Town to host free live music

Artists performing at this year’s Hebridean Celtic Festival will be giving free live gigs at the festival’s town centre pop-up shop which has now opened for business.

The festival’s HQ for the next three weeks opened at 79 Cromwell Street in Stornoway to book and collect tickets and to buy merchandise for the award-winning festival.

The previously empty premises has been given a makeover by a 15strong team of volunteers who worked round-the-clock for several days to have it ready.

Space has also been provided for artists to entertain shoppers in the build-up to the event which will run from July 19 to 22 and will be headlined by The Waterboys, Imelda May, Dougie MacLean and Lucy Spraggan.

“It gives a taste of the excitement of the festival”

The first band to play in the shop will be Willie Campbell and the Tumbling Souls.

They are made up of local musicians led by the co-frontman of indie rockers Astrid and members of various outfits including The Reindeer Section and the Open Day Rotation.

The shop will be open Monday to Saturday from 10am to 5pm and during festival week the hours will be extended to 10am-6pm, with late opening until 8pm on Wednesday, July 19.

Festival director Caroline Maclennan said: “The opening of the festival shop signals the real start of the build up to HebCelt.

“It gives us a focal point in the town centre and gets people talking about the event.

“Having live music played also gives a taste of the excitement and enjoyment that the festival brings.”