With his alchemical fusion of traditional song, arcane vocabulary and an outsider's worldview, Alasdair Roberts has been described as one of Scottish music's best-kept secrets.
The son of Alan Roberts who worked with Dougie McLean on the original Caledonia album, this quietly talented musician whose list of collaborations reads like a who's who of Scottish traditional music is making a big noise as a singer songwriter.
Alasdair appears as the first act in the richly diverse new season of The Monday Night Thing on Monday 5 October. Set in the intimate surrounds of Redrooms at Perth Theatre, The Monday Night Thing offers a welcome wind-down at the beginning of the working week with an exciting selection of jazz, songwriters, comedy and folk.
Alasdair said:
"My band and I have never played a gig at Redrooms so are looking forward to the first time. We've just made a new record of traditional ballads (one of which is from the singing of the great Jock Duncan, whom I had the great honour and pleasure of meeting during the Music Ben the Hoose project in Perth a few years ago) - we'll play some of those songs at the Redrooms, as well as some songs of my own composition."
Other gigs to look forward are Comedy Vehicle regular Tony Law who is supported by 18-year-old Scottish comic prodigy Daniel Sloss with local funny-man Bruce Fummey as compere on Monday 12 October.
On Monday 19 October, former Perrier Jazz Vocalist of the Year Niki King honours the great Billie Holiday with The Billie Holiday Songbook.
Adown Winding Nith with Scots Singer of the Year Emily Smith and multi-instrumentalist Jamie McClennan on Monday 26 October is a Homecoming Scotland special performance of songs from their new album of Robert Burns arrangements.
Perth's own Michael Rattray with Radars supports singer storyteller Andy White on Monday 2 November.
Multi award-winning young British jazz quartet Empirical pays tribute to American saxophonist Eric Dolphy with music written and inspired by this pivotal and pioneeiring figure on Monday 16 November.
Winner of BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award in 2005, fiddler Lauren MacColl is joined by Barry Reid (guitar) and Mhairi Hall (piano) on Monday 23 November for a musical journey through rousing Highland strathspeys and reels to emotive Gaelic airs.
And, on Monday 30 November, Findlay Napier and the Bar Room Mountaineers are joined by local hero Roberto Cassani bringing this season of The Monday Night Thing to an energetic end with their fabulous life-affirming live show.
All performances start at 8pm and are suitable for aged fourteen upwards. For full details call Horsecross Box Office on 01738 621 031 or visit www.horsecross.co.uk
Russell Kane: Human Dressage scheduled for Monday 9 November has been postponed due to his TV commitments and will now launch The Monday Night Thing Spring season on 15 February.