Set to Rock the Town
This years Mull of Kintyre Music Festival is set to rock the town on August 21 – 25 with another fantastic line-up across the 5-days of concerts and open air events.
Some of the best bands and musicians from across Scotland will perform at the 7 ticketed concerts with headline acts including Trail West, Dougie Maclean, Katie Macfarlane, Grouse Ceilidh Band, The Canny Band, The Sarachs and Slainte Davaar Allstars.
The Saturday night Glen Scotia West Coast Rocks Concert on Aug 24 headlines with Scot Trad Awards Live band of the year for 2023 Trail West. They will supported by Rhuvaal performing at the festival for the first time in two years. The Laurettes making their festival debut open this concert which promises to deliver the fullon west coast festival experience in the Victoria Hall.
Headlining the Traditional Concert on the same night is the legendary singer songwriter Dougie MacLean who is internationally renowned for his song Caledonia. Opening the concert are Dàna, a five piece all female band who are making their debut at the event. This fantastic concert of songs and tunes will be held in Campbeltown Heritage Centre. On Friday Aug 23 the Grouse Ceilidh Band who got the whole audience on the floor last time they performed at the Festival Ceilidh Night make a welcome return and are guaranteed to get everyone dancing once again. Following two fantastic performances at last year’s event, Argyll Ceilidh Trail are back making the debut at the Festival Ceilidh Night playing straight after the Dalriada Connections Band. The award-winning Kintyre Schools Pipe Band will open the concert following a performance at the head of the Old Quay.
This year’s Beinn an Tuirc Gaelic Concert in the Argyll Arms Hotel, Campbeltown on Wednesday August 21 opens the festival celebrations with one of the top young Gaelic singers, Katie MacFarlane who will be accompanied by Pablo Lafuente and Michael Biggins. With many more local and visiting musicians TBC, this will be a night of tunes, stories and songs from a host of outstanding Gaelic performers.
The following night on Aug 22 the Young Folk Night promises another great selection of young performers from across Kintyre in Campbeltown Heritage Centre. We are also delighted to welcome on board Spoons Ice Cream Café as sponsors of this years YFN Concert.
The Dalriada Connections Concert on Aug 25 has two wonderful headline acts. The Sarachs featuring Anne Leith, Les Oman and Alex Johnson performing a set full of Kintyre songs before The Canny Band, performing for the first time at the festival. This three-piece band cook up an effervescent mix of trad-based material with borrowings from classical, jazz and beyond and are not to be missed. A host of other musicians including Scooter Muse (USA) and Ciaran Mulholland (NI) will also perform, don’t forget to pick up your Kilkerran Distillery whisky miniature at the door.
Once again, we are delighted to have Kilkerran Distillery as sponsors for the legendary Survivors Night which brings the festival to an end with a concert which helps showcase the hugely talented bands and musicians form the local area. Campbeltown’s own super-group Slainte Davaar Allstars will once again close the concert by performing a fantastic set of new tracks.
Trail West
Dougie MacLean
Katie Macfarlane
The Kintyre Schools Pipe Band take to the main stage once again, as will the wonderful We.R.Soul with their powerhouse vocals, rhythm sections and dazzling horns. Many more bands are still TBC. Alison M Leith will MC.
News on Saturday’s open-air events plus other Festival attractions will be in next week’s Courier.
Tickets are now on sale for all concerts from A.P. Taylors, Main Street Campbeltown and on-line from the festival website as www.ticketweb. co.uk and from TicketWeb. For more updates go to the festival website, Facebook page or email mokfest@hotmail.co.uk.