Summer Session organisers announce line up for Gardens Fringe gigs
Pop and rock icons Tom Jones, Lionel Ritchie, Simple Minds and Travis have been lined up for a series of major outdoor concerts in the shadow of Edinburgh Castle during this year’s Fringe.
Promoters have also lined up Mcfly, The 1975 and Michael Kiwanuka for the latest instalment of the “Summer Sessions” gigs in West Princes Street Gardens.
More than 47,000 fans flocked to shows by the likes of Lewis Capaldi, Primal Scream, Chvrches and Madness last year, with 36 per cent of tickets snapped up by local residents. The new gigs were announced as a city council report estimated the shows to be worth £5.5 million to the economy.
DF Concerts, who revived the staging of large-scale concerts in the gardens in 2018, said this year’s season would be “a truly unique landmark event in the UK’S music calendar.”
Sir Tom Jones will be making his second appearance at the Summer Sessions after opening the inaugural festival, while Simple Minds will be performing in the gardens for the first time since their Hogmanay show in 2012.
Singer Jim Kerr said: “No one enjoys playing in Scotland more than we do, and we are sure that fans from far and wide will want to join us for what is set to be a memorable concert in our capital city. We look forward to it immensely.”
Travis will be staging their first major outdoor show in Edinburgh as part of the Summer Sessions, while The 1975 will be playing a year after a headline slot at DF Concerts’ Summer Sessions season in Glasgow’s Bellahouston Park.
Travis frontman Fran Healy said: “We are very excited to announce this show – the venue is pretty breathtaking.”
Richie, who will be appearing in the city for the first time since an Edinburgh Castle concert in 2015, said: “I’m really looking forward to heading backtoscotlandnextsummer.
“The crowds are some of the best in the world and I can’t wait to get back over there.”
Brit Award-winning poprock band Mcfly said: “It’s going to be an amazing show in front of Edinburgh Castle.”