Legendary London 2 Tone ska band Madness are making their first appearance at Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival (4-6th August 2016
Madness spent 214 weeks on the UK singles charts in the eighties and have had 15 UK top ten singles. The band have won two Ivor Novello awards. The Darkness’s 2003 debut album ‘Permission to Land’ went quadruple platinum and they are currently on their fourth album.
Promoter of 16,500 capacity event Joe Gibbs said: “What a party we’re going to have. It’ll be ‘Don’t let the Bella’s end’ when those consummate live entertainers The Darkness play on Thursday night and on Madness Saturday, the festival will become one big ‘House of Fun.’ This year is shaping up to be another ‘I was there’ moment for Bella fans.”
Also making a first appearance at the event is American alternative hip-hop group Arrested Development. Billed for a return as Hothouse stage headliners are Belladrum favourites Alabama 3 while the Highlands’ own Rachel Sermanni makes a very welcome return to the Black Isle Brewery Grassroots Stage. And of course The Dangleberries will be there to keep the afternoon audience at the garden stage jiving.
Mercury nominated Scot C Duncan will be on the Bella bill for the first time, joined by returning Scottish Folk favourites Breabach & Tweed Ceilidh Band. It will be first appearances from Ayrshire duo Bella and the Bear who won best newcomer at the Scottish Alternative Music Awards, and Galloway sisters The Mermaids. Charlotte Brimner will be returning under her new moniker Be Charlotte along with The Dolly Parton Story who brought the house down in the Grassroots tent last year.
Now in its 13th year, the theme of the 2016 festival will be ‘Superstition.’
Published on 10 December 2015 by Ben Robinson
