Final line-up is confirmed as tickets fly out the door
With tickets for this year’s Southern Fried Festival flying out of the door at record speed, organisers are urging music lovers to move quickly as several shows are nearing sell-out.
This year’s event is a veritable who’s who of top Americanainfluenced musicians from home and abroad supporting main stage gigs, performing intimate sessions, rocking the free outdoor and brand-new acoustic stage, and playing club gigs in city centre venues.
Ahead of the July 29-31 event, Festival director Andy Shearer said: “We were already very happy with our headline line-up and it seems like audiences agree, given our record sales to date.
“The strength and depth of the rest of the programme probably makes it the best bill we’ve ever put together for the festival.
“I know from customer feedback that for many regular attenders, one of the great joys of Southern Fried is discovering new artists and this year will be no exception.
“There’s a fantastically healthy UK Americana scene at the moment and we’re very pleased to bring some excellent artists up from England in Jo Harman, Robert Vincent, The Dreaming Spires and Peter Bruntnell.
“Here in Scotland, we punch well above our weight in the number of top-quality acts playing authentic American roots music and we’re able to present even more of them this year across all our venues including the Perth and Kinross Council-funded Outdoor Stage and our new Acoustic Stage, sponsored by John Ross Hi-Fi.
“Artists to look out for include Daniel Meade and The Flying Mules, Joe Nisbet Jr, Norrie McCulloch, Dean Owens, The Strange Blue Dreams, Mairi Orr, Véloniños, Tenement and Temple, The Bevvy Sisters, Andy Gunn and Doghouse Roses.
“I’m also looking forward to hearing what Findlay Napier and Blue Rose Code will do for us - they’re both brilliant songwriters and more known in the folk world but have promised us special Southern Fried sets for the occasion.
“Perthshire acts are always a priority too and we’re very pleased to have The New Madrids headline our first-ever show at The Green Room and we welcome Trees Don’t Travel, Shady Pete and The Blues Concessions and Longstay to the Outdoor Stage for the first time.
“Longstay have graduated from playing with the excellent Southern Fried Rock Shop youth music project and young people from that project will open the Outdoor Stage on both Saturday and Sunday.
“Their week-long workshop is now booking and there’s also a great opportunity for adults to get onstage during the festival as part of Southern Fried Voices community choir, who’ll perform with professional musicians and singers as part of our new Sunday Morning Coming Down concert, which promises to be a highlight.”