Current chart-toppers Embrace have been booked to top the bill at Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival’s Saturday night headliner slot, supported by a line-up of astonishing strength and variety as the Highlands’ family-friendly summer festival gears up for its third year. This year’s festival has been increased to five stages with around 90 acts performing over the two days. A headliner for the main stage on the Friday night and more artists on all stages will be announced in the coming weeks.
Other artists confirmed on the bill include Biffy Clyro, Mystery Jets, Martha Wainwright, Dreadzone, Arlo Guthrie, Morning Runner, the Vatersay Boys, Guillemots, Desmond Dekker, Bell X1, Forward Russia, King Creosote and Cinematics. “With the strength of the bill this year, we are very keen that Highlanders get the first opportunity to buy tickets,” said festival director Joe Gibbs. “We anticipate their being significant demand from further South as there was last year, so we urge local families and people wanting to attend the festival to buy their tickets early.”
Other artists appearing at the two-day event on 11th and 12th August include: The Upper Room; Seth Lakeman; Young Knives; Bellowhead; Rumble Strips; Batucada Sound Machine; Exist; 3 Daft Monkeys; Vincent Vincent & the Villains; Union Avenue and Australian piper Mark Saul whose music draws on everything from acid techno to aboriginal chant. The Grassroots Stage will feature: Chris Difford; Culture Clash; I See Hawks In LA; Christina Kulukundis; Charlotte Gordon Cumming; Martin Stevenson & The Toerags; Errol Linton; Tom Morton; Scott MacDonald; Moonshiner; Clare Campbell; and Feis Rois. A fourth music stage – the Seedlings stage – has been added to the event this year, featuring newly signed and unsigned artists. Details of the line-up on this stage will be announced in due course. And another major new feature at this year’s Belladrum will be the Venus Flytrap Ballroom, a stage mainly dedicated to performance artists. Booked already for this stage are classical violin sensation Sophie Solomon and Flash Monkey, one of the UK’s leading burlesque cabaret acts. A number of children’s theatre and music acts have also been booked for this stage. The festival will also see an increase in street theatre and kids’ entertainment. An attendance of around 10,000 is expected.
Set in the beautiful Highland surroundings of Belladrum Estate, the critically acclaimed festival has rapidly achieved a cult status amongst festival-goers North (and South) of the border. A mellow, family friendly event – sometimes referred to as the mini Glastonbury of the North – Belladrum offers plenty of interest aside from the music, including an array of entertainment for children. Attractions include street theatre, cabaret, cinema, dance, alternative therapies, stalls, food and drink. Weekend tickets cost £60 (incl VAT, excl booking fee) and entitle holders to free parking and camping 4.00 PM 10th August – 1.00 PM 13th August. Children 12 and under enter free. Passes are needed for parking and under 12s. Check the web site www.tartanheartfestival.co.uk for details. For a third year, Belladrum Festival has announced that Maggie’s Cancer Care Centre will be the beneficiary of a charitable donation from the festival. BBC Scotland has come on board as broadcast media partner for the event in 2006. Retail outlets for tickets include: Tickets Scotland (Edinburgh and Glasgow); Ripping Records (Edinburgh); One-Up Records (Aberdeen): Hootananny’s and Eden Court (Inverness). On-line outlets include
www.ticketmaster.co.uk and
www.thebooth.co.uk . Tickets can be bought by telephone 24 hrs at 0870 169 0100
