Stars to rock the Highlands
Seven major music events are set to be held in the Highlands and Islands over a period of five months this summer.
Rod Stewart and Status Quo are lined up to perform at a football stadium and a former oil rig construction yard.
The Strokes and Leftfield are headline acts at RockNess, while the Blas, Belladrum and Loopallu festivals will announce their line ups soon.
Also, the Hebridean Celtic Festival – the Western Isles’ biggest event – marks its 15th anniversary this July.
Its headline acts will be announced in the next few weeks.
Sunday ferry sailings have allowed organisers to change the Hebridean festival’s main day of headliners to Saturday for the first time.
It had previously held its biggest nights on a Thursday and Friday because of the number of revellers from the mainland leaving on Saturday to get back home.
"They are very much respected events that have gone from strength to strength"
Robert Hicks
Promoter
Sunday sailings between Lewis and the mainland were launched in the week of the festival last summer, but too late for the organisers to change the programme of events.
Blas – held in the Highlands and regarded as an important showcase of Gaelic music and culture – is due to be held in September.
Highland Council, a key partner in the festival along with Gaelic organisation Feisean nan Gaidheal, expects to announce its level of funding for the event by the end of this month.
RockNess at Dores on the shores of Loch Ness will be the largest of the Highlands festivals.
Held in June and expected to attract more than 35,000 music fans, the event’s headline acts include The Strokes and Leftfield.
Last year, The Strokes’ debut album "Is This It" was named the best album of the decade by music magazine NME.
Leftfield will perform live for the first time in more than 10 years.
Radio 1 have team up with RockNess and its DJs, including Annie Mac and Rob da Bank, will host their own special tented areas.
Belladrum, near Beauly in August, has still to announce its line-up.
Last year, Editors and Ocean Colour Scene performed.
Loopallu, near Ullapool in September, has also still to make an announcement on who will be headlining this year.
Robert Hicks, promoter for Belladrum, Loopallu and RockNess, said each festival has strived to excel people’s expectations.
He said: "The three events’ reputations have made them leading lights not only in the Highlands and Scotland, but in the UK.
"They are very much respected events that have gone from strength to strength."
The summer of music kicks off in May with veteran rockers Status Quo headlining a charity concert to be held in a former oil platform construction yard at Whiteness, near Ardersier.
Rock 4 Life’s organisers, Caledonian Productions, had planned to stage the event at Bogbain Farm off the A9 near Inverness.
However, concerns about road safety were raised in meetings involving the police and Highland Council and the venue was relocated.
In July, Rod Stewart is to perform at Inverness Caledonian Thistle’s Tulloch Caledonian Stadium.
Elton John performed at the same stadium in 2007.
Caley Thistle chairman George Fraser described the Stewart gig as a "very positive step" for the club during financially challenging times.</p
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