Hebcelt Stage Slot Awaits Contest Winner

A prestigious stage slot in front of an international audience at the 20th anniversary Hebridean Celtic Festival this summer is awaiting the winner of a talent contest, which launches on Friday 20 February.

The CalMac Culture Music contest, introduced last year by CalMac Ferries Ltd, is aimed at finding the best amateur singers and musicians.

This year the search has been extended to include bands as well as promising singer/songwriters.

From tomorrow, entrants can submit a video of a performance of an original piece of music to YouTube using the #CalMacCulture and the title CalMac Culture Music and then encourage fans to view and like the video.

Deadline for entries is Sunday, 8 March and eight finalists will be chosen based on both the opinion of the judging panel and social media response to the video.

All eight finalists will then play live at King Tut’s in Glasgow on 27 March and will also win stage slots at summer music festivals, including HebCelt, which will be held in Stornoway in the island of Lewis from 15-18 July.

For more information see http://www.calmac.co.uk/culture

Last year more than 50 performers entered the competition and the eight finalists each performed three live acoustic tracks to judges at King Tut’s.

Sophie Rogers won a place at HebCelt last year

Among them was Glasgow-based singer and guitarist Sophie Rogers (https://www.facebook.com/sophierogersmusic ) who secured a slot at HebCelt where she was the first artist to perform on the newly-introduced acoustic stage.

Caroline Maclennan, HebCelt’s director and a judge at the contest, said: “The CalMac Culture Music contest is a wonderful event for unearthing talented performers and showcasing them to a wider audience.

“Sophie was a great addition to our list of artists last year and we look forward to seeing more emerging stars on stage this year.”

HebCelt, which was voted Best Event or Festival at the Highlands and Islands Tourism Awards in November, has already announced a diverse, international line-up to celebrate its landmark year.

This includes Grammy-nominated Afro Celt Sound System, Glasgow-based Treacherous Orchestra and Highland outfit The Elephant Sessions.

They will be joined by singer songwriter Chastity Brown, from Minneapolis; Canadian folk group Le Vent du Nord; Indian singer-songwriter, producer, and film score composer Raghu Dixit; Michigan roots ensemble Lindsay Lou & The Flatbellys; and Jamie Smith’s MABON, an inter-Celtic band from Wales.

Renowned Scottish singer Karen Matheson, will be heading her own band which will include husband and fellow founder member of Capercaillie, Donald Shaw; and is joined in the festival line-up by singers Siobhan Miller and Iain Morrison; electro/techno group Halcyon, new band Malin; indie pop and folk-rock six-piece Sunshine Social; and Earths, a folk and punk four-piece from the Borders.

http://www.hebceltfest.com/

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https://www.facebook.com/HebCelt

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