Highland Artists at Tartan Heart Preview

1 Aug 2005 in Festival, Highland, Music

Highland Talent on Show

STEVE ROBERTSON casts his eye over the Highland talent lining up at the Tartan Heart Festival.

The Tartan Heart Festival held at Belladrum near Beauly enter its second year (12-13 August) with headliners The Proclaimers, plus The Bees and British Sea Power, all of whom will be making their only festival appearances north of the border at Belladrum.

These are joined by Friday headliners Alabama 3, the Peatbog Faeries and triple folk award winner Karine Polwart in what is described as “a feast of rock, celtic, country, blues, folk and world musical talent”.

There are over 45 acts across three stages. The Festival offers a mellow, family-orientated atmosphere which in the beautiful setting of the old Italian Gardens at Belladrum Estate, near Beauly in the Scottish Highlands.

The Festival will also feature performances from Highland talent such as The Cinematics, originally from Dingwall but now relocated to Glasgow/ The band have signed a deal with TVT Records, and have just recorded their first single, produced by Stephen Hague ( Blur, New Order), as well as having supported Ambulance Ltd on their UK tour.

Also featured on the bill is Calamateur, also known as Andrew Howie, who lives on the muddy banks of the Beauly Firth. The music of Calamateur has been heard on BBC Radio 1’s John Peel show, Late Junction on BBC Radio 3, and Madrid’s Cielo Liquido, as well as local radio the length and breadth of the UK.

His songs are crafted from various ingredients including delicately picked acoustic guitar, soft vocal harmonies, feedback, distortion, electronics, and montages of samples, to name but a few.

A strong Highland presence also includes Stetsonhead, the Galipaygos, Steve Smith (Ruthless Blues), Andy Gunn, Davy Cowan, Michael Wadada, Ruth Sutherland and the Feis Rois Ceilidh Band.

“Stereoglo are a band to look out and were recently described as “Scotland’s best kept secret” by the Daily Record”

Stereoglo from the Isle of Skye will open the Festival as part of their prize for winning PULSE, which was described as a “Talent Trawl throughout the Highlands” organised by the Tartan Heart Festival in association with Mad Hatters at Hootanannys, www.hubl.co.uk, and HI-Arts.

Stereoglo not only won the opportunity to open the Tartan Heart Festival on 12 August, but als won recording time at Watercolour studios and website designed by www.colourjam.com. Second was Findo Gask from Inverness who won a slot at the Festival Fringe along with £100 in vouchers from The Music Shop, and also a website designed by Colourjam. Third was Call to Mind from the Inverness area who also win a slot at the Festival Fringe.

Stereoglo are a band to look out and were recently described as “Scotland’s best kept secret” by the Daily Record. Even though they have only been gigging just over 3 months, the bands are gaining fans at an incredible rate with songs such as ‘Angelism’ and ‘Escape from Samsara’ already being sung along to at their Highland gigs.

The Final was held on 27 July at Hootanannys, Inverness, and featured nine acts: Echo 20, Findo Gask & Benn Dunn who went through from the 3 heats held in Inverness; Call to Mind & Stereoglo, the co-winners of the Dingwall heat; 16 Short Days, the winners of the Oban heat; Curium, who went through from the Thurso heat taking the place of original winners Boss Hogg who due to unforseen circumstances had to pull out; The Phoenix Band, the winners of the Forres heat; and The Side, who went through due to being best overall runner up.

Other prominent acts at the festival (which quickly sold out last year) include Ricky Ross (Deacon Blue), Country Joe MacDonald, Jah Wobble, Black Velvets, Bluetones, Trashcan Sinatras, Michael Marra, the Jim Hunter Band, Endrick Brothers, Sundown, Poor Old Ben, and Hazey Janes.

Weekend tickets cost £50 and Saturday tickets £30 (incl VAT, excl booking fee), and entitle holders to free parking and camping. Friday tickets cost £25 but do not allow camping. Children under 12 enter free. Passes are needed for both camping and under 12s. Check the web site for details.