MNS 'Scottish' FESTIVALS! supplement

Festivals!

Scotland's Music

the Scottish music festival supplement from MUSIC NEWS Scotland

photo by www.iainmcdonagh.com

Bella and the Bear win HebCelt slot at CalMac Culture Finals : See page 5 https://twitter.com/bellaandthebear // https://twitter.com/HebCelt // https://twitter.com/CalMacCulture

INSIDE: Innerleithen Music Festival : HebCelt : Northern Streams : Solas : Arran Folk Festival : Tech Fest : Electric Fields : Edinburgh Blues & Jazz ..... plus 7 pages of '2015 Scottish Music Festival Listings'! www.musicnewsscotland.wordpress.com

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music news scotland - FESTIVALS!

www.tracscotland.org/festivals fb @ www.facebook.com/tradfestedinburgh tweet @ https://twitter.com/TradFestEd

www.hebceltfest.com

imfpublicity@aol.com

www.innerleithenmusicfestival.org tickets @ http://www.hebceltfest.com/store/tickets.php fb @ https://www.facebook.com

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Tickets go on sale for packed Innerleithen Music Festival Innerleithen : 21-23 August : www.innerleithenmusicfestival.org TICKETS! @ http://innerleithenmusicfestival.org/tickets/ Tickets have now gone on sale for this year's eagerly awaited Innerleithen Music Festival which combines a superb series of evening concerts with some of the best-known names on the Scottish music circuit, supported by many breaking acts - plus music all weekend showcasing local talent.

who are in constant demand around the world; SKIPINNISH, whose music follows the authentic Highland tradition but with a contemporary sound, and Glasgow's THE FRIEL SISTERS with their take on Irish music, will provide a Saturday evening to remember.

On the Sunday afternoon the main stage has a youthful air as it is taken over by the 'Live & Local' musicians as they highlight the wide breadth of talent from the area.

Then closing the festival on Sunday evening is the Traditional Singers Concert with the northeast's Paul Anderson, who is one of the most respected exponents of the Scots fiddle tradition, and Shona Donaldson who is a past The main programme so far has Scotland's Singer of the Year at the Scots Trad Awards. internationally acclaimed singer-songwriter Appearing with them are Northumbrian Mike EDDI READER appearing with her band to open Tickell and the a cappella group Fisher Lassies the festival on Friday 21 August, supported by all performing trad song and music at its very Seoras Ashby and Frank Usher who combine to best. And just added to the line-up is Mark deliver a beautifully crafted blend of Dunlop of Malinky fame, a very fine singer and contemporary americana, blues and indie-folk. musician who is a wonderfully sensitive and Then on Saturday evening there are two groups eloquent interpreter of traditional Irish songs,

www.musicplus.org.uk

www.scottishmusiccentre.com

The Friel Sisters : www.facebook.com/frielsisters photo by Louise Bichan

with a particular affinity for his native Ulster heritage. On top of all this there will be workshops, busking, a singaround and a chance to let your hair down at the Rock & Roll Classics & Ballad session - plus of course the late night festival club!

www.innerleithenmusicfestival.org https://twitter.com/InnerleithenMF www.youtube.com/user/InnerleithenMusic www.facebook.com/innerleithenmusicfestival

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web @ www.scottishmusiccentre.com fb @ www.facebook.com/scottishmusiccentre plus other links @ www.musicplus.org.uk + www.hittheroad.org.uk

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Hebcelt Stage Slot Awaits Bella And The Bear after CalMac Finals Stornoway : 15-19 July : www.hebceltfest.com BUY HEBCELT TICKETS! @ www.hebceltfest.com/booking/ A duo formed just last year have won a prestigious stage slot in front of an international audience at the 20th anniversary Hebridean Celtic Festival this summer.

Bella and the Bear, formed by Stuart Ramage and Lauren Gilmour, from Ayr, were one of eight finalists in the competition which was held as part of the Calmac Culture Music contest run by CalMac Ferries Ltd. The duo, who are in the second year studying commercial music at the University of the West of Scotland in Ayr, will now play on the award-winning festival’s Island Stage on Friday 17 July. They are currently awaiting the release of their first EP, Once Upon a Time, on 15 April.

We've worked really hard to have our music heard over the last few months and an opportunity like this makes all of that completely worthwhile.”

The CalMac Culture Music contest is aimed at finding the best amateur singers and musicians. This year the search was extended to include bands as well as promising singer/ songwriters.

Entrants submitted a video of a performance of an original piece of music to YouTube and then encouraged fans to view and like the video. The eight finalists each performed two live acoustic tracks to judges and a 150-strong audience at King Tut’s in Glasgow on Friday.

Caroline Maclennan, HebCelt’s director and a judge at the contest, said: “The standard of entries was extremely high and it was a tough job picking the winners.

“We were drawn to Bella and the Bear immediately. They have a Lauren said: “We're so excited to distinctive sound and were worthy have won the slot at the festival. winners in the final. We are We first heard of the CalMac Culture delighted to add them to our bill for competition through social media this year’s festival. and we thought it could do no harm The duo will join an international to create a video together and line-up of artists performing at the apply.

20th HebCelt, which is being held “To be lucky enough to win the slot from 15-18 July in Stornoway in the at HebCelt is just incredible. It's so island of Lewis. reassuring to know our music appeals to a wider audience and we This includes Afro Celt Sound System, Treacherous Orchestra, cannot wait to spend our first Shooglenifty, Salsa Celtica, the summer as a band performing at Karen Matheson Band, Chastity such a wonderful festival.

Brown, Le Vent du Nord, Raghu “We've never played at a festival Dixit, Lindsay Lou & The Flatbellys before and it's beyond exciting. and Jamie Smith's MABON.

Bella and the Bear : www.facebook.com/bellaandthebear photo by Iain McDonagh : www.iainmcdonagh.com

HebCelt was voted Best Event or Festival at the Highlands and Islands Tourism Awards in November and this month was selected as one of the top 10 UK summer festivals for the fifth year

in succession by influential publication Songlines.

www.hebceltfest.com www.facebook.com/HebCelt https://twitter.com/HebCelt

www.glasgowamericana.com web @ www.glasgowamericana.com fb @ www.facebook.com/pages/Glasgow-Americana/137637266274105

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www.perthshireamber.com tour info @ www.brookfield-knights.com/up-coming-tours.html fb @ www.facebook.com/BrookfieldKnights

www.skerryvoredecade.com tickets @ http://skerryvoredecade.com/ web @ www.facebook.com/skerryfans

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Northern Streams crosses the traditions with acts from Scotland, Norway, Denmark and Sweden Edinburgh : 24-25 April : www.northernstreams.org TICKETS! @

www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/northern-streams-2015-festival-of-scandinavian-scottish-music-song-dance-tickets-15417973574

Crossings between old and new, different traditions and countries continue to feature in the Northern Streams Festival 2015, with performers from Scotland (Orkney & Fife), Norway, Denmark and Sweden.

One of Europe’s oldest instruments, the bowed lyre, crossed with the Vikings over the North Sea – even over to Canada. Archaeologist Simon Chadwick, who now unearths musical treasures, has created a replica and uses music and song to chart its journey. He also tells the stories of Scottish Princess Margaret travelling to Trondheim for a royal wedding and the ‘Maid of Norway’, crossing over the North Sea to Scotland.

Fiona Driver and Graham Simpson, a duo from Orkney, cross old and new with a repertoire from the Northern Isles and Scandinavia with Fiona’s own award-winning compositions. Fjärin, three young musicians from Denmark & Sweden, cross between the contemporary, Celtic and Scandinavian traditions to create new tunes inspired by all three.

The trio, Oleman, cross between the Swedish Norwegian border and the West Coast of Norway. And one of the Festival workshops explores the links between Scotland and Scandinavia through dance.

