Shetland-Music.com

If its musical informality, coupled to a good spree, you're after then the traditional session is just the place for you. Getting involved couldn't be easier, with at least three Lerwick pubs offering regular sessions throughout the year.

Session in The Lounge

There's the daddy of them all in Lerwick's famed Lounge Bar. This one regularly takes place on a Wednesday evening, but the owners operate a pretty much "turn up anytime and play" environment, so you can call the shots too. It doesn't have to be traditional either, anything goes - within reason of course.

Many fiddlers have cut their first real musical teeth in this manner and in this particular hostelry, including Aly Bain and Christopher Stout to name but two. But it's probably musicians from the recent past who have given this particular pub its worldwide reputation for high quality, informal music making. Legendary names such as Willie Hunter, Ronnie Cooper and Frank Jamieson, to name but three, all regularly 'turned a tune' here.

Over the last few years this tradition has grown, especially given the demands from musically expectant visitors to listen to Shetland music in informal surroundings. Sessions also now happen in the Douglas Arms (commonly known as the Marlex) mainly on a Tuesday evening and on Thursdays in Da Noost, both pubs located, more or less, in Lerwick town centre.

Of course you don't have to just sit and listen, enjoyable though that may be. The opportunity for visitors and locals alike to 'sit in' on a session is taken for granted and you will be more than welcome to do so, especially if you bring something new to the proceedings. And given the size of Shetland, you may well find yourself trading tunes and rubbing shoulders with some of Shetland finest musicians into the bargain.