HebCelt first acts announced
HEBCELT, the Hebridean Celtic Festival set for July 18-21 in Stornoway, has announced its first round of acts featuring Deacon Blue, Eddi Reader and Roody Woomble, writes Aidan Donaghy.
The line-up also includes Scottish bands Skipinnish, Blazin’ Fiddles, Tide Lines, The Tumbling Souls, Kinnaris Quintet and Trail West, pioneering musicians Niteworks, Dante and TRIP, country singer Martha L Healy, Canadian band Yves Lambert Trio, and Habadekuk from Denmark.
Festival director Caroline MacLennan said: ‘The festival is renowned for promoting well-known, established acts alongside the best of young talent to create a diverse and vibrant blend of music in our unique setting.’
Singer-songwriter Roddy Woomble, who is currently based in Mull and hosts the annual Iona Village Hall Music Festival, added: ‘I always love visiting Lewis and the Outer Hebrides. This will be my third time playing HebCelt it’s a great festival, in a lovely town on a unique island.’
Skye band Niteworks, who combine the Gaelic language and traditional music with techno and electronic sounds, were also excited to return: ‘We cannot wait to come back to HebCelt. It was one of the very first festivals we played as a band, so it’s always felt like a bit of a homecoming every time we play.
‘And this year we have lots of new material planned to make sure our return is extra special.’
Following their fulllength debut Wake, Scottish alt folk band Dante release a new album I Wear Your Weight With Mine in March, which looks set to continue their growing success in leading the charge of the newer indie/folk rock bands.
TRIP, formed in late 2016, are a new trad band based in Glasgow but drawing on influences from the cultures and traditions of Scotland, England, Ireland and the Isle of Man. The six-piece are all second-year students at the Royal Conservetoire of Scotland, including Lewis Gaelic singer, Mairi Maclennan.
Glasgow-born Martha L Healy, who has been heavily influenced by female artists such as Sheryl Crow, Carol King, Dolly Parton and Patsy Cline, is building a strong reputation via performances at festivals including Country to Country (C2C) and Glasgow Americana.
Her debut album, Bet- ter Days, was recorded in Nashville in 2014 and she recently returned from three months there writing and recording her second album, Keep the Flame Alight, which is released this year.
Eddi, a frequent visitor to HebCelt, most recently in 2016 with her band, is currently putting the finishing touches to a new album which will be released this year.
Her career has now spanned three decades, including front woman for Fairground Attraction and also as a solo artist. In that time she has released nine critically-acclaimed solo albums, had three BRIT awards, a number one single and an MBE for outstanding contributions to the arts.
For more information and tickets, visit www. hebceltfest.com