- NEW ACTS ANNOUNCED
- UNIQUE AUDIENCE EXPERIENCE WITH CINEMOR 77
- LAUNCH OF TIREE’S VERY OWN TYREE GIN
- A SPECIAL GUEST APPEARANCE
With less than two weeks to go until Tiree Music Festival 2017 a host of new acts have been announced, alongside a unique audience experience, the launch of the island’s brand new gin and a special guest appearance!
With the last few tickets available the countdown is on to get tickets to what was voted Scotland’s Best Small Festival at last year’s Scottish Events Awards. The Island of Tiree is often dubbed ‘The Hawaii of the North’ and with picture-perfect white sands and world-famous surf, TMF is more than just a music festival but instead a true island adventure to what has been described as one of the most stunning festival locations in the world.
Gary Innes, one of the new acts to be added to this year’s line-up, and Tide Lines’ front man Robert Robertson gave the new unique audience experience at this year’s festival a trial run. Social Enterprise group Cinemor 77 will bring their Cinema Yurt to Tiree Music Festival where they will offer special film experiences alongside a number of intimate gigs. With cushions and bean bags for seats and a capacity of only 30 people this will provide a unique experience for festival goers who will be able to watch their favourite artists perform in an intimate setting.
Robert Robertson, who will be playing in Cinemor 77’s Cinema Yurt, had this to say after trying it out, “It was brilliant, I have never seen anything like it before! I can’t wait to play a gig in such a unique and intimate environment, I think it will be really special and definitely one of the most memorable venues I’ll have ever played!”
An exciting new act to be announced for this year’s Tiree Music Festival is highland born accordionist, founding member of Mànran and presenter of BBC Radio Scotland’s Take the Floor, Gary Innes who will be performing his new album ‘ERA’ at this year’s festival, Scotland’s only summer festival to showcase the new material.
Another brilliant new addition to 2017’s Tiree Music Festival line-up is Glasgow’s Have Mercy Las Vegas .Following their launch onto the Scottish Music scene in 2011, Have Mercy Las Vegas have gone from strength to strength with their rowdy and eclectic mix of folk and blues and their celtic flair. Known best for their live performances where they fully show off their range of original songs, foot stomping hoe downs and even some harmonious laments.
Another addition to this year’s line-up is former front-man of the much loved Scottish Americana band The Felsons, Dean Owens. His compelling and engaging live performance connects with the audience through an emotional hurricane of stories and songs. He will be joined by his band, The Whisky Hearts, who are a mighty all-star line-up. Owens has been described by BBC Radio 2’s Bob Harris as “One of Scotland’s best” and with Russell Brand encouraging us all to “For God’s sake buy this album”, TMF can’t wait to welcome him to the festival.
Jam Sandwich will be returning to Tiree Music Festival again for 2017. When they last played TMF in 2014 Festival Director Daniel Gillespie remembers them nearly blowing the roof off the then brand new Big Top Tent, he says, “They created an electric atmosphere with their feel-good, high energy performance – absolute crowd-pleasers from the word go.”
Tamzene, the first signing to new label Belladrum Records, will also be performing at this year’s festival. Hailing from Cromarty in the Highlands of Scotland, Tamzene’s debut single ‘Lullaby’ has been released to critical acclaim and the TMF audience can look forward to hearing more of what this highly talented multi-instrumentalist has to offer.
Flame haired songstress Sophie Rogers will be showcasing her Caledonia soul and folk/pop fusion at TMF 2017. With a new EP coming out this year Sophie will be playing an array of new material as well as some old favourites from her sold-out EP ‘An Overflow of Words’ and album ‘Two Sides’. Sophie is no stranger to performing live having toured across the UK, Europe, USA and Canada.
Tiree Music Festival also looks forward to welcoming vocalist and guitarist Marianne Fraser, of folk ensemble CherryGrove, to this year’s festival. The keen songwriter describes her main influences as Karine Polwart, Boo Hewerdine, Nickel Creek and Regina Spektor.
The Sea Atlas, winners of the Calmac Culture 2017 competition, will also be performing their atmospheric folk rock at this year’s festival. From the Western Isles of Scotland this 4 piece draws inspiration from their Scottish surroundings when writing and performing their wealth of original material.
Another coup for the multi-award winning festival is the official launch of the Island’s brand new Tyree Gin taking place over the weekend. This brand new addition to the ‘Hebridean Gin’ is a true taste of Tiree with the flavour being achieved through six locally foraged botanicals which are ground together with Kelp and Sea-Belt from the wild Atlantic Ocean. Tyree was the original spelling for Tiree’s Post Office, established in Scarinish in 1802, the name was changed to Tiree in 1889.
There will also be a special guest performance from Anthony “Anto” Thistlewaite, long-standing member of Irish rock band The Saw Doctors, who will join Tide Lines on stage at this year’s festival. The multi-instrumentalist was a founding member of The Waterboys and has recorded with the likes of Bob Dylan, Sharon Shannon, Eddi Reader, Chris De Burgh, Robyn Hitchcock, Fairground Attraction and Psychedelic Furs to name a few.
Festival Director, Daniel Gillespie, said: “The countdown is well and truly on! I can’t believe in less than two weeks we will be welcoming an array of talented musicians to the island and also, of course, our inimitable Tiree Music Festival audience!
“There are some brilliant up-and-coming acts that are not to be missed this year, alongside some fresh new material from some well-known festival faces.
“We can’t wait to welcome Cinemor 77 to the festival this year too, this will be a really unique and memorable experience for our audience who will get to watch some of their favourite artists perform in such an intimate environment!”
Artists confirmed to play the Cinemor 77 Yurt are Siobhan Miller, Robert Robertson, Gentlemen of Few, Have Mercy Las Vegas, Dean Owens and The Whisky Hearts, Tamzene, Sophie Rogers, Marianne Fraser and The Sea Atlas.
The full 2017 line-up includes Scouting for Girls, Dougie MacLean, FunBox, Skipinnish, Skerryvore, Tide Lines, Siobhan Miller, Gary Innes, JigJam, Gunna Sound, Trail West, Heron Valley, Gentlemen of Few, Have Mercy Las Vegas, Dean Owens and The Whisky Hearts, Dosca, Jam Sandwich, Cornaig Ceilidh Band, Dùn Mòr, The Defenders, Tamzene, Sophie Rogers, Marianne Fraser and The Sea Atlas.