Fjärin through time and geography. And again we are pleased to be able to bring new performers who will be new to many people in Scotland and festival participants who come from further afield.”

The festival programme includes workshops for children and adults, from beginner to intermediate levels, on the Bowed Lyre; Orkney tunes; Swedish songs; Norwegian, Swedish and Danish tunes – old and new; and Scottish & Fiona Campbell, Festival Co-organiser said Scandinavian folk dances. There is also a “We think this is an exciting, diverse programme sharing session and 2 evening concerts - all of crossings and contrasts that will challenge again at its new home venue, the Grassmarket and delight those who choose to journey with us Centre, a community social enterprise which

helps build skills and confidence in people.

Northern Streams is organised by the Traditional Music and Song Association (TMSA) Edinburgh & Lothians Branch. Details about the Branch at: www.eltmsa.org.uk and TMSA - ww.tmsa.org.uk For details & to book: visit www.northernstreams.org - email: eltmsa@yahoo.co.uk or call 0795 191 8366

www.northernstreams.org https://twitter.com/northernstream1

www.musiconthebrain.org * Go-Rock is a small multi-venue festival held in Gourock aiming to showcase some of the great unsigned and independent acts in Scotland *

tweet @ https://twitter.com/gorockfestival

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March 13: Sneaky Pete’s – Edinburgh March 26: PJ Molloys – Dunfermline April 4: King Tuts – Glasgow April 17: Bannermans – Edinburgh

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Scotland’s midsummer festival bringing big ideas to little tents Tibbermore, Perthshire : 19-21 June : www.solasfestival.co.uk

the mns collection ….

TICKETS! @ www.solasfestival.co.uk/box-office/ Solas, Scotland’s midsummer

Scottish sensation Hector Bizerk celebrate modern hip-hop culture: With razor-sharp poetry, festival, is an all-age weekend-long tribal rhythms and funky basslines to provoke both celebration of the arts. Designed to body and mind, Hector Bizerk take to the Solas Main entertain, inspire and challenge, artists Stage on Saturday night.

and audiences come together to collaborate at the beautiful site of The Bield at Blackruthven, Tibbermore in rural Perthshire.

The theme of this year’s festival, Between The Lines, explores the best of culture from across Scotland and around the world, looking at the spaces between cultures, art forms and ideas where creativity flourishes.

Now in its sixth year, Solas’ innovative and eclectic new programme features performances and workshops in music, theatre, dance, literature, visual arts, talks and debates. This year’s lineup includes THE VASELINES, RAGHU DIXIT, LIZ LOCHHEAD, HONEYBLOOD, R M HUBBERT & EMMA POLLOCK, JANICE GALLOWAY, ALASDAIR ROBERTS, DENISE MINA, BILL WELLS‘ NATIONAL JAZZ TRIO OF SCOTLAND, BLUE ROSE CODE, TUFFLOVE, PREHISTORIC FRIENDS, JONNIE COMMON, HECTOR BIZERK and more to be announced.

PROGRAMME HIGHLIGHTS FOR 2015

Glasgow girls set to rock Solas: Two of the most exciting new bands will bring the Glasgow sound to Solas. Glorious lo-fi surf-pop from Tuff Love and the raw, pop-punk charm of Honeyblood bring their catchy melodies and guitar hooks that will have you dancing all weekend.

World-class Scottish folk: Scottish Album of the Year Award winner RM Hubbert joins forces with the mesmerising vocals of Emma Pollock on an emotionally gripping musical journey. Travelling folksters Harry Bird and the Rubber Wellies present their intimate cabaret of joyful sing-a-long choruses and participatory fun, while Scottish-born, Londonbased Blue Rose Code brings the best of Edinburgh folk with a sublime sound likened to Astral Weeks era Van Morrison.

Music and dance with a Celtic twist: With a new album out in April, Mary Ann Kennedy and Aon Teanga have created a song-world that delves into traditional roots while boldly asserting the place of the Gaelic languages and culture in a contemporary world. Other artists set to perform this year include Bill Wells’ National Jazz Trio of Scotland, Alasdair Roberts, Prehistoric Friends, Jonnie Common, The Sunshine Social and Penny Stone.

Infectious, mutli-lingual indie folk from India: Influenced by the people and cultures he has met on his global travels, Raghu Dixit creates a blend of Dot Reid, Head of Programme, said: “Whether soulful, up-tempo music which transcends age, you’re in your element round a camp fire or at the genre, and even language. front of the crowd, learning how to step dance or sing in Gaelic, or asking the tough questions of Literature: Panel discussions, new work and journalists and politicians, Solas Festival is musical collaborations: Scots Makar Liz Lochhead something different and we guarantee that there’s shares new work and runs an interactive workshop something new for everyone to experience.” for young people, as well as joining other leading Scottish literary women Janice Galloway and Denise www.solasfestival.co.uk Mina. www.facebook.com/SolasFestival https://twitter.com/solasfestival

The Raghu Dixit Project : www.facebook.com/theraghudixitproject

Read the three MNS digital publications from links at .. www.musicnewsscotland.wordpress.com

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Big names heading to Arran Folk Festival Arran : 5-7 June : www.arranevents.com TICKETS @ www.arranevents.com/arranfolkfestival2015.php

The 21st Arran Folk Festival line up is now on-line and tickets are available to purchase! Once again the festival are very proud of the musicians that they have booked to appear this year with some big names on the folk scene lined up who are all very enthusiastic about coming over to play Arran.

Ayshire’s own ‘LITTLE FIRE’ (Jamie McGeechan). The Saturday night brings the fantastic bagpipe-driven SCOTT WOOD BAND, also part of the evening’s line-up is the Emerging Excellence Award winner EMMA SWEENEY on fiddle, and the welcome return of PAULINE ALEXANDER who last appeared in 2010.

Following on from last year’s format this year’s festival is offering evening concerts in Brodick Hall on Friday & Saturday. Open Sessions will take place at The Douglas Hotel on Friday, Saturday & Sunday afternoon - the sessions all offer free entry and all are welcome (either just to listen or bring an instrument and join in!).

Music Bar & Bistro on the seafront in Brodick – space will be limited but it promises to provide an excellent way of finishing each night off in style and good company.

Arran Folk Festival are repeating the Open Mic night which was first held on the final night of last year’s Festival. This was a great evening and gave a platform to some talented performers who don’t often get heard. This will again be on the final night of the Festival (Sunday7 June) in The Douglas Hotel.

On offer is an Early-Bird 2-Day Festival Pass at a reduced rate until 30 April. So visit the above link soon to make sure you don’t miss out.

A new feature this year will be 'Late Night www.arranevents.com Sessions' starting at 11pm (after the concerts in https://twitter.com/arranfolkfest Brodick Hall) – these will take place in Fiddler’s www.facebook.com/arranfolkfestival

On the opening night (Friday 5 June) they have the sensational MAIREARAD GREEN & ANNA MASSIE will be appearing, along with the MISCHA MACPHERSON TRIO (Mischa is a BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award winner). Opening on the evening, and compering the festival is

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Tech Fest holds Glasgow Tech-Metal All Dayer in May Glasgow : 29 May : www.facebook.com/uktechfest

www.facebook.com/heartofacoward

TICKETS @ https://shop.ticketscript.com/…/we…/start-order/rid/639SXGEH

The Newark Tech Fest has been one of the fastest growing festivals in the United Kingdom in the last three years which is solely aimed at Showground based showcasing some of the finest talent this and the world has to offer. The techTech Fest is coming country metal scene is a very niche but it has some of the most technically gifted musician's gracing to Glasgow's Audio it's stages year on year. Last year alone saw festival upgrade to a bigger site at Newark on the 29 May - the the Showground, with the likes of Sikth and Monuments headlining.

Tech-Fest All Dayer The Glasgow Tech-Fest All Dayer sees the likes will see HEART OF A of rising metallers Heart Of A Coward headline the event, and CARCER CITY, NEXILVA and COLOUR LINE all confirmed to play.

