Lyle Lovett to headline Perth's Southern Fried Festival

Apr 8 2011

A NEW season of cultural activities in Perth was launched yesterday.

The latest series of events planned for Perth Concert Hall and Perth Theatre was unveiled with a Western-themed flourish by Horsecross Arts, the organisation behind the twin venues.

Four-times Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Lyle Lovett – the former husband of screen star Julia Roberts – is to headline the Southern Fried Festival, which takes place from July 22–24.

Other artists involved in Perth’s fourth annual festival of American roots music include Stax! house band members Steve Cropper, Donald ‘Duck’ Dunn and Eddie Floyd, the Blind Boys of Alabama, Justin Townes Earle, Iris Dement, Raul Malo and Savoy Family Cajun Band.

Brandishing cowboy hats, staff from Horsecross gave a resounding ‘yee-ha!’ to the festival line-up yesterday at the launch of their official programme for May to August.

Willy Russell musical Blood Brothers will come to Perth Concert Hall in July, with X Factor’s Niki Evans taking on a starring role.

A musical about marriage, I Do! I Do!, starring real life husband and wife team Ian Grieve and Amanda Beveridge is at Perth Theatre next month, along with the witchcraft-themed production Six Black Candles.

Acclaimed Scots musicians Session A9 and Lau will come together in a one-off double bill at Perth Concert Hall, with Marillion front-man Fish to perform with The Fishheads Club in Perth Theatre.

High-octane fiddle-fest Barrage is expected to see an eclectic mix of music, song and dance in Perth Concert Hall in July.

Others highlights include teenage folk orchestra The Gordon Duncan Experience and Aberdeen International Youth Festival’s big band Ceol Mor in Perth Concert Hall, while traditional stars Aly Bain and Phil Cunningham will celebrate 25 years of touring with a Fair City gig.

Irish singer Mary Coughlan will be bringing her potent cocktail of jazz, folk and blues to Perth Theatre on August 26.

And for comedy fans, popular demand has led to an additional date being added for Jimmy Carr, who will perform in Perth Concert Hall on August 26 and 27.

The Lady Boys of Bangkok, singing stars Jane McDonald and Todd Gordon, and virtuoso trumpeter Alison Balsom have also been secured for shows.

And there will be performances from the Fair City Singers, the National Children’s Orchestra of Scotland, the London Schools Symphony Orchestra, the Netherlands Youth Orchestra and the National Youth Orchestra of Scotland.

Perth Youth Theatre will stage its annual takeover of Perth Theatre for a month-long festival in July.