As defined in the title of his remarkable 2015 solo debut VIP: Very Interesting Persons (No.2 in the Daily Telegraphs top dozen folk albums that year), Findlay categorically commands musical VIP status. He has now turned those same supreme songwriting and storytelling gifts, allied to a magpie-minded imagination and truly magnificent vocals, to his adoptive home town, on VIPs hotly anticipated follow-up, Glasgow.

Continuing his collaboration with English songwriter, Boo Hewerdine, this new album combines freshly-penned originals with classics and rarities from Glasgows vast and colourful ballad canon, by authors as diverse as Hamish Imlach and The Blue Nile. Together, they form an extended musical love-letter to Scotlands metropolis, celebrating 20 years since Napier first arrived as a student, swapping his idyllic Highland childhood home for the 14th floor of the citys notorious (and since demolished) Red Road flats.

Napier's own songcraft today vibrantly reflects this increasingly rich stylistic melting-pot a mix hes played no small part in creating, especially the cross-fertilisation between Glasgows folk and indie communities, as both co-host of a long-running open-mic night, and promoter of the decade-old Hazy Recollections concert series. In 2016, too, Napier launched the Glasgow Songwriting Festival, a weekend of workshops and performances which completely sold out its inaugural outing, and returns in 2017. In between putting the finishing touches to Glasgow, Napier also toured in spring 2017 with acclaimed contemporary protest-song showcase Shake the Chains.

Despite these ecumenical enthusiasms, Napier himself remains happy to identify as a folk singer even if he does enjoy stretching the terms already elastic parameters. "I do fit that one-guy-with-a-guitar template", he says. As well as calling himself a folk singer, he simultaneously aspires to another, likewise timeless role: "I do love that old-fashioned, all-round idea of an entertainer - I think it's a brilliant thing. But then that's totally what the best folk singers are; theyll have you in absolute hysterics, in between punching you in the gut - people like Loudon Wainwright, John Prine, Michael Marra: that's the absolute pinnacle, as far as I'm concerned".

Also on the bill tonight is Edinburgh FC 2019 Songwriting Competition winner, Beth Malcolm plus the talented young local musician, Lewis McLaughlin.

BETH MALCOLM Following several years developing her songwriting, keyboard playing and performing in the UK and Germany, and at festivals such as Celtic Connections and the Country2Country festival in London, Beth Malcolm released her debut EP Better By Noon in 2015. The EP is a self-penned eclectic mix of soft jazz and contemporary folk that has become Beths distinctive sound.

2019 has been a busy year for Beth; performing at the Orkney Folk Festival; winning Edinburgh Folk Club's 44th songwriting competition; and launching 'Choose My Company' EP on her first solo tour. The 21-year-old singer/songwriter has recently moved to Edinburgh after graduating from University in Glasgow the city which became her lyrical muse. Beths folk-influenced music is stripped back and acoustic. Think of a young Joni Mitchell meeting Norah Jones on the streets of a Scottish city.

Beth Malcolms songs are not only beautiful, they also remind the listener to take more care of their surroundings, that the source of inspiration is not only caught in the lure of someones face, but in the immediacy of the place it happened in. (Liverpool Sound and Vision)

she provides proof that there is still life in the concept of a musician writing words and music designed to go from ears to heart in one smooth move. (Bluesbunny)

LEWIS MCLAUGHLIN "Lewis is the most eloquent and emotionally sophisticated songwriter I have ever heard ... a must see!" (Richard Werner, B&B Studios).

Edinburgh songwriter Lewis McLaughlin is attracting attention around the country with his honest, atmospheric song-writing and intelligent musical arrangements. Collaborating with the cream of Scotlands up-coming musical talent, he has honed his creative output and the result is something quite special. Lewis draws influence from various genres including Folk, Traditional, Alternative and Rock

With performances across Scotland and Europe and as a former pupil of the City of Edinburgh Music School and Plockton Music School, Lewis is already an assured and seasoned performer beyond his years.

His latest EP Paper In The Rain features four of original songs which showcase his eloquent and emotionally intelligent song-writing.

WEBSITES http://www.findlaynapier.com/ https://www.lewismclaughlinmusic.com http://www.bethmalcolm.com/

FACEBOOK http://www.facebook.com/findlaynapiermusic

TWITTER https://twitter.com/findlaynapier

SOUNDCLOUD http://www.soundcloud.com/napiers-blogs

YOUTUBE https://youtu.be/ZGiVG_1UFAw