GET YOUR MUSIC EARS ON!
29/2/24
TWIN ATLANTIC, TOYAH & ROBERT, THE SHIRES & KING CREOSOTE
MUCH MORE ADDED
Twin Atlantic takes a coveted headline spot on the Garden Stage, celebrating their deep-rooted connection with Belladrum since their initial appearance in 2008, followed by a landmark UK festival headline slot in 2013.
Toyah & Robert, fresh from the success of their Sunday Lunch YouTube series, promise to bring their unique blend of rock prowess to the Highlands. With Toyah Willcox's illustrious career spanning over 40 years, and Robert Fripp's legendary status as the guitarist of King Crimson, their set is eagerly anticipated.
Country music's premier act, The Shires, are set to dazzle with their chart-topping albums and captivating live performances. King Creosote, the alias of Kenny Anderson, returns with his eclectic blend of music, promising a set filled with heart and soul.
Scottish singer-songwriter Hamish Hawk offers his vivid lyrical landscapes and rich melodies, while Jamie Lawson, the first signee to Ed Sheeran’s Gingerbread Man Records, brings his emotive hits to the festival stage.
Joining the celebration are The Futureheads, known for their energetic post-punk vibes and iconic covers; NiteWorks, blending folk with electronica in their farewell tour; and Nathan Evans, whose viral TikTok rendition of 'Wellerman' has captured hearts worldwide.
The lineup is further enriched with Lucia & The Best Boys' Scottish indie rock flair, High Fade's funk and disco rhythms, and SIIGHTS' alternative pop sounds. Morganway, My Darling Clementine, The Dangleberries, Scooty & The Skyhooks, and many more add to the festival's diverse musical tapestry.
Special mentions include Phil Lee - The Mighty King of Love, The Countess of Fife, Samba Sene & Diwan, along with a host of others who will grace various stages, creating a vibrant, eclectic mix of sounds and styles.
To commemorate its 20th year, Belladrum also welcomes Mary Jean Lewis, linking the festival's rich history with its present and future.ella family to what is going to be a very special weekend!’
JAMES ARTHUR, OCEAN COLOUR SCENE,
JAKE BUGG & MORE ADDED TO BELLADRUM 2024 LINEUP
JAMES ARTHUR is the latest headliner to join the Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival’s 20th-anniversary celebration in the Highlands next summer.
James is one of the world’s biggest streaming artists, with over 38 million monthly listeners on Spotify alone. ‘Say You Won't Let Go’ became his breakthrough hit in the US. It was officially the UK's most-streamed song in 2016 and has gone on to be enjoyed via 4 billion streams while the song's official video has achieved 1.5 billion views on YouTube. Earlier this year, the track became his first RIAA Diamond Single with 10 million certified units – making James one of just 100 recipients of an RIAA Diamond Single certification in the programme's history.
Other huge hit singles include: ‘Impossible’, ‘Can I Be Him’, ‘Sun Comes Up’, ‘Naked’, ‘Empty Space’, ‘Rewrite The Stars’, ‘Falling Like the Stars’, ‘Train Wreck’ and ‘Lasting Lover’, which are all certified platinum records.
Also added to the bill are previous Bella headliners, the one and only OCEAN COLOUR SCENE. OCS remain one of the most successful -and most loved bands of the modern era. Having spent six years fine-tuning their sound, they lit up the Britpop party, chalking up three Top 5 albums-1996’s Moseley Shoals, 1997’s Marchin’ Already and 1999’s One From The Modern and a run of nine successive Top 20 singles including the immortal ‘The Riverboat Song’ (in total they have seventeen Top 40 singles and six Top Ten singles).
Making his Belladrum debut is British singer-songwriter JAKE BUGG. Over the last few years, the 29-year-old, who has 5 albums and numerous hit singles to his name, has grown into himself and gone from strength to strength. He has stepped out of his comfort zone and is in the form of his life.
Hi latest album ‘Saturday Night, Sunday Morning’ marks a bold and exciting new chapter for Jake Bugg. His 5th studio album is filled with catchy guitar hooks, rhythmic bass lines & anthemic choruses giving the record a huge euphoric feel. Cleverly set against more introspective songs with beautifully crafted lyrics, the album plays with a spectrum of emotions that we can all relate to.
Also making her first visit to Bella is folk royalty KATE RUSBY. Forever proud to call herself a folk singer, Kate Rusby’s vocals never fail to connect the heart of a song to that of her audience. Named as one of the Top Ten Folk Voices of the Century, a Mercury Prize Winner, a 6-times BBC Radio 2 Folk Award Winner and a warm, Yorkshire sense of humour to boot, Rusby has achieved an unprecedented cross-over appeal. Celebrating over 30 years of touring and 22 albums including her latest stunning Christmas album, Light Years, released Dec 23, Kate and her band visit Belladrum in her 50th birthday year with songs old and new.
