band. They continue a big influence on his music.
In July 2016 Arthur was invited to join ‘Aff Oor Hieds’ as the group’s guitarist, alongside Andrew Legge (Fiddle), Noah Jack (Bass) and Stuart Jack (Percussion). They continued to play in this format until January 2017.
While playing with ‘Aff Oor Hieds’, in September 2016, Andrew, Stuart and Arthur founded a new band ‘The Rowies’ with vocalist Ellie Beaton. This musical format seemed to be quite successful and the band made a name for themselves. They supported bands such as ‘Rant’, ‘The Nordic Fiddlers Bloc’, ‘Session A9’, ‘The Crooked Brothers’ and ‘The Old Blind Dogs’.
In September 2017 Citing the need to play the fiddle more, Arthur formed a new band ‘Tolquhon’ with Duncan Ritchie (Accordion), Douglas Barber (Percussion, Jaw Harp) and Patrick Gray (Piano). Again the format proved successful and in 2018 the group did over 35 shows, including an extensive tour of England. They released their debut album in October 2018.
2019 marks the start of a new project for Arthur, as he will release and tour a brand new album/show. This album will be recorded in January and released in May. It features just Fiddle, Guitar, Vocals and Podorythmie (Foot Percussion).