COWARD headlining THE Starting at 2.30 with a curfew of 10pm this will as a mini festival and the chance for the event which is a act Glasgow to experience some of the best techmetal on offer at the moment. warm-up for the Check out their Glasgow event page @ biggest tech-metal event of the year, www.uktechfest.com www.facebook.com/uktechfest 'Tech Fest'. https://twitter.com/UKTechMetalFest www.facebook.com/events/1579708208913742/

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The Phantom Band, Hector Bizerk and Golden Teacher set to storm the castle!

Dumfries & Galloway : 29 August : www.electricfieldsfestival.com

TICKETS @ http://www.ticketweb.co.uk/event/155253?brand=electricfields THE PHANTOM BAND - HECTOR BIZERK- GOLDEN TEACHER - PAWS - VICTORIAN TROUT CONSPIRACY RANDOLPH’S LEAP – ESPERANZA - MIAOUX MIAOUX - MONOGRAM - JONNIE COMMON - PRONTO MAMA MAN OF MOON - NUMBERS ARE FUTILE - KILL THE WAVES - CRASH CLUB - ROOT SYSTEM

Electric Fields, one of Scotland’s hottest new music festivals returns after making its spectacular debut in 2014!

The Phantom Band, Hector Bizerk and Golden Teacher are amongst the first wave of artists, with the festival headliner due to be revealed soon. Having its biggest lineup to date and upping its capacity, an extra 1000 festival goers can also expect to see up to 50 artists & bands performing over 4 stages within the fields of Drumlanrig Castle situated in the stunning Queensberry Estate in Dumfries & Galloway.

year, this started as a grass roots idea, and despite us increasing the capacity, we’re remaining grass roots but as we made such a healthy impression, we’re adding more artists and an awesome new stage. It’s only year 2, we have to luxury to grow and be diverse…and we cannot wait to reveal the rest of the line-up!’

Talking about 2014 XFM Scotland’s Drivetime presenter Jim Gellatly said: "The inaugural Electric Fields last year was an amazing experience in a brilliant setting It was fantastic to see so many emerging Scottish bands fill a festival bill. The booking policy is second to none, and it's the perfect fit for XFM in supporting the incredible new music coming out

of Scotland at the moment. I can't wait to return to Drumlanrig Castle!". DJ & Broadcaster Ally McCrae also said: “Honestly, what a day. The line-up was strong, the two stages worked a treat, the weather, the people, the setting… ah, it was awesome! ” Festival Partners Innis & Gunn are this year's beer sponsors and said: "We’re delighted to be sponsoring Electric Fields. Up-and-coming music talent is extremely important to us, therefore to support a Scottish festival makes us very proud.” www.electricfieldsfestival.com https://twitter.com/Electric_Fields

As well as having twin main stages (The Arc & Carse Valley), this year, Scotland’s Hit The Road project will be taking place during the day in the ‘To Lose La Trek’ stage, giving young musicians aged 14-19 years old their first taste of touring and playing festivals. A brand new alternative stage has been also added, curated by The Skinny, one of Scotland’s most diverse and widely distributed music & culture must-read magazines.

A spokesperson for Electric Fields said ‘Last

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Earliest ever ticket release for the Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival Edinburgh : 17-26 July : www.edinburghjazzfestival.com TICKETS @ http://www.edinburghjazzfestival.com/how-to-buy-tickets.html

The Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival, which will take place Friday 17 to Sunday 26 July, has released its first tickets for sale with the full programme due to be launched on 20 April, to feature over 150 concerts over the Festival’s 10-day duration.

The Festival brochure will also be available from the end of April.

The two family-favourite free events are back. On Saturday 18 July, The Mardi Gras will ignite the cobbled streets of the Grassmarket with live music and street food; and on Sunday 19 July, The Edinburgh Festival Carnival will once more take over Princes Street, Princes Street Gardens and the Grassmarket in a melee of colour, dance, music and carnival costumes.

www.edinburghjazzfestival.com https://twitter.com/EdinburghJazz www.facebook.com/EdinburghJazzandBluesFestival

The two headline acts George Benson and Jools Holland with special guest Marc Almond will both perform at the Festival Theatre. Tickets are available to the general public at www.edinburghjazzfestival.com and via Festival Theatre on 0131 529 6000 or in person.

One of the great icons of jazz and soul, GEORGE BENSON plays Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival for the first time. In a career spanning five decades and over 30 albums, Benson redefined jazz by achieving the first platinum jazz album in 1976. Channeling those jazz roots into an engaging mix of pop and R&B, his song-writing, guitar mastery and dynamic voice have won him 10 Grammy awards. The Hollywood Walk of Fame inductee has worked with all the greats, from Miles Davis to Stevie Wonder. Edinburgh audiences can enjoy his unforgettable back catalogue first-hand, including Give Me The Night, Turn Your Love Around, In Your Eyes and Never Give Up on a Good Thing - Sunday 26 July, 7.30pm, Festival Theatre The greatest boogie-woogie party all year returns to the Festival with JOOLS HOLLAND and his Rhythm & Blues Orchestra featuring legendary drummer Gilson Lavis and guest vocalists Ruby Turner, Louise Marshall and Mabel Rae. Jools and his long-time partners dazzle theatre audiences of over 500,000 a year, and have enjoyed EJBF sell-out performances over the past three years. And to top it off, this year the musical master of ceremonies will be joined by British icon, Soft Cell’s Marc Almond.

Singer-songwriter Marc has sold over 30 million records worldwide and has collaborated with diverse stars including Nick Cave, Bronski Beat and Gene Pitney - Saturday 25 July, 8pm Festival Theatre The packed EJBF programme of world-class acts to be released in full in late April includes celebrations of the centenaries of Frank Sinatra and Willie Dixon.

George Benson : www.facebook.com/GeorgeBenson

photo by Kwaku Alston

gigs @ www.eddireader.co.uk/gigs tweet @ https://twitter.com/eddireader

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APRIL

celebration of real ale & live music at Bandstand Bar, Nairn.

Knoydart Music Festival Knoydart April - Taking a holiday in 2015 Knoydart Festival is a weekend-long outdoor music festival for the whole family, centred around Scottish traditional music. It has been held every two years since 2009, but is taking a break in 2015.

https://twitter.com/NairnBeerFest

Edinburgh International Harp Festival Edinburgh 10-15 April 2015

The Clarsach Society & Edinburgh International Harp Festival is an annual celebration and gathering of musical talents. Find out more www.facebook.com/knoydartmusicfestival about us at www.clarsachsociety.co.uk The Clarsach Society (Comunn na Clarsaich) encourages interest in the instrument, especially Counterflows amongst young players, who enjoy its Glasgow adaptability to solo work, accompaniment or 2-5 April ensemble playing. The Society also presents the Edinburgh International Harp Festival - an Counterflows Glasgow based festival of annual celebration and gathering of musical contemporary experimental music featuring talents. Every Spring we bring harpists from artists from across the world. The festival is held across the globe together to rub shoulders with in April with occasional concerts throughout the you, the audience. year. www.harpfestival.co.uk http://counterflows.com/

North Hop Aberdeen

Skye Live

Aberdeen 11 April

Skye 3-4 April This Easter we will be bringing you an exclusive festival to Portree. This will take place in the stunning home of the Skye Highland Games. www.skyelive.scot

Northern Nashville Country Music Festival Caithness 3-5 April In 2004 we took a gamble and ran our first ever Northern Nashville Caithness Country Music Festival (NNCCMF), which thankfully was a great success. Over the years it has gone from strength to strength, with country music fans converging on Caithness over Easter Weekend to be part of this 3-day 5-show extravaganza of live country music. This is truly an international event featuring top class acts from the USA, Canada, Europe, Ireland and the U.K. alongside our wealth of local talent and youth bands. www.nncmc.co.uk/2.htm

Glenfarg Folk Feast Glenfarg 10-12 April Ran by Glenfarg Village Folk Club the festival may be small but its stature and longevity are huge to say the least. We pride ourselves on running a friendly event with workshops and competitions to suit all tastes, and the World famous Puff-a -Box competition just has to be seen to be believed! www.glenfargfolkclub.com

Bandstand Beer Fest Nairn 3-12 April

North Hop Aberdeen, a one-day indoor beer festival taking place at The Lemon Tree, which sold all tickets for the event in less than two weeks, will showcase the very best in Scottish music talent, with stage music acts from all over the country. www.northhop.co.uk

Edinburgh’s Youth ‘Easter’ Gaitherin Edinburgh 13-16 April

combines one off concerts with dynamic and exciting workshops for both adults and children.

