Soul sensations set for Doune the Rabbit Hole

Motown superstars Marthan Reeves and the Vandellas are set to play this year’s Doune the Rabbit Hole festival in rural Stirling.

The multi-award winning legendary 1960s girl group – once Marvin Gaye’s backup singers – are the perfect presentation of Motown sound and style.

The three-piece feature the beloved Martha alongside her sisters Lois and Delphine.

Named one of Rolling Stone magazine’s ‘Immortal Artists’, the group moved from being The Prince of Motown’s original backup singers to stars in their own right. They are famous for classic hits which include ‘Nowhere to Run’, ‘Jimmy Mack’, ‘Heatwave’ and ‘Dancing in the Streets’.

Their tracks have been covered by Mick Jagger and David Bowie, the Mamas and Papas, Dusty Springfield and the Grateful Dead and famous fans include singer Florence Welch and actor Jennifer Hudson.

The sparking line-up for the 2020 festival also features

Glasgow indie band Belle and Sebastian, and feminist Russian Punk band Pussy Riot who famously did jail time for defying president Vladimir Putin.

There will also be a clutch of Scottish bands including The Bluebells whose re-release of 1983’s ‘Young at Heart’ reached the number one spot in both the UK and Ireland nine years later, and Peat & Diesel from Stornoway who took the highlands music scene by storm with viral hit Western Isles before selling out Glasgow’s Barrowlands ballroom in a day.

Festival director Jamie Murray said: “We’re delighted to announce Belle & Sebastian, a homegrown, world renowned Scottish band as our Saturday night festival headliner alongside international acts including Russian art activist collective Pussy Riot and US soul legends Martha Reeves and the Vandellas with further exciting headliners to be announced in the new year.

“We continue to celebrate the homegrown alongside legendary international bands and the hottest bands from across the UK. We welcome Scottish highlands trio Peat & Diesel, legendary 1980s Scottish act The Bluebells, Bristol band Cut Capers and London’s Girl

Ray amongst others.

“This year we introduced Douniversity which was a huge success with talks from politicians, academics, journalists including Kristinn Hrafnsson, Editor in Chief of Wikileaks, Extincition Rebellion and in line environmental measures such as planning single use plastics from the site.

“Doune the Rabbit Hole is very much an inclusive and welcoming family environment and we will continue to accommodate young festival fans and their families and encourage fun, adventure and imagination with children’s activities, workshops and fun across the site.”

Doune The Rabbit Hole is one of only two dog friendly festivals in Scotland and will also feature the country’s best independent food and drink purveyors.

It takes place at Cardross Estate near Lake of Menteith between Friday July 17 and Sunday July 19, 2020.

For ticket information and updates on Doune The Rabbit Hole 2020 visit:

@dounetherabbit | #DTRH2020 | www. dounetherabbithole.co.uk | www.facebook.com/ DouneTheRabbitHole