Cut Chemist, Transglobal Underground and African supergroup Les Amazones d’Afrique are amongst the international traditional and dance music acts participating in the inimitable Galloway music festival.
The festival attracts young and old to a scenic spot by a glittering river in the hills. The programme features a diverse line-up incorporating music originating from across the world, with more than a healthy splash of traditional Scottish sounds.
This year the event takes place from 24 to 27 May with Scottish and international acts coming from far and wide. Artists have been booked from the USA, Mongolia, the Netherlands, Spain, Egypt, Japan and Ghana.
Hailing from across West Africa, Les Amazones d’Afrique are an all-female collective of west African musicians campaigning for gender equality. Their line-up includes superstar divas of Mali and East Africa.
Cut Chemist, virtuoso of the turntables and original member of trail blazing LA hip hop band Jurassic 5 will play a rare and exclusive gig in Scotland.
Transglobal Underground, classic greats of the international world music scene return to Knockengorroch. Original innovators in tradition the band will appear in their original line-up, featuring Egyptian powerhouse singer Natacha Atlas.
Blues, country and folk music get the shamanic treatment from My Baby, an Amsterdam based pyschedelic trio who deliver driven hypnotic dance music, currently getting heavy radio airplay on BBC 6 music and further afield.
Anda Union combine different styles from across the ethnic groups and traditions of Inner Mongolia. Cultural icons of Mongolian music their repertoire is powerful, evocative, rousing and beautiful.
Inyal defy genres, taking traditional Scottish melodies and twisting and layering them with intricate beats and mesmerising arrangements.
Balkan Paradise Orchestra are an all female explosion of big Balkan brass and percussion sounds. Knockengorroch will bring this exciting Barcelona based group to the UK for the first time.
Closer to home, Glasgow based Kobi Onyame delivers conscious, uplifting, melodic rap music, sonically and visually drawing upon his Ghanian roots.
Awry are a Scottish band who play with tradition, twisting acoustic instruments, potent electrics and the Gaelic language. Over the years they have become Knockengorroch’s in-house Ceilidh band, delivering deft and raucous jam packed ceilidh dances on the Sunday afternoon, loved by festival goers. They will launch their much anticipated first album at the festival on Saturday evening.
Festival organiser Liz Holmes enthused ‘This year’s line-up is looking really exciting, both our Scottish and international names. We are really looking forward to the all female Catalan Balkan Paradise Orchestra and hosting our very own Awry’s first album launch. There isn’t a better place than our natural, open amphitheatre in the hills to hear the fantastic music we’ve booked to play.’
The line-up so far:
Transglobal Underground original line-up featuring Natacha Atlas, Cut Chemist, Les Amazones d’Afrique, Luke Vibert, Anda Union, Inyal, The Resonators, Mungos Hi Fi Sound System (full rig), My Baby, Honeyfeet, TootArd, Balkan Paradise Orchestra, Kobi Onyame, MALKA, Awry, Tankus the Henge, Jenova Collective, Yama Warashi, Cera Impala, Jemima Thewes, Viper Swing, Tilitose, Almatic, Dalmellington Silver Band, SCOPE, Khartoum, New Urban Frontier, Brimstone and Blake, Tangerine Cat, Only Takes a Day, Mellow Chants, Razorbills, Marina P, Dolphin Boy, Samedia Shebeen, Ixindamix, Luke’s Anger, Ben Pest, AAA Badboy, Nik Nak, Papa Shanti and many more live and dance music acts to be announced.
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