In 2015 we celebrate the best talent from Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Orkney/ Scotland. For the past 12 years the Traditional Music and Song Association of Scotland (Edinburgh & Lothians Branch), have been bringing the finest in Nordic and Scottish music, song and dance to enthusiastic audiences in Edinburgh. And we are once again taking place in the Grassmarket Centre, Edinburgh www.northernstreams.org

TradFest Edinburgh · Dùn Èideann Edinburgh 29 April - 10 May Edinburgh’s TradFest kick starts the summer season with a feast of music, song, storytelling, dance, folk drama, literature, folk film, talks, crafts and visual arts in Scotland’s capital. This blaze of contemporary colour is inspired by the traditions of May Day and the Gaelic Beltane, showcasing Celtic arts and cultural traditions with a contemporary spin. www.facebook.com/tradfestedinburgh

35th Shetland Folk Festival Shetland 30 April -3 May The Festival as the UK's most northerly folk festival is regarded a prestigious event for performers, locals and visitors alike. Organised by a voluntary committee (and run by an even bigger pool of volunteers) the Festival prides itself in reaching out to even the most far flung areas of Shetland. Concerts are organised throughout the isles, consisting of some of the best International, British and Shetland music that the world has to offer. In fact, visiting artistes are regularly dumbfounded by the quantity and quality of local musicians that our remote isles have to offer.

The Easter Gaitherin is EYG’s flagship event for 9 – 18 year olds. We book Scotland’s top www.shetlandfolkfestival.com traditional musicians as tutors and run four days of classes in Tynecastle High School. These range from instrumental, to drama, to dance, to technical skills (check below to find out what we’re offering this year). Each day participants will take a main workshop in their first choice Thornhill Music Festival instrument; one in their second choice (which Dumfriesshire can be something like singing, art, drama or a 1-3 May second instrument); and a third choice.

MAY

www.eyg.org.uk

St Boswells Americana Festival Scottish Borders 18 April

Now in its 3rd year Thornhill Music Festival brings a rich and diverse programme of music to the village including acclaimed Blues artist Aynsley Lister. The weekend boasts a cross section of music from Country Rock and Blues, Ska, Rock, Indie, Blues funk, Eclectic Americana as well as singer songwriters. The festival also organises a "Rockschool" event for 11-16 year olds.

St Boswells Live! presents ….. St Boswells Americana Festival featuring RED DAWG + DAN www.lewishamiltonmusic.co.uk/events WALSH plus workshops and other special events. www.facebook.com/pages/Thornhill-Music-Festival/487819717906138 www.stboswellslive.com

Northern Streams Edinburgh 24-25 April

Bandstand Beer Festival - largest independent beer festival in the Scottish Highlands. An annual For two days in April this truly unique festival

Girvan Folk Festival Girvan 1-3 May Concerts - Sessions - Open Stage Competitions - Workshops - Children's Events Camp Site : Girvan Folk Festival started in 1975,

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SCOTTISH MUSIC FESTIVALS to be included in our festival listings email details to: musicnewsscotland@gmail.com a time when folk music in Scotland was increasingly exploring its own roots. Concert venues, competitions, ceilidh dance childrens events, sessions for tunes and songs, Open Stage, workshops,secure campsite. So please tell all of your friends and help to make this the biggest Girven Festival ever! There will be plenty of room and plenty of music for all to enjoy. www.girvanfolkfestival.co.uk

Moniave Folk Festival Moniaive, Dumfriesshire, 8-10 May The Moniave Folk Festival has something for everyone, Great music, Piping competitions, Open stages, children’s events and concerts.

Workshops. Come along for a wonderful family weekend.

Highlands and Islands Music and Dance Festival

www.moniaivefolkfestival.co.uk

Oban 1-3 May

Kelburn 9 May

The Highlands and Islands Music and Dance Festival has developed into one of Scotland’s major cultural festivals, and takes place annually in Oban, Scotland. The event has developed to include new special events and competitions, and the festival now offers over 1100 participants 125 competition classes in ten disciplines including piping, accordion, fiddle, clarsach, piano, recorder, singing, highland dancing and choreography. www.obanfestival.org

Isle of Bute Jazz Festival

Psychedelic Forest Disco

This unique event brings together some of Scotland's finest exponents of traditional singing for a weekend of old songs and bothy ballads in concerts and singarounds in the rural surroundings of the Fife Farm Park. The weekend also includes workshops/talks on topics related to traditional song and culture. www.springthyme.co.uk/fifesing

Skye Accordion & Fiddle Festival Skye 21-23 May

The annual Isle of Skye Accordion and Fiddle Kelburn’s infamous season-opener – the wild and Festival just goes from strength to strength. The groovy feast for all the senses that is The festival has built up a superb reputation for the Psychedelic Forest Disco – returns on Saturday quality and quantity of music, fine venues and 9th May. Once again we will feature a top line-up hospitality and most of all a friendly and happy of acts across 2 soundsystems alongside family atmosphere where old friendships are innumerable hidden treats and surprises, quality rekindled and new friendships formed through beer, cider and cocktails, camping and of course the mutual love of the music. your favourite woodland shenanigans! www.skyemusic.co.uk/festival.asp www.kelburngardenparty.com/other-events/

Banchory Festival of Scottish Music

Isle of Bute 1-4 May 2015

Banchory 9 May

www.butejazz.com

Scribblers Picnic

Orkney Folk Festival Orkney 21-24 May

Here we are folks – Orkney Folk Festival number 33! Once again we have some big names coming north to join in the fun in May, and from the A celebration of Scottish traditional music hosted ceilidh bands to the almost indie strand, we have The 28th Isle of Bute Jazz Festival has grown by the Banchory Strathspey and Reel Society, spectacularly from its small beginnings to brought together a broad mix of artists that we with the emphasis on fiddle music in all its become one of Britain's most popular jazz hope appeals to everyone’s interpretation of the weekends. Top-class UK and international names forms. increasingly expansive folk genre. As ever, our feature in a programme of traditional jazz music local traditions and musicians – both established www.banchoryfiddlers.co.uk in one of Scotland's prettiest and friendliest and emerging – will be centre stage alongside seaside resorts. those visiting the festival.

Brew at the Bog

Stirling 10 May

Inverness 2 May 2015

The Scribbler’s Picnic is a charity that was set up in 2001 to raise money for five cancer charities – CHAS, Strathcarron Hospice, Maggie’s Centre, Super earlybird tickets have already sold out!

Marie Curie Cancer Care and Macmillan Cancer Next batch of tickets go on sale in October!

