Top music talent lined up to perform at city’s Kelvingrove Bandstand
MUSIC legends Cat Stevens and Suzanne Vega will form part of the eclectic line-up at this year’s Summer Nights at the Bandstand festival which is being billed as “Primal Scream and friends”.
The Glasgow indie rockers will return to Kelvingrove Bandstand for two nights on August 11 and 12 with Bobby Gillespie’s old bandmates, the Jesus & Mary Chain, also booked to appear.
Singer-songwriters Richard Hawley and KT Tunstall and 1980s favourites Belinda Carlisle and Rick Astley are also on the bill.
As usual the 13-date festival will end with a Scottish band with Edwyn Collins and Altered Images taking this year’s closing slot on Saturday, August 15.
Rufus Wainwright will perform at the Summer Nights festival for the first time on August 1, while the King Creosote documentary and soundtrack. From Scotland with Love. is certain to be a highlight.
An extra date has been added to this year’s festival, which will run from July 30 to August 15 and tickets go on sale on Friday.
Suzanne Vega, who is best known for hits including Luka and Tom’s Diner, will open the event on July 30 with ‘Wild One’ folk/rock legend Cat Stevens performing on August 5.
The festival has become one of the most popular in Glasgow’s musical calendar, praised for its unique atmosphere by acts including Tom Jones and Burt Bacharach.
Edwyn Collins said he was delighted to see the bandstand restored and hosting a major music festival. He said: “I spent a lot of time in Kelvingrove in 1978/79, when I was an illustrator for Glasgow Parks.
“I designed and illustrated leaflets for walkways and nature trails, it was a very nice job for someone like me, the only paid job I ever had. I hardly remember the bandstand then, it was disused but I’m delighted it has been returned to its former glory.”
KT Tunstall said she was “thrilled” to be part of this year’s line-up and added: “It you haven’t experienced a gig at this special venue before, I highly recommend it.”
The festival was named Unesco City of Music Best Live Event at the Scottish Music Awards in 2017. Previous line-ups have included the Pixies, The Pretenders, Brian Ferry, Patti Smith and Primal Scream.
Mark Mackie, director of Regular Music, which hosts the event, said: “Kelvingrove Bandstand has such a fantastic atmosphere and the feedback we have had from both artists and audiences is that they have a great time just being there.”
Once again The Birra Moretti and Eden Mill Village will be serving drinks and gourmet street food throughout the night with gates open from 6.30pm.
Councillor David McDonald, Chair of Glasgow Life said: “Kelvingrove Bandstand is a unique venue and this year’s array of international and Scottish-born stars means music-lovers will be spoilt for choice this summer.
“As a Unesco City of Music, Glasgow is proud to welcome these prestigious artists to this first-class, open-air stage.”
Tickets for the concerts go on sale on Friday, January 24 at 9am from Ticketmaster, www. ticketmaster.co.uk or 0844 844 0444 and from all usual outlets.