This week Herald Social is at the opening night of Celtic Connections at the Royal Concert Hall in Glasgow and The Bard and his Belles Burns supper at Glasgow's Hilton Hotel.

THE 23rd annual Celtic Connections kicked things off with the Brit Award-winning Laura Marling, backed up by the Scottish Symphonic Orchestra.

In a packed concert indicative of the winter music festival’s varied programme, the evening saw performances from, among others, Karine Polwart, Aziza Brahim and Declan O’Rourke. 

MORE than 500 people came together to raise nearly £45,000 in aid of the Beatson Cancer Charity in this glittering celebration of Scotland’s national poet.

Hosted by comedienne Elaine C Smith and former Scottish Conservatives’ leader Annabel Goldie, the evening took a twist on the traditional Burns night by focusing on the women in the Bard’s life.