Care. This outdoor event is held at the Stirling Brew at the Bog is BrewDog and Bogbain Farm’s Rugby Club with each year getting better and gift to the world: a festival full of new music and better. Four stages of music and a charity fete new beer. BrewDog are the leaders of the craft make it a fun day for all the family. The unique beer revolution and they are about breaking music event, which is run entirely by volunteers, rules, taking risks, upsetting trends, unsettling will feature hundreds of musicians covering a institutions but first and foremost, great tasting broad array of music across the day in the beers. As one newspaper put it, BrewDog is the grounds of Stirling Rugby Club. It run's under new black. Bogbain Farm is based just outside the tagline 'Musicians Helping the Fight Against Inverness and was crowned the “Best Unusual Cancer' and is run in association with Stirling Venue” at the 2012 Scottish Event Awards. Brew and Bridge of Allan Round Table. Thousands are at the Bog is just the latest in festivals Bogbain expected to flock to Bridgehaugh for the event is hosting and the fabulous surroundings of this which runs from 12noon to 8pm. old farm will ensure Brew at the Bog 2015 will go down in history. www.scribblerspicnic.co.uk www.brewatthebog.com

Imaginate

Burns an' a' That!

Edinburgh 11-17 May

Ayr 2-3 May The Burns an' a' that! Festival is an annual tribute to Scotland's internationally acclaimed poet Robert Burns. A new venue for 2015 at Rozelle Park, Ayr, more information coming soon! www.burnsfestival.com

Scotland's international festival of performing arts for children and young people www.imaginate.org.uk/festival/

FifeSing Collessie, Fife 15-17 May

www.orkneyfolkfestival.com

Knockengorroch World Ceilidh Kirkcudbright 21-24 May If you prefer a bigger festival in a smaller pot you are a Knockengorrocher! Join us beside the glittering Water of Deugh beneath the broad shoulders of southwest Scotland's great mountain peaks to celebrate some of the finest music from the Celtic diaspora and everywhere in-between. The World Ceilidh melds together the most ancient roots music with the latest cutting edge sounds. This first truly backwoods upland music fest in Scotland hosts some of the best musicians and performers from across the world. All are invited to journey over hill and dale by rock and stream to our natural greenfield auditorium and to our upland stage to experience the biggest little festival this side of anywhere! www.knockengorroch.org.uk

Perth Festival of the Arts Perth 21-31 May Perth Festival is one of the highlights in Scotland's cultural calendar now in its 44th year with classical music, opera, jazz, rock, folk and visual art staged mainly in Perth Concert Hall.

The Box Office opens on 30th March. Festival Friends can book from 23rd March only £10 to

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SCOTTISH MUSIC FESTIVALS to be included in our festival listings email details to: musicnewsscotland@gmail.com join. We are delighted to announce that The Proclaimers will headline the Festival on Saturday 23 May. www.perthfestival.co.uk

Dumfries & Galloway Arts Festival

www.buchanheritagesociety.co.uk

Doune & Dunblane Fling Dunblane 28-31 May

Like many others, the Fling was conceived with the help of music and alcohol. It began as an Dumfries and Galloway idea at the Dunblane Folk Club, among a group 21-31 May of people fond of music and fun. And so in May 1993 the first Fling happened. Since then the Our 9-day festival has taken place since 1979.

Fling has gone from strength to strength.

The founding aim was to bring international Somewhere along the line the first 'Fling by the performers of the highest quality to a region River' began. Held each Fling Saturday on containing many scattered rural communities Dunblane's historic Drying Green, its activities since then this region has produced some of its have ranged from an open stage for local young own talent of international standing and we’re musicians, fire engines, space-hopper races and proud to also be able to present these artistes fire-eating jugglers, to the annual Rotary Club from time to time. We offer a wide range of race for 4,000 plastic ducks down the Allan events: music – including classical, jazz and folk, Water. Gradually a 'Fringe Fling' has developed, dance, theatre, literary, children’s events, plus featuring over the years everything from ghost the visual arts and films. Events take place in a walks, pub quizzes, plays from the local Drama range of venues throughout the region, from Group, master classes in everything from fiddling large to small, formal to informal, urban to rural. or mandolins to harmony singing or bodhran, and the now-annual Thursday Jazz Night. www.dgartsfestival.org.uk www.dunblanefling.com

Reivers Rock and Blues Festival Alwinton (Northumberland) 22-24 May

Clennell Hall will be the venue for the Reivers Rock and Blues Festival with a fantastic line up of top name bands and artists from all corners of the UK. Clennell Hall is located in the Upper Coquet Valley of Northumberland (just over the Scottish border) near the village of Alwinton.

Situated in it's own grounds, facilities include camping, bunk rooms, hotel rooms, fully licensed bars, restaurant and bar meals as well as hog roasts and snacks throughout the weekend. www.facebook.com/reiversrock

Montrose Music Festival Montrose 22-24 May Montrose Music Festival is a Scottish music festival which takes place at the end of May in Montrose, Angus. It has become a much anticipated, annual event across Scotland. The festival committee is a non-profit, volunteer run organisation, dedicated to promoting free live music of all styles and genres, and at all levels, in Montrose and surrounding areas. The festival actively promotes local acts as well as hosting musicians from across the United Kingdom www.montrosemusicfestival.co.uk

Buchan Heritage Society Strichen Festival Strichen, Fraserburgh 22-24 May The Buchan Heritage Festival at Strichen is one of the finest places to appreciate our rich tradition of music, song, verse, drama and story, and, at the same time, enjoy listening to, or using, the broad 'Doric' language which is still very much alive here in the North East, and enjoy a friendly family atmosphere where contestants have come from a' the airt's and pairt's o' Scotland and sometimes beyond.

Riverside Festival Glasgow 29-30 May Following the huge success of last year’s festival The Electric Frog and Pressure - have joined forces once again, promoter Dave Clarke said: “After the fantastic sold-out event earlier this year we are delighted to be returning to The Riverside Museum, which is an outstanding location for our city music festival.” www.theelectricfrog.co.uk

The Border Gaitherin Coldstream 29-31 May A great traditional music weekend in the picturesque town of Coldstream on the River Tweed. The Border Gaitherin continues to build on its reputation for providing an exceptional family friendly event with traditional music workshops, concerts, ceilidh and lively sessions.

"Traditionally......the best!" www.bordergaitherin.com

Strathyre Music Festival Strathyre 29-31 May Based in a large 120 foot marquee on Forestry Commission land this year the festival will also have a Friday evening dedicated to up and coming bands with performances between 7pm and Midnight. And organisers are already planning a full programme for 2015. www.balvaig.co.uk

Portsoy Folk Festival : “The 6th Haal” Portsoy 29-31 May A weekend of songs, tunes, stories, poetry, dance, workshops and sessions to be held in and

around Portsoy. www.bothyfolk.org

Kintyre Songwriter's Festival Campbeltown 29-31 May The Kintyre Songwriters Festival is a music festival which aims to showcase and promote the song writing and musical talent in Kintyre. It also aims to encourage a new generation of local songwriters and musicians, by means of donations to local musical groups/organisations and the presentation of an annual memorial quaiche at Campbeltown Grammar School for original folk song. www.kintyresongwritersfestival.co.uk

Scottish Pipe Band Championship Bathgate 30 May Competition is keen among the pipe bands competing in the national championship. Come along and hear the pipers, drummers and bands battle it out for the prizes. www.rspba.org

JUNE Kyles Music Festival Kyles of Bute 1-7 June A week-long celebration of all things great on Argyll's Secret coast. As well as live music in the pubs and hotels, expect exhibitions, guided walks, art, theatre, a scarecrow trail and more.

Follow the yellow dot trail to find the venues. www.argyllsecretcoast.co.uk/event-details.php?id=1193

Arran Folk Festival Isle of Arran 5-7 June The 21st Arran Folk Festival line up is now online and tickets are available to purchase! Once again the festival are very proud of the musicians that they have booked to appear this year with some big names on the folk scene lined up who are all very enthusiastic about coming over to play Arran. www.facebook.com/arranfolkfestival

Glasgow West End Festival Glasgow 5-28 June The West End Festival (WEF) is Glasgow’s largest cultural event and every June takes over the imaginations of participants and visitors in the west end of Glasgow. In 2015 it celebrates its 20th year. Over 100 Glasgow-based organisations, arts groups and local and international artists deliver a mixture of activities and projects, overseen by a small festival team.

