As part of Scotland on Tour, the exciting initiative to support the recovery of Scotland’s live music industry, hugely popular The Langan Band will play The Venue in Dumfries on Friday 7th October, and the powerful and emotive alt-rock band Foreignfox will take to the stage on Friday 28th October.
The Langan Band are high energy and extravagant in their music and performance. They are known for fusing the traditional Celtic genre with gypsy swing and presenting their work with punk abandon. The band is formed by John Langan on guitar, percussion and lead vocals, Alastair Caplin on violin and backing vocals, and Davin Tunstall on double bass and backing vocals..
Performing live, the three piece gives off a sense of spontaneity which keeps the audience engaged and on their toes. Their tunes have a contemporary feel, yet are laced with a traditional, acoustic sound.
John Langan said: “We’re really excited to be a part of the Scotland On Tour initiative; it’s enabling us to take our music all around our country, and to the places and audiences that are usually quite hard for touring bands to reach.”
Jonny Watt, Nick Hernandez, Lewis Hamilton and David McCulloch make up the Foreignfox four piece, producing music which is compelling, passionate and intense. Foreignfox performances are renowned for their raw and atmospheric emotion, as this band is unapologetic in its commentary on the hopes and fears of modern day living. Their tracks are anthemic and have real impact when performed live.
Lewis Hamilton of Foreignfox said: “Scotland on Tour is an amazing initiative that has given us the opportunity to get back on the road after a couple of tough years. We’ll be travelling to new places we haven’t been able to play before. Ever since watching the Frightened Rabbit Highlands Tour documentary we’ve wanted to perform in more rural parts of the country, taking our music to brand new audiences.”
Scotland on Tour will take place over a period of 12 months between April 2022 and 2023. Still to perform at The Venue is James Grant on Friday 25th November.
Cal Reid of LAB Grown Events, promoters at The Venue, said: “The Langan Band are legends down in Dumfries and Galloway with their regular festival spots at the likes of Knockengorroch World Ceilidh in Carsphairn and Eden Festival in Moffat, so to give them a headline show in Dumfries is exciting. I first saw Foreignfox supporting Nazareth and Big Country at Dunfermline East End Park and now the Scotland On Tour programme is allowing us to bring this incredible live band down to the South West and I couldn’t be more excited!”
Scotland on Tour supports the creation of hundreds of concerts and performances at much-loved arts centres, town halls and community venues across Scotland. More than 120 artists are set to perform at more than 100 venues across the country as part of the initiative.
The project, which has been created and managed by Active Events, was made possible by £750,000 of Scottish Government backing and will focus on increasing the number of opportunities to showcase and enjoy live music, while bringing exciting acts to the doorstep of city, towns, villages and rural communities.
The year-long Scotland on Tour bill includes both emerging and established artists with genre-spanning acts appearing across the breadth and width of the country, with rock, pop, jazz, classical, folk, trad and acoustic genres all being showcased.
Tickets for these and a raft of other shows are on sale now at www.scotlandontour.com.
Director of Active Events Lisa Whytock said: “This new initiative is a bold vision for recovery for Scotland’s live music industry and an opportunity for artists, promoters and technical crews to thrive once again. The backlog of postponed and cancelled shows over the last two years has made it very difficult for artists to book new concerts and this is where Scotland on Tour comes in, providing much-needed opportunities for exciting acts to showcase their music.
“Gig goers will also have the chance to see the best of Scottish music right on their doorstep. This will be particularly beneficial to underused venues and rural performance spaces where we will be breathing life back into these fantastic settings.”
Culture Minister Neil Gray said: “We’re delighted to support the live music industry with £750,000 to fund the year-long Scotland on Tour initiative to boost the sector’s post-Covid recovery.
“This is a fantastic opportunity for performers and promoters to get back in front of live audiences and for people to back our creative communities by supporting the hundreds of gigs that will take place in venues right across Scotland.”
Scotland on Tour is Funded by Scottish Government and organised by Active Events,
with input from representatives from across the industry including Creative Scotland, Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, XpoNorth and South of Scotland Enterprise.
To find out what new shows are taking place throughout Scotland, visit www.scotlandontour.com.
