Getting in on the act at T in the Park fest

Apr 14 2009 by Andrew Welsh, Perthshire Advertiser Tuesday

HIGHLY-RATED rockers THE COURTEENERS head up a lengthy list of the latest additions to this year’s T in the Park bill.

The Manchester song-smiths, who will appear at the King Tut’s Tent, last played the Balado festival in 2008 when the band delivered what they regard as one of their favourite shows of last year.

Also booked for the same platform is Jewish-American singer / pianist REGINA SPEKTOR, who will showcase new material from her fifth album, Far.

Yet another important King Tut’s Tent attraction will be eccentric Scottish singer-songwriter EDWYN COLLINS, who’ll perform at the rural site on Friday, July 10.

With a three-decade career behind him, the former Orange Juice frontman has been recognised as a key trailblazer in the development of indie music since his early days with Glasgow’s influential Postcard label.

Collins, who’ll warm up for T by playing at Perth Theatre on May 24, says he’s chuffed to be making his Balado debut.

“It’s exciting to be playing at T in the Park,” he declared.

“I’ve never been there before, but my son and nephews and niece are there every year.”

Meanwhile, fresh from making an almighty impact on the South By South-West crowds in Texas, rising Scots outfit TWIN ATLANTIC, also from Glasgow, will step onto the event’s Futures Stage on July 11.

Others also now set to feature at the compact festival venue include Canadian electronic duo CRYSTAL CASTLES (July 10), indie supergroup THE HOURS, Dublin noiseniks FIGHT LIKE APES, New York’s THE VIRGINS (all July 11) and BBC Sound competition winner LITTLE BOOTS (July 12)

Elsewhere, English folk singer-songwriter FRANK TURNER will play the Radio 1/NME Stage, while Australian vocalist DANIEL MERRIWEATHER, who is best known for his part on producer Mark Ronson’s version of The Smiths’ classic Stop Me, makes up the latest ‘T eleven’.

He can be heard in the King Tut’s Tent on July 12, where he’ll perform tracks from his debut album Love And War, which is due out in May.