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SCOTTISH MUSIC FESTIVALS to be included in our festival listings email details to: musicnewsscotland@gmail.com The WEF brings all of these activities together in the festival programme and includes events, Loanhead exhibitions, performances, talks, tours, workshops and screenings, and many are free of Midlothian 12-14 June charge to allow accessibility.

Riverside Rock 2015 is set to be another musical extravaganza with something for everyone Music Festival young and old.... Family entertainment at JedForest RFC, Riverside Park in association with Cash for Kids. There will be children's entertainment of all kinds combined with Rock The 15th Loanhead Music festival is a weekend www.westendfestival.co.uk and Traditional Bands from across the borders of pub sessions, with workshops and and further afield. Riverside Rock must not be competitions, and concerts. As always the missed, the Scottish Borders very own music Meadows Festival emphasis is still very much on sessions and fun. festival at Riverside Park, Jedburgh. Bring along Edinburgh Come and help us celebrate - as usual, we have a picnic (alcohol not permitted) and come and 6-7 June a Friday evening concert, a full Saturday support this local event and help raise cash for programme including a Craft Fair, an open mic our chosen charity “Cash For Kids” and other Edinburgh's free volunteer-run music & event, a song-writing competition and a recycled sports organisations around the Scottish community festival - The Edinburgh Meadows instrument competition, as well as workshops in Borders. Tickets on sale now at Festival features live music, merchandise, stalls, a variety of musical skills. And of course, there www.riversiderock.co.uk kids’ and adults’ activities and loads more. The are the pub sessions, which form the heart of first Meadows Festival took place in 1974 and any good festival. www.riversiderock.co.uk since then the Festival has been an annual feature of the calendar. In 2013 over 20,000 www.loanheadfest.co.uk Fete de la Musique people attended across the two days of the Festival, so it’s a busy and fun-filled couple of Edinburgh TMSA Keith Festival days! There will be two stages at the 2014 21 June Moray Meadows Festival: Red Dog Music Stage and 12-14 June Fortune Futures Stage Following its launch on 21 June 1982, La Fête de la Musique is now celebrated in France every This will be the 40th TMSA Keith Festival and we www.meadowsfestival.org/live-music/ year on this date. This popular international hope you can join us for another great weekend musical event now takes place in more than 100 of music, dance and song. Long established countries worldwide. The Institut Français XpoNorth traditional music and song festival with d’Ecosse has celebrated La Fête de la Musique in Inverness competitions, ceilidhs concerts and sessions Edinburgh each year since it was started. Check 10-11 June attracting singers and traditional musicians from the Events page at www.ifecosse.org.uk throughout Scotland. Organised by the Keith XpoNorth is Scotland's leading Creative branch of the Traditional Music and Song www.fetedelamusique.culture.fr Industries festival. Formerly known as goNORTH, Association of Scotland. it takes place every June in the Highland capital Glasgow Jazz Festival of Inverness over two vibrant days and nights. http://tmsakeithfestival.blogspot.co.uk/ By day, XpoNorth hosts around 25 panels and Glasgow workshops featuring leading industry players in 24–28 June the fields of fashion and craft, publishing, screen Leith Festival Edinburgh and broadcast and music. By night, it offers an This is the 29th year of the festival, and once 13-21 June authentic blend of Highland hospitality in the again we hope that this year’s line up offers form of networking events, coupled with a free something for everyone! Acts to be announced Leith Festival celebrates all that Leith has to new music showcase at various venues across soon! offer – our heritage, our culture, our diversity, Inverness city centre. our future and our people. It is a community arts www.jazzfest.co.uk festival that encompasses all art forms which www.xponorth.co.uk comes together in a fantastic 10 day programme Wildfire Festival in June each year. We have over 380 events in Eden Festival over 50 venues across Leith.

26-28 June Raehills Meadows South Lanarkshire 11-14 June www.leithfestival.com Scotland's classic rock and metal festival. Now in Set in the stunning Raehill Meadows of Dumfries its fourth year, this is Scotland's only 3 day Eden Festival is boutique festival, with over 250 Solas Festival annual, Classic Rock and Heavy Metal Festival.

The Bield at Blackruthven acts performing across 9 stages, bringing you Recently awarded the best musical event of the 19-21 June live music, dance, cabaret, burlesque, circus year at the Scottish New Music Awards. skills, theatre, a children's area, fun and games and much more. Highlights from 2014: Reached In what promises to be a exciting year in the www.wildfirefestival.co.uk spotlight for Scotland, Solas will entertain you the finals of the UK Festival Awards 2014 for with a mixing pot of art, music, dance and Best Grass Roots Festival, Best Family friendly The East Neuk Festival Festival and Listed in the Lonely Planets Top Ten comedy whilst covering everything from jazz to ceilidh dancing, and hip hop to slow food. Our Fife European Festivals. brilliant variety of acts and friendly atmosphere 27 June -5 July make it a great destination for families. Underwww.facebook.com/theedenfestival 12s go free. The festival aims to create a The award-winning and critically-acclaimed East generous, hospitable space in Scotland where Neuk Festival presents world-class arts events in Kirkcudbright Jazz Festival the arts can be performed and enjoyed by all. the East Neuk of Fife. The heart of the Festival is Kirkcudbright The programme also makes space for classical chamber music, but we also present 11-15 June challenging debate with activists, writers and world, jazz, folk and electronica. In addition to thinkers from across the political, cultural and our musical celebrations, we’ve commissioned The 18th annual festival in this unique small religious spectrum. Solas Festival offers a films, exhibitions, art installations and literature Scottish town will endeavour to maintain the creative and entertaining programme for events as well as guided walks. high musical standards set by previous festivals. festival-goers of all ages in a safe environment.

Visitors will have the chance to enjoy top class www.eastneukfestival.com and highly professional artistes, some on a first www.solasfestival.co.uk time visit, as well as some old favourites, ensuring that the festival caters for jazz lovers of all ages who appreciate quality as well as variety Riverside Rock Jedburgh in their entertainment.

20 June Kelburn Garden Party www.kirkcudbrightjazzfestival.co.uk

JULY

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SCOTTISH MUSIC FESTIVALS to be included in our festival listings email details to: musicnewsscotland@gmail.com Largs 3-5 July

15-18 July

Fantastic four-day festival set against the rich The Kelburn Garden Party 2015 which takes cultural backdrop of the Outer Hebrides, place in and around the spectacular grounds of featuring top quality music from around the the world famous Kelburn Castle. Once again the Celtic nations and beyond. Stornoway and bill features a unique and exciting bill of artists throughout Lewis and Harris. The Hebridean from across the country and further afield, each Celtic Festival was voted 'Best Event or Festival' hand-picked to come to Kelburn's hugely popular at the Highlands and Islands Tourism Awards (sell out in 2013 and 2014) and utterly magical last year. This year’s 20th HebCelt aims to build annual festival. on a successful 2014 event which staged its biggest ever programme of 40 acts, headlined by www.kelburngardenparty.com Big Country, Levellers and Donnie Munro. A huge influx of music fans from overseas made up the estimated 14,000 strong audience which proved Newcastleton Traditional a major economic boost for the islands. Get your tickets quickly at www.hebceltfest.com/booking

Music Festival Scottish Borders 3-5 July

The Newcastleton Traditional Music Festival is probably the longest continuously running music festival in Scotland. Founded in 1970, the festival revolves around a series of competitions (mainly on Saturday), loosely linked by dances, organised ceilidhs and singarounds on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. Noncombatants create ad-hoc sessions in all possible locations and visitors are more than welcome at every venue. One of the most popular events is the Grand Winners' Concert on Saturday night, featuring the best of the day's competitors interspersed with passing musicians who failed to escape the press-gang! www.newcastleton.com

