Bands

Tunes by the Dunes 2023 are delighted to announce that the following acts will be joining us this year and we hope you are as excited as we are to see some of the best live acts in Scottish music doing what they do best on our stage!

WhiskyWhisky are a six piece band that play a wide variety of music from traditional Scottish, Irish, country, 60s, pop. They tend to rock things up as the night progresses whilst always playing to the audience.

Trail West

Trail West are a band leading the thriving scene of Gaels in the city of Glasgow.

Having started out as a four-piece line-up with strong links to the Hebridean Isles of Tiree and South Uist, Trail West now perform as a six-piece outfit with the addition of Jonathan Gillespie from Glasgow on keyboard and vocals along with Allan J Nairn from Ardnamurchan on electric guitar.

To date they have released four albums, showing the band’s progression with a wide selection of songs becoming an integral part of their repertoire alongside the recognisable accordion and whistle combination of Seonaidh MacIntyre and Ian Smith.

2020 was supposed to be a very special milestone, celebrating Ten Years of Trail West. As with the majority of events over the course of the year, the celebrations were put on hold, including the main event which was a first ever headline show in the famous Barrowland Ballroom in Glasgow.

TorridonFolk rock Highlanders TORRIDON have built up a reputation for rocking venues and festivals throughout Scotland, including BELLADRUM’S TARTAN HEART, LOOPALLU, and MULL Festivals. They have had huge performances at the IRONWORKS Inverness, Glagsow's O2 ACADEMY and Aberdeen’s LEMON TREE. Not only has their success seen their entertaining Folk/Rock scintillating performances stir up the nation in Scotland, the band have also had European success with events in Ukraine, Italy and most notably PARIS, France.

The Tumbling SoulsThe Tumbling souls are a country music band from the Isle of Lewis, comprised of members of Face The West, Astrid and Ho Ro. Their sound is heavily influenced by the Country music and Bluegrass of America from the 50’s and 60’s with just more than a hint of Scottish Traditional music seeping in through the instrumentation of the band. The Tumbling Souls were formed in April 2017 and have recorded their debut album which is due for release in the late Summer on Stornoway’s Wee Studio Records.

The Chair

We're The Chair. Yes, yes, we know: Why such a boring name? Suffice to say, we're not proud of it, but enough people have lied and told us they like it, so we've stuck with it. Let's face it, it's a lot less scatological than The Stool.

So, yes, The Chair. From Orkney. Celtic Connections once said we “combine a benignly hedonistic version of Viking berserker spirit with a formidable breadth of musicianship”. We quite liked that.

Oh, and there are eight of us. Not only quality, but quantity as well. Bargain.

Skipinnish

Skipinnish are riding an ever-growing wave of popularity and the last 2 years have been the biggest for the band since they began way back in 1999 when co-founders Andrew Stevenson and Angus MacPhail joined forces. With increased numbers in the band from these early days and with the addition of lead vocals and full back line, recent years have seen this band hit the very top of the music scene in Scotland. With hit after hit of self penned songs and a strong mix of powerful bagpipe, fiddle and accordion led tune sets, they encompass the very best of contemporary Celtic Music.

Their large and growing fan base is such that Skipinnish are regularly selling out in advance some of the biggest venues in the country. From Eden Court Theatre in Inverness - where they filled 2 consecutive nights - to the iconic Usher Hall in Edinburgh and from the Albert Halls in Stirling to the famous Barrowland Ballroom in Glasgow, every show has been full and audiences have been going wild!

Manran

"Mànran live are electric and quite simply unstoppable" - Sunday Herald

“Mànran are up there with the best folk-rock bands our country has ever produced.” The Daily Record

"Gaelic folk superstars" - BBC Radio Scotland

Fàilte bhlàth oirbh uile!

Multi award-winning Scottish supergroup Mànran have been at the heart of the Scottish traditional music scene for over a decade. Internationally recognised as one of the most iconic and respected Scottish bands on the road today, the seven-piece show no signs of slowing down as they continue to push boundaries and explore new musical and geographical territory, bringing their uplifting and unique live performances to stages across the world.

With three hugely successful studio albums under their belt, in October 2021 the band released their fourth, titled ÙRAR to critical acclaim, and adding to their success, lead female vocalist, Kim Carnie was crowned ‘Gaelic Singer of the Year’ at the 2021 Hands up for Trad Awards.

Having played in over 30 countries, including the USA, Asia and Australia (where they were awarded the accolade “International Artist of the Year” at the Australian Celtic Music Awards) this multifaceted musical powerhouse has gathered a loyal fanbase worldwide, due to their self-penned tunes performed on a mixture of traditional and modern instruments, outstanding songs in Gaelic and English and vibrant live performances.

Callum BeattieCallum Beattie’s story is one of truth and persistence. The songwriter started his journey more than a decade ago, and he’s done it the hard way – but, as he insists, it’s the only path worth a damn. After years spent knocking on the doors of