Kaiser Chiefs have been announced to headline the Saturday night of this year’s Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival (6th – 8th August 2015; Beauly, Inverness-shire) in a Scottish festival exclusive and their first ever appearance at any Highland festival
The Leeds indie band formed in 2003 features Ricky Wilson, currently a coach on BBC Television’s ‘The Voice UK,’ as was last year’s headliner Sir Tom Jones. Kaiser Chiefs have enjoyed enormous critical and commercial success with a raft of best-selling albums and singles, three Brit awards including Best British Group, a NME award for Best Album, and a Mercury Prize nomination.
"2015 is going to be another big year for the Kaiser Chiefs and we’re thrilled to be invited back to play in Scotland, a place where we have had so many special shows. Our last show in Scotland is going to be hard to top. But let’s all give it a go” Simon Rix (Kaiser Chiefs).
The band’s only gigs in the Highlands were in 2004 when they supported the Ordinary Boys at The Raigmore and during a mini-tour in 2008 when they sold out two nights in Strathpeffer Pavilion in ten minutes. Songs such as ‘Ruby.’ ‘I Predict A Riot,’ and ‘Never Miss A Beat’ have brought the band fame worldwide. The Proclaimers have already been announced as the headliner of the festival’s new third day main stage evening programme on the Thursday.
Also announced to headline the Black Isle Brewery Grassroots Stage on the festival’s Friday night is the celebrated Glasgow singer Eddi Reader MBE who has had a highly successful solo career after fronting up the band Fairground Attraction.
Joining these on the line-up are Glasgow’s hot new indie band Honeyblood and Scots pop upstart KLOË plus: hot trad outfit Manran; Highland favourites Scooty & The Skyhooks who play the main stage on Bella’s new Thursday third day; Martin Stephenson & The Daintees; MacFloyd; Tantz; Torridon; Coco & The Butterfields; The New Madrids; Blackbeard’s Tea Party; Dizraeli & The Small Gods; Goat Roper Rodeo Band and Rusty Shackle.
“The Kaisers 2008 gig at Strathpeffer has gone down in Highland lore as one of those epic ‘I was there’ moments. Much to my disappointment, I wasn’t, so I’m really delighted to be able to bring the band back to the Highlands for their first ever festival here,” said Belladrum promoter Joe Gibbs.
Belladrum has also announced that its fancy dress theme this year will be ‘Superheroes.’ A Friday headliner will be publicised in due course, together with around 100 more acts.
The festival takes place on 6th- 8th August August 2015. A new optional premium three day ticket to an additional headliner performance on the main stage on the Thursday opening night has been added to the event. The Proclaimers have been announced to headline the Thursday night. Weekend, child (12 & under), campervan/caravan and electrical hook-up e-tickets can be purchased by going to the ticket link on the festival’s web site www.tartanheartfestival.co.uk or direct to www.skiddle.com Bella sold out in record time in 2014, and has sold out each of the last six years, often months before the event so fans are urged to buy early to avoid disappointment. E-tickets are more customer-friendly and less easy to scam, but printed tickets are also be on sale via the usual retail outlets.
Belladrum 2015 takes place in the beautiful Highland surroundings of Belladrum Estate, near Beauly in Inverness-shire. The independent festival has built a reputation for its eclectic line-ups, its offbeat non-musical entertainments and its all-ages approach. The festival won a VisitScotland Thistle Award in 2009 and is a past winner of the Grassroots Festival Award at the UK Festival Awards, the festival industry’s ‘Oscars’.
Published on 02 February 2015 by Ben Robinson