Stonehaven Folk Festival 9-12 July Stonehaven

www.stonehavenfolkfestival.co.uk

Newton Stewart & Minnigaff Traditional Music Festival 10-11 July Newton Stewart Annual traditional and acoustic music festival held in the picturesque market town of Newton Stewart, Dumfries and Galloway. Live music concerts, workshops and sessions. www.facebook.com/TradMusicFestival

T in the Park Fife 10-12 July What more can we say! Scotland’s most widely known and respected festival, which always attracts the biggest names. Check out if tickets are still available at www.tinthepark.com/tickets www.tinthepark.com

Hebridean Celtic Festival Hebrides

Dumfries & Galloway 24-25 July The Wickerman Festival prides itself on offering music lovers a diverse mix of iconic acts and emerging talent and this year’s line-up will be no exception. Scotland's alternative music festival in Dumfries & Galloway offers a unique and eclectic celebration of cult musical genres and cult cinema with a relaxed, laidback family-friendly atmosphere, aimed at the more discerning contemporary music fan. All the action climaxes with the burning of a giant traditional willow and straw effigy.

www.hebceltfest.com

www.thewickermanfestival.co.uk

Tiree Music Festival

Rewind Scotland

Isle of Tiree 17-19 July

24-26 July Perth

Tiree Music Festival (TMF) was formed in 2010 when Tiree musician Daniel Gillespie (Skerryvore) teamed up with school friend Stewart MacLennan with the radical idea of holding an open-air festival on their local island of Tiree. TMF is more than just attending a music festival – it is an island adventure. From the stunning sail or flight to the island of Tiree, camping next to the white sands of Crossapol Bay or surfing at Balevullin beach, TMF is an experience very few festivals in the world could compete with. Get your tickets quick, the early birds sold out in hours - http:// tireemusicfestival.co.uk/ticket-prices

Featuring fantastic performances from a massive line-up of iconic artists and plenty of other festival fun including camping, funfairs, silent disco, street entertainers, fireworks and much more...

www.tireemusicfestival.co.uk

Stonehaven Folk Festival - home of good music and song. Some of the best Traditional and Contemporary Folk music with Concerts, Ceilidh, Sessions, Singarounds, Workshops and the famous Aqua Ceilidh and World Paper’n’Comb Championships. Come and join the fun!

The Wickerman Festival

ButeFest The Isle of Bute 17-19 July A brand new three day festival of music, food and fun. This accessible and hugely friendly family festival all takes places a mere thirty-five miles as the crow flies from Glasgow. Butefest has endeavoured to compile a richly varied and superb line-up that includes both the contemporary and the classic of the music world and runs that gamut from rock to roots and folk to dance. www.butefest.co.uk

Edinburgh International Jazz & Blues Festival

www.rewindfestival.com

Aberdeen International Youth Festival Aberdeen 24 July - 1 August Over the years AIYF has hosted more than 27,500 young people from around the globe, making it one of the biggest and most successful gatherings of youth talent held anywhere in the world. AIYF now produces over 80 performances in 9 days of top class entertainment across 50 venues in the North-east of Scotland. It's not all about the big shows though, as AIYF offers some of the most intimate classical and chamber music performances through its series ‘Up Close and Musical'. and also delivers an ‘Extended Festival' programme of events, where our artists take their shows out to communities both in Aberdeen and further afield. AIYF also offers inclusive, participatory summer courses such as the ‘Dance Lab' and ‘Traditional Music School', where up and coming artists can learn from professional artists. www.aiyf.org

PKD Festival

Edinburgh 17-26 July

Dalgety Bay 25 July

Come in and relax… for ten days, the Jazz & Blues Festival musical talent in all shapes and sizes Whether you’re a Festival regular or firsttimer, this year’s programme offers styles for all tastes – from bop to boogie-woogie to bluesrock; from samba to swing to soul. Jazz legends and international acts line up with homegrown talent and rising stars. Check out your favourite acts, of course, but we encourage you to get in the spirit of the Festival and try something new – you’re likely to discover a hidden gem!

Experimental guitarists, funky swing bands, soulful singers shine from every corner of the line-up.

The venue has changed to The Dalgety Bay Sports centre. The bigger venue allows for several additions for PKD 2015. These will include fairground rides such as Dodgems, waltzers, tea cups for the kids and more. It will also see the addition of a second stage allowing for more bands and less time between band changeovers. There will be more bike exhibitors than ever before and the number of community stalls will be more than doubled.

This year event also sees a change of charity partner. All money raised from the event will be going to Kingdom Kids, a children’s charity run

by Kingdom FM benefitting sick and underprivileged kids in Fife and Poppy Scotland.

www.edinburghjazzfestival.com

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Prestfest

Beauly 6-8 August

Prestwick 31 July - 2 August

Get yourself a ticket to Scotland’s all ages wackiest festival of music and performing arts.

Bella is back in its beautiful Highland setting with PRESTFEST the Prestwick Community Music all the crazy variety that makes it Scotland’s Festival is run by enlisting financial support from premier boutique festival. ''Belladrum - quite local pubs, cafes, restaurants,,hotels,shops and simply, it’s what everyday life should be like, if other business services throughout the town. All only everyday life didn't get in the way.'' - Clare types of music at various venues throughout the Damdoaran, eFestivals town. www.tartanheartfestival.co.uk www.prestfest.co.uk

MugStock Festival

Speyfest

Mudock 7-9 August

Moray 31 July - 2 August The best in traditional and contemporary Celtic music - As Scottish Music Festivals go Speyfest is a real Gem. The small town folk festival with big ideas! Three days of Concerts, Ceilidhs and Stomps, with some of the biggest names from the world of traditional and contemporary Celtic music and all in the beautiful village of Fochabers on the banks of the River Spey. It just can't get any better than that! Or can it? www.speyfest.com

Southern Fried Perth 31 July - 2 August

Glasgow Summer Sessions

AUGUST Aberdeen International Youth Festival Aberdeen 24 July - 1 August Over the years AIYF has hosted more than 27,500 young people from around the globe, making it one of the biggest and most successful gatherings of youth talent held anywhere in the world. AIYF now produces over 80 performances in 9 days of top class entertainment across 50 venues in the North-east of Scotland. It's not all about the big shows though, as AIYF offers some of the most intimate classical and chamber music performances through its series ‘Up Close and Musical'. and also delivers an ‘Extended Festival' programme of events, where our artists take their shows out to communities both in Aberdeen and further afield. AIYF also offers inclusive, participatory summer courses such as the ‘Dance Lab' and ‘Traditional Music School', where up and coming artists can learn from professional artists. www.aiyf.org

Tartan Heart ‘Belladrum’ Festival

Cardross, nr Stirling 21-23 August A small family-friendly festival with a twist!

Doune The Rabbit Hole presents music, comedy, art, spoken word, drama, puppetry and much more! Events across Scotland throughout the year culminating in a 3 day multi arts festival... it's time to go Doune The Rabbit Hole!! We make people happy through music, art, cake and loads of other stuff! After we've done that we teach people who wouldn't ordinarily be able to how to do creative things, like play instruments, write poetry and paint. www.dounetherabbithole.co.uk

MugStock: A Festival of Music and Merriment will Rockerbie Music Festival take place just north of Glasgow in Mugdock Lockerbie Country Park 22 August www.facebook.com/Mugstock Two stages, all kinds of music, fairground rides, food and drinks. Great day of music to suit all Party at The Palace tastes and ages. Get a discount on your ticket Linlithgow when you buy early 8-9 August www.facebook.com/rockerbie Party at The Palace returns for a second celebration. In August 2014 Scottish music stars Summer Isles Festival performed against the magnificent backdrop of Achiltibuie, Ross-shire Linlithgow Palace & the Peel, showcasing some of the nation's finest music. Scots rock favourites 29 August Simple Minds and Deacon Blue headlined the 2Pioneered by local musician Mairearad Green, day event which also featured performances with fantastic music and the most beautiful from Hue and Cry, Horse, The Silencers, Attic Lights, The Bluebells and many more. Watch our festival setting in Achiltibuie, which is under an hour from Ullapool. website for 2015 Party at the Palace news!

