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.
Formed in 1985 in Glasgow, the band’s core members include Ricky Ross (vocals), Lorraine McIntosh (vocals), James Prime (keyboards), Dougie Vipond (drums). 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-and-only 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, Sophie released her debut ‘Read My Lips’ in 2001. It reached #2 in the UK Albums chart, followed later by even more successful albums ‘Shootfrom the Hip’, ‘Make a Scene’ and ‘Wanderlust’. During lockdown, Sophie launched an incredibly popular Kitchen Disco series – performing live from her home with her children, becoming a sensation yet again.
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
