World Music, Celtic Fusion and Rock in the Highlands

Belladrum, UK – The Belladrum Festival will feature headliners
The Proclaimers, plus The Bees and British Sea Power, who will be making their
only festival appearances north of the border. These are joined by Friday
headliners Alabama 3, the Peatbog Faeries and triple folk award winner Karine
Polwart in a feast of rock, Celtic, country, blues, folk and world musical
talent featuring 45 acts across three stages. The event will take place in the
Italian Gardens, Belladrum, near Beauly, Inverness-shire on Friday 12th and
Saturday 13th August 2005.Other prominent acts at the festival include Ricky Ross (Deacon Blue), Woodstock
vets Country Joe MacDonald, Jah Wobble, Black Velvets, Bluetones, Trashcan
Sinatras, Michael Marra, the Jim Hunter Band, Endrick Brothers, Sundown, Poor
Old Ben, Cinematics and Hazey Janes.

A world music element will be supplied by Afro-Celtic fusion exponents Baka
Beyond, Canadian rock/folk fusion band The Duhks, Dexter Ardoine and the Creole
Ramblers and N’Faly Kouyate. Also featuring will be alt-country cowpunk Jason
Ringenberg, Heather MacLeod, Andy White, Hotlicks Cookie, the Karl Broadie Band
and the Unholy Trinity – Ronnie Elliott, Terry Clarke and Wes McGhee.

In the first four weeks of sales, tickets have been taken up at roughly ten
times the volume of last year’s festival at a similar stage. “We haven’t even
put a poster up but we’ve been deluged by demand,” said festival organizer
Joe Gibbs.

“We were caught on the hop by the volume at first, but most people now are
getting their tickets within 14 days.” He advised would-be festival goers to
buy early, as early indications are that despite its increased capacity and
two-day duration, the festival may repeat last year’s performance and sell out.

Available on-line at
www.tartanheartfestival.co.uk, tickets can also now be bought 24 hours on
0871 220 0260. They are now on sale over-the-counter too in Glasgow and
Edinburgh at Tickets Scotland; in Dundee at Groucho’s; in Aberdeen at One Up
Records; and in Inverness at Hootananny’s, Eden Court and MVC.

A strong Highland presence includes Stetsonhead, the Galipaygos, Ruthless Blues,
Andy Gunn, Davy Cowan, Calamateur, Michael Wadada, Ruth Sutherland and the Feis
Rois Ceilidh Band.

Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival is a mellow, family-orientated music and arts
festival which takes place in the sensational setting of the old Italian Gardens
at Belladrum Estate, near Beauly in the Scottish Highlands. Attractions include
street theatre, cabaret, cinema, kids’ amusements, dance, alternative therapies,
crèche, stalls, food and drink.

Weekend tickets cost £50 (incl VAT, excl booking fee) and entitle
holders to free parking and camping 4.00 PM 11th August – 1.00 PM 14th August.
Children under 12 enter free. Passes are needed for both camping and under 12s.
Check the web site
www.tartanheartfestival.co.uk for details. Day tickets will go on sale if
any are available on 27th June. Friday day tickets will cost £25 and will not
allow camping. Saturday day tickets will cost £35 and will allow one night’s
free camping on 13th August. Under 12 tickets will be available on both days.
Both day tickets allow free parking.

BBC Radio Scotland’s Celtic Connections Program has come on board as a media
partner with the festival. And for a second year, Belladrum Festival has
announced that Maggie’s Cancer Care Centre will be the beneficiary of a
charitable donation from the event.

Contact: Belladrum Tartan Heart
Festival, 01463 741366; Joe Gibbs, Phoineas House, Belladrum, By Beauly,
Inverness-shire IV4 7BA;
info@tartanheartfestival.co.uk.

[Photos: 1 – N’Faly Kouyate, 2 – The Duhks].