The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Perth’s Southern Fried Festival cancelled due to pressures on budget
Major gig’s organisers want to meet the fans’ expectations for popular showpiece
Budget pressures have forced one of Scotland’s most-loved music festivals into hiatus.
Organisers have confirmed that Perth’s Southern Fried Festival will not go ahead this year.
The event, which attracts fans from across Scotland, is a city-wide celebration of Americana roots music and culture.
It has welcomed iconic acts as diverse as Steve Earle, Nick Lowe and Loudon Wainwright III.
The festival is scheduled to return in 2020 after the hiatus.
In a statement issued yesterday morning, festival director Andy Shearer said: “In its 11 years, we have welcomed a veritable who’s who from the Americana world to Perth for the Southern Fried Festival and created a genuinely world-class event that Horsecross Arts and the city is justifiably proud of.
“The festival has attracted a loyal fanbase from all over Scotland and beyond, many of whom return year after year.
“Our aim is always to make each festival better than the one before and I believe that we have achieved this in the great spread of artists and events we have attracted to Perth over the years.
“After much discussion, we have decided to take a break for 2019 and return refreshed and raring to go in 2020.
“Our decision is based on a number of factors including availability of headline artists and budget pressures.
“We think it is fair to Southern Fried fans to present them with a festival that meets their and our high expectations of the event.”
Mr Shearer added: “Building the festival from the ground up over the past few years has been a real labour of love for me and while this has been a hugely difficult call to make on a personal level, I know it’s the right and responsible professional decision under the unique circumstances we find ourselves in this year.
“We look forward to coming back in 2020 with another great Southern Fried line-up and meeting up with all our festival family and friends again.
“The active Southern Fried social media community will continue and we would welcome feedback and suggestions from our festival fans.”
Local SNP MP and former musician Pete Wishart said he was saddened the show will not go on this year.