Appearing across the weekend is Edinburgh-based singer-songwriter CALLUM BOWIE. Callum has a huge online following, infamous for his acoustic sessions leaning out of his Edinburgh flat.
N’FAMADY KOUYATE the young energetic master musician from Guinea (Conakry) whose primary instrument is the balafon – the traditional wooden xylophone, sacred to West African culture and his family heritage of the griot/djeli will bring his solo show to the festival.
LILY LYONS is a singer-songwriter from London and Cornwall has also joined the bill. Lily released her debut EP in 2022 followed by a string of shows in the UK and US with Grammy award-winning pianist Kevin Hays. She recently supported Roo Panes at two sold-out shows at Union Chapel in London.
Other new additions include Inverness band THE JOSHUA HOTEL whose recent singles have been receiving great support from BBC 6 Music and BBC Scotland; Highland indie-rock 4 piece FORGETTING THE FUTURE; Scotland’s premier tribal band CLANN AN DRUMMA; exciting emerging act LOW LIGHT LISTENING LOUNGE and delivering late-night Grassroots sets on Friday and Saturday night respectively MCLEETWOOD and MACFLOYD.
‘We are delighted to announce the next wave of artists joining us at Bella’s big 20th anniversary celebrations next summer. James Arthur sold out his entire UK arena tour in a week and we look forward to welcoming him to the Highlands for the very first time. It is also wonderful to bring back previous Bella headliners Ocean Colour Scene to the festival having delivered one of our most popular headline sets ever. We can’t wait to welcome all our Bella family to what is going to be a very special weekend!’
DEACON BLUE AND SUGABABES
FIRST HEADLINERS FOR BELLADRUM 2024
Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival is delighted to announce the first wave of acts set to join in it’s 20th anniversary celebrations in the Scottish Highlands next summer.
Making a highly anticipated return to the festival after their last headlining performance in 2011, we are thrilled to welcome back the iconic Scottish band, DEACON BLUE. Currently celebrating an impressive 35 years since their debut single "Dignity" and boasting millions of record sales, they are a band that has consistently excelled live on stage.
They are set to deliver some of the most memorable singalong moments of the weekend, drawing from their extensive back catalogue of hits, which includes classics such as ‘Real Gone Kid’, ‘Fergus Sings the Blues’ and ‘Chocolate Girl’.
SUGABABES, the era-defying, chart-topping British sensations with six number one singles, millions of global sales and multiple multi-platinum albums, will headline the festival’s Thursday night. The original line-up of Mutya Buena, Keisha Buchanan and Siobhan Donaghy will perform their huge hits including their debut single ‘Overload’, alongside ‘Push the Button’, ‘Round Round’, ‘About you Now’ and recent single ‘When the Rain Comes’.
Chart-topping singer, songwriter; Kitchen Disco host – the one-andonly SOPHIE ELLIS-BEXTOR will also be joining us for the very first time. Combining elements of 1970s disco and 1980s electronica to create a fresh sound/
Other acts announced include an artist who needs no introduction to the Highland’s with a string of sell out shows behind him, Edinburgh’s CALLUM BEATTIE; one of Scotland’s most beloved bands celebrated for their jangle-pop style and enduring influence on indie music TEENAGE FANCLUB; the incredibly talented British singer-songwriter LUCY SPRAGGAN who has taken the music scene by storm with her unique blend of folk, indie-pop, and acoustic sounds; and COLONEL MUSTARD & THE DIJON FIVE, a band who feel like part of the Bella fabric .
BILL BAILEY will become the first comedian to perform on the main stage, his eccentric style of comedy has made him renowned as an internationally acclaimed standup comedian and his recent stint winning BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing has brought him to a huge new audience.
Also performing over the weekend are award winning folk band TALISK; Scottish alternative rock band THE VASELINES; BEN OTTEWELL of Mercury prize winning indie band GOMEZ; recently reformed progressive folk band CROFT NO.5; singer-songwriter ROSEANNE REID; Highland folk rock band TORRIDON; the genre bending ‘trash-trad’ sounds of Welsh band NOGOOD BOYO; indie folk band THE LAURETTES; emerging Scottish singer-songwriter ROSIE H SULLIVAN; Ska band PORKPIE; Stirling’s JOE GOODALL; and folk acts RHYTHMNREEL, CALA, FIDDLE FORTE and FEIS ROIS CEILIDH TRAIL.
To celebrate our theme of ‘Love’ what could be better than a performance from American rock band LOVE FEAT. JOHNNY ECHOLS which sees Arthur Lee’s longest serving band perform songs from LOVE’s back catalogue including tracks from their third album ‘Forever Changes’, widely regarded as one of the best albums of the 1960’s.
Also keeping in the Love theme our late night slots on the main stage will include, 70’s inspired disco show BRUTUS GOLD’S LOVE TRAIN, and what us set to be a mass singalong of some of the best love songs every written with THE COUNTERFEIT BEATLES.
Many more acts will be announced over the coming months.