KT Tunstall, Travis and Wet Wet Wet back campaign to save Edinburgh music venues

Hosted by Vic Galloway, #SaveOurScottishVenues will begin with a special performance by Travis frontman Fran Healy on Thursday (18 June) in a bid to support venues struggling in the coronavirus pandemic.

Healy will play an acoustic set, streamed on Facebook for free, from a hillside overlooking Los Angeles.

Other acts taking part include Scots pop legends Wet Wet Wet, Kilmarnock indie favourites Fatherson, The Xcerts, Hunter and the Bear, Be Charlotte, Hue and Cry and Anchor Lane.

Edinburgh-born KT Tunstall wants to save grassroots venues.

The virtual festival starts on Friday, June 19 from 8pm across three "stages", with tickets costing £5.

In addition, tickets costing £8 will allow fans to then revisit the performances on catch-up over the weekend of June 20-21.

More live performances will take place on Saturday June 20 from 10am - tickets £8 - with catch-up available until Sunday June 21 at 10pm.

Venues benefiting from ticket sales and donations include the Glad Cafe, Audio and Ivory Blacks in Glasgow; Sneaky Pete's, Summerhall and Bannerman’s in Edinburgh; Temple Falkirk; PJ Molloys in Dunfermline, and The View in Oban.

Speaking about the festival, Bathgate musician La Volpe said: "It's absolutely vital that we support grassroots venues at the moment because, let's face it, life's sh** without gigs.

"They've all had the rug pulled from under them by this whole terrible situation and the longer it goes on the harder it is for them to survive with no money coming in."

He added: "The team at Music Venue Trust is working incredibly hard to support them and I'm really happy to be part of Save Our Scottish Venues alongside all these legends.

"Every single successful musician has been given a hand up by grassroots venues putting them on in front of people who love discovering new music.

"It's time to give them a hand in return so every single venue can make it through this incredibly tough period and get the doors open again as soon as possible."

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