Southern Fried covers a wide range of musical styles including country, blues, bluegrass, gospel, soul, songwriters, alt.country and more.

Plus authentic southern and soul food, free gigs, latenight performances and workshops. - See www.partyatthepalace.co.uk more at: http://www.horsecross.co.uk/southernfried-festival/#sthash.IVJKoHFq.dpuf www.southernfriedfestival.co.uk

Doune The Rabbit Hole

www.summerislesfestival.com

Go-Rock Fest

Glasgow 20 August

Gourock 29 August

Global star Calvin Harris has been announced as the first headline act of Glasgow Summer Sessions 2015, as Scotland’s only outdoor city music festival returns to Bellahouston Park this August. Last year’s Summer Sessions saw US superstars, The Killers, and DJs David Guetta and Steve Angello perform to over 100,000 people at Glasgow’s Bellahouston Park across three dates. The events attracted thousands of visitors to the city and provided a massive boost to the local economy.

Go-Rock is a small multi-venue festival aiming to showcase some of the great unsigned and independent acts in Scotland. Just a short train ride from Glasgow, the pretty coastal town of Gourock with its intimate venues and stunning views is the perfect location for our wee festival.

With genres ranging from solo acoustic and folk through to opera, rock and metal, you're guaranteed to find something you enjoy. GoRock is part of Music on the Brain.

www.glasgowsummersessions.com

Innerleithen Music Festival Scottish Borders 21-23 August A hugely enjoyable weekend of traditional music in this small Borders town, beautifully situated amongst rolling hills by the River Tweed.

Memorable concerts feature some of the biggest names in Celtic music alongside the best of the local talent and the weekend is rounded off with a concert presenting wonderful singers of traditional song. Complementing the concerts are an open stage, a singaround and the legendary informal music sessions in local hostelries and the Union Club. www.innerleithenmusicfestival.org

www.facebook.com/gorock.music

Electric Fields Drumlanrig Castle 29 August Nestling in the beautiful surroundings of Drumlanrig Castle, south west Scotland. We’ve been working really hard to top last year and we’re pretty excited about this summer, as well as having some brand new developments www.facebook.com/electricfieldsfestival

SEPTEMBER Nairn Book and Arts Festival Nairn

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SCOTTISH MUSIC FESTIVALS to be included in our festival listings email details to: musicnewsscotland@gmail.com 1-6 September A unique celebration of literature, drama, music and art in the Highlands of Scotland. There will be music for all tastes. https://nairnfestival.co.uk/

100 Bands On The Border Galashiels 4-6 September

Isle of Jura Music Festival Jura 25-27 September The Isle of Jura Musical Festival is a wellestablished favourite for lovers of the traditional music scene, enjoy a weekend packed with fantastic performances, stimulating workshops, spontaneous sessions and great craic. To guarantee you don’t miss out, you can prepurchase your tickets online now.

100 Bands On The Border will be a music festival held in venues and stages in Galashiels town www.juramusicfestival.com centre. The idea behind this is to bring the best up and coming new bands and musicians from Dunbar Traditional all over the UK to the Scottish Borders to showcase their talents. Contact Bill Jeffrey Music Festival william.jeffrey1@btopenworld.com Dunbar 25-27 September weblink below .... www.facebook.com/pages/JMP3-Jeffrey-Music-Promotions/745042952180452

The Dunbar Traditional Music Festival continues to flourish since it began in 1988. Set in the Blas Festival historic seaside town of Dunbar, the Festival is Highlands committed to showcasing local and young talent 4-12 September alongside well established and internationally known artists. Song, music, pipes & drums, Blas Festival is the Highlands' premier Gaelic and children's workshop, informal tunes and traditional music festival. Blas takes place in sessions, concerts, ceilidhs and open air venues across the Highlands and includes an performances are the traditional hallmarks of the eclectic line-up of local, national and annual September event. The Festival caters for international artistes. a wide range of musical tastes. Initially the focus was on traditional Scottish and Irish music www.blas-festival.com but in recent years this has broadened to include jazz, blues, Appalachian, country, bluegrass and skiffle.

Best of the West Festival Inveraray 12-13 September

www.dunbarmusicfestival.co.uk

Best of the West Festival an 'end of season' showcase held annually in the grounds of Inveraray Castle in Argyll. This family weekend includes two days of music and song with performances in both English and Gaelic. The festival has a strong focus on local young talent as well as the best of the established performers. As well as a great line-up of music, food and drink it's also important to us to provide a wide range of activities for all ages. www.bowfest.co.uk

Dundee Celt Fest Dundee 18-20 September 2015 will be the first Dundee Celt Fest, a weekend music festival featuring the best of celtic rock and folk music.

OCTOBER The Spree Paisley (TBC) October

www.glasgowamericana.com

sound North East Scotland 22 October - 9 November sound is driven by the passion to make new music more accessible to audiences of all ages and backgrounds. It embraces a network of local organisations to produce a varied programme of events exploring new music. The festival brings together a large range of different genres of music to appeal to a wide variety of tastes and encourage people to discover new sounds and widen their musical horizons. www.sound-scotland.co.uk

Perthshire Amber The Dougie MacLean Festival Perthshire 30 October - 8 November This is the 11th year of our festival and promises once again to be full of wonderful concerts featuring the finest of Scotland's musical talent as well as some international guests. Our venues are as special as ever … ranging from the prestigious Perth Concert Hall to town halls and tiny village halls, from atmospheric castles to our historic Dunkeld Cathedral and even including an iron age Crannog on Loch Tay…25 venues in all in 2015! www.perthshireamber.com

2016

Paisley's national festival of music, comedy and arts, now in it third year - taking place at various venues in the town centre

JANUARY 2016

www.thespree.co.uk

Celtic Connections

Ullapool Guitar Festival Ullapool 2-4 October

So why is the UGF so special? Perhaps it’s the mix of music old and new, of electric and acoustic, of steel and nylon, of seasoned www.facebook.com/dundeeceltfest performers and those, like the students from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, just starting out on their careers. Perhaps it’s the location on Loopallu Loch Broom and the drive up through some of Ullapool Scotland’s most spectacular scenery. Perhaps it’s 25-26 September the informal air of the whole weekend: there’s no “us and them”, no VIP area. Everyone Loopallu takes place in the tiny remote North mingles, and you’re likely to find yourself sitting West coast fishing village of Ullapool and doubles beside a guitar legend in the Festival Club – or the population of the village for the weekend. As even jamming with them on one of the trade well as the usual eclectic line up of acts stands. appearing at the festival big top and the fringe events after hours in the villages pubs, the www.ullapoolguitarfestival.com festival will be welcoming the return of the Literally Literary tent in association with Ullapool Book Festival. All this, as well as the usual warm Glasgow Americana Festival Ullapool welcome.

Glasgow www.loopallu.co.uk

Glasgow's annual celebration of Americana brings musicians from as far afield as Texas and Canada to perform roots music from blues to rockabilly.

7-11 October

Glasgow 14-31 January Celtic Connections 2016 comprises a wealth of concerts, ceilidhs, talks, workshops, free events and late night sessions taking place over 18 days across various venues in Glasgow. www.celticconnections.com

MARCH 2016 MV Festival Aviemore Returning in 2016 It’s a weekend of comedy, music and snowsport thrills on the hills in and around Aviemore. 2016 tickets will soon be available from www. ukgigsonline.com Proceeds from the festival go to the Children's Hospice Association Scotland (CHAS) and Disability Snowsport UK. www.mvfestival.com

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