The Burns Unit was an eight-piece Scottish-Canadian folk music supergroup formed in 2006 after the musicians met at the Burnsong songwriting retreat in Scotland. The band, featuring members from various genres including folk, pop, and rap, made its concert debut in 2009 at the Celtic Connections music festival in Glasgow, Scotland. The group released its debut studio album, Side Show, in 2010. After performing at various gigs and festivals between 2011 and 2012, the band members amicably disbanded to pursue their respective careers. Bandmates King Creosote and Michael Johnston subsequently collaborated on the studio album The Bound of the Red Deer, which was released in May 2016 and featured contributions from former members Emma Pollock and Karine Polwart.
