What are the best gigs in Scotland in April?

“Whan that Aprille with his shoures soote/The droghte of March hath perced to the roote … Thanne longen folk to goon on pilgrimages,” as Geoffrey Chaucer once reminded us.

It was true in the late 14th century and it’s true now, though Kenny Anderson (aka King Creosote) is not heading anywhere near Canterbury this April. But he is travelling around Scotland (with more dates to come in May and over the summer) for his Any Port in a Storm tour. What to expect? Well, his Celtic Connections performance back in January was a mixture of the sublime and the head-scratching (getting us all to sing along to a rendition of an old Dryburgh Keg Heavy advert wasn’t expected). But on his day Anderson is quite simply the best Scotland has to offer, a songwriter of distinction graced with one of the sweetest, most affecting voices in the land. Any chance to see him live should be grabbed.

Kathryn Joseph

The Tolbooth, Stirling, April 2; Perth Theatre and Concert Hall, Perth, April 3; The Barn, Banchory, April 4; MacArts, Galashiels, April 5; CatStrand, Castle Douglas, April 9 

And talking of distinctive voices … Kathryn Joseph, the brightest Scottish musical talent of the last 10 years, is also hitting the road next month for a handful of dates around the country before heading south of the border. If you’ve never seen Joseph play live it really is something to experience, if only for the contrast between the sweary humour of her stage banter and the thrilling intensity of her singing and playing. Go on, treat yourself.

Kathryn Joseph (Image: free)

Underworld

Usher Hall, Edinburgh, April 3 & 4

The fact that it’s Underworld at the Usher Hall rather than in a field somewhere in Ayrshire is maybe a sign that we’re all getting on a bit. That said, Karl Hyde and Rick Smith can’t be accused of slacking. In lieu of a support act the duo are playing two sets each night in Edinburgh, which should offer an excellent reminder that there’s a lot more to them than just Born Slippy. Sounds like a glorious evening out for ageing ravers. The first night is already a sell-out, but you might still be able to snag a ticket for April 4. 

Paloma Faith

SEC Armadillo, Glasgow, April 30

Back in 2009 I interviewed Paloma Faith for The Sunday Herald. She arrived wearing a red spangly coat, high-heeled boots, black vinyl trousers that squeaked constantly and the dinkiest bowler hat that remained propped on top of her head throughout our chat. That, I thought at the time, was how a pop star should look. Some 15 years later she is still making an effort. Her latest tour is promoting an album - The Glorification of Sadness - that , as the title promises, is full of heartbreak and anger. Produced by Hollywood composer Martin Wave and featuring collaborations with Chase & Status, Kojey Radical and Maverick Sabre among others, the album is a marker of Faith’s status in the industry. It will be fascinating how it translates to a live arena. If you can’t make the Glasgow gig she’s playing the Alhambra Theatre on May 2.

Paloma Faith (Image: free)

The Zutons

SWG3, April 18

Desperate to listen to guitars but too late to get tickets for Johnny Marr at the Barrowland Ballroom? Here’s a very decent fallback option. The Zutons are returning with The Big Decider, their first album in 16 years, at the end of April and they are hitting the road to promote it. If the single Creeping on the Dancefloor is any indication, the new album is going to be a bit of a bop. Maybe that’s to be expected when you get Nile Rogers in to help produce alongside Ian Broudie. Front man Dave McCabe has been sober for three years now and has rediscovered his mojo as a result. Lucky us. And yes, Abi Harding will be on hand to play sax.

Mitski

Usher Hall, Edinburgh, April 27 & 28

Fair warning, both these dates are already sold out so if you’ve not got your tickets already you’ll just have to join the waiting list and cross your fingers. It’s worth trying anyway. The Japanese-American singer-songwriter is a mercurial talent, able to draw comparisons to Cyndi Lauper and Sonic Youth (in the same sentence), and to be the support act for both The Pixies and Harry Styles over the years. She’s also said to be writing the music and lyrics for a new stage musical version of The Queen’s Gambit for Broadway. In short, she’s out on her own. The best place to be.

Mitski (Image: free)

Glen Hansard

Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh, April 1; Pavilion Theatre, Glasgow, April 2

The last time we saw Glen Hansard was when he sang a stirring version of Fairy Tale of New York with Lisa O’Neill and various members of The Pogues at the funeral of Shane MacGowan last December. It will be hard to top the emotional resonance of that performance, but Hansard has his own impressive back catalogue to draw on. As well as being lead singer with The Frames, he has won an Oscar for Falling Slowly, the song he wrote with Marketa Iglova for the film Once back in 2008. And then there was the Grammy nomination for his 2015 solo album Didn’t He Ramble. 

Brighde Chaimbeul

The Tollbooth, Stirling, April 26; An Tobar, Isle of Mull, April 27; Summerhall, Edinburgh, April 28

Still only in her mid-twenties, small-pipe player Brighde Chaimbeul has already established herself as one of the most exciting talents in Scottish traditional music. She won the BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award when she was just 17. On last year’s Carry Them With Us, which was nominated for the Scottish Album of the Year, she worked with Colin Stetson, best known for his film scores and his association with Arcade Fire. And she’s even recorded and played live with pop sensation Caroline Polachek who discovered her music on Spotify. In short, the Skye-born Chaimbeul is living proof that Celtic music is alive and well in the 21st century.

Brighde Chaimbeul (Image: free)

Sir Michael Tippett’s New Year with BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and BBC Singers

City Halls, Glasgow April 13

Tickets are free (but limited) for this BBC SSO performance of Sir Michael Tippett’s 1989 opera. Written when the composer was 83, it’s a mixture of sci-fi tropes (including a visitor from the future) urban dystopias, and influences ranging from rock and rap to stage musicals.  Tippett, a conscientious objector during the Second World War, is for some an acquired taste, especially when it comes to his operas, but 35 years on from its first performance this seems a good opportunity to reassess this late work.

Dry Cleaning

Saint Luke’s, Glasgow, April 5

Scratchy guitars, check. A 21st-century take on post-punk, check. Florence Shaw’s deadpan spoken-word delivery, check. Lines that make you laugh out loud, check. A unique night out? Quite probably.