Back on the march after two year gap
It had to go on hold for two years but the fifth‘March-Into-Pitlochry’is ready to roll in May.
The popular boutique festival in the Perthshire Highlands had to pull the plug on the 2020 event when the pandemic struck.
But acts including James Grant, of Love and Money fame, The Silencers and Jess and the Bandits have all agreed to make the trip to Pitlochry for the rescheduled event on May 20, 21 and 22 lined-up for Pitlochry Town Hall and McKays Hotel.
“It’s fantastic that we have managed to get the headliners on-board for the new May 20/22 dates,” said local businessman Steve Carruthers, one of a team of local music-mad volunteers which has ensured the not-for-profit festival has become one of the most-eagerly awaited events on the Big County music calendar.
“We were determined that the festival would spring back into life whenever the regulations allowed. The 2020 event fell victim to the pandemic a matter of weeks before we were ready to welcome everyone, ensuring that nine months of careful planning went up in smoke.
“Obviously it was out of our hands but at that stage we decided to look at potential dates for 2021.
“They came and went when we went back into lockdown.
“Last summer we decided we’d put things on hold until May 2022 rather than our customary dates in March.
“It’s amazing that everyone was available for the new dates and thankfully our many sponsors and those who bought tickets back in 2020 have also stood by us.
“James Grant will be playing an acoustic afternoon session at McKays along with Fraser Speirs on harmonica, The Silencers and awardwinning country rock band Jess and the Bandits are headlining at the 350-capacity town hall.”
Lead vocalist Jess Clemmons hails from Texas, so her touring schedule is only beginning to pick up pace again.
The Silencers first got together in the post-punk days of the late 1970s and their contemporary sound blends Celtic, pop and folk influences.
A number of additional bands will be announced at a later date.
Tickets sold for the 2020 festival remain valid and additional tickets are available through ticketweb and marchintopitlochry.co.uk priced £60 (for the weekend); £25 (Friday) and £40 for the Saturday line-up at both venues.