Top Places To Find Live Scottish Music
Looking to immerse yourself in local culture and listen to some superb Scottish music on your travels around the North Coast 500? Here’s a few of our suggestions:
Ironworks Music Venue
With a capacity of 1,000, The Ironworks is one of the biggest venues in the Highlands and Islands. Independently run by venue director Caroline Campbell and a committed team, the venue has recently introduced staging to allow the venue to set up for a more intimate performance which hosts 300. It also cements the venue’s reputation as a supporter of emerging talent as it provides a smaller capacity option for those on the road to making it. The great thing about Ironworks is that they offer a wide variety music aimed at catering to all tastes. To get a feel for what they offer, be sure to check out their events page for more information.
Bagpipes and more bagpipes
If you’re looking to experience the true music culture of Scotland, then nothing stands out more than the bagpipes! Right around the North Coast 500 you’ll be able to find places to experience this first-hand. Various villages around the route such as Beauly and Dornoch have regular bagpipe evenings but it’s always worth asking locally for any hidden gems! Make sure to check out our bagpipes events page on our website for a bit of inspiration. Another great resource for this is Visit Scotland’s ‘Bagpipes, Traditional Music, and Ceilidhs’ section on their website which offers up to date information on events all over Scotland.
Strathpeffer & District Pipe Band
Lyth Arts Centre
Another great hidden gem for anyone not from the North of Scotland is the Lyth Arts Centre based in Wick, Caithness, which is in the North East corner of the North Coast 500. The genre of music is generally folk and traditional Scottish music with a few European acts mixed in too. With over 67 gigs scheduled across July and August and more scheduled throughout the year, you’ll have plenty to choose from! For more information on the Lyth Arts Centre, we would recommend having a wee look on their website for a detailed list of all the events they offer.
Hotels and restaurants
Another source of the live Scottish music that is often overlooked when planning your trip are the local hotels and restaurants around the route. Many of them offer live music throughout the week and/or over the weekends so it’s always worth enquiring when booking your accommodation for your visit. A few great examples of this are: Invershin Hotel, Ben Loyal Hotel, Tongue Hotel, The Arch Inn and Smoo Cave Hotel who all offer live music at various times throughout the year (particularly weekends).
