Top stars lined up for the Southern Fried Festival

May 12 2009 by Alison Anderson, Perthshire Advertiser Tuesday

IN the week when Booker T Jones was special guest of music guru Jools Holland on his BBC TV Live with Jools Holland show, it was announced that the US soul superstar is one of the headline acts for Perth’s second annual Southern Fried Festival this summer.

This festival of American Roots Music, concentrated over three long hot days and nights from July 31 to August 2, features a blistering line-up of Americana from home and abroad.

Perth Concert Hall shares the Southern Fried bill with Perth Theatre, the ideal setting for late night acoustic slots and intimate club gigs.

The festive opens in Perth Concert Hall with two legendary American acts – Booker T Jones plus Mexican roots rockers, Los Lobos. Later on, in the more intimate surroundings of Perth Theatre, the audience will be invited to share songs of love, loss and redemption with songwriter Diana Jones, one of the most exciting young bands to appear on the American bluegrass scene – The Midnight Ramblers, and The Felsons – said to be Scotland’s finest country-rock band.

Southern Fried Saturday features potentially the biggest draw of the weekend in Perth Concert Hall – Lucinda Williams, a three times Grammy Award winner. In Perth Theatre later on Saturday evening, Louisiana native Mary Gauthier headlines a late night session which also includes cowpunk pioneer Jason Ringenberg and Perthshire’s Rancho Rebop and The Full Moon Howlers.

Sunday, August 2, will raise the roof of courtesy of Hayseed Dixie’s own unique brand of ‘deranged ensemble-playing’ of classic rock covers. Opening the proceedings on the Sunday evening will be the sweet harmony vocals of Baskery – three Swedish sisters who stormed onto the UK scene in 2008 with their highly acclaimed debut album, ‘Fall Among Thieves’.

Daytime activities will include music workshops, children’s activities and Southern Fried themed food tastings.

Conceived by Horsecross, the creative enterprise behind Perth Concert Hall and Perth Theatre, Southern Fried offers the widest choice of Americana of any comparable festival covering all the roots music bases with acts ranging from blues to bluegrass, New Orleans jazz and funk, soul, country and rock.

Festival director Andy Shearer of Horsecross said: “Last year’s Southern Fried Festival was a massive success and this year’s event is bigger, broader and better. It is particularly apt that in Scotland’s Homecoming Year, we are reprising the festival that offers the widest reach of American roots music around, much of which originated in Scotland and Ireland. Once again, we have attracted top acts from home and abroad.

“As well as the unmatched breadth of music on offer, Southern Fried is uniquely packaged so that it is concentrated over one weekend. With children’s events and music workshops in addition to the main performances, this is a great introduction to American roots music as well as a must-visit festival for existing fans.”

Tickets and event information from Horsecross: www.horsecross.co.uk, www.myspace.com/southernfriedfestival or call the Horsecross box office on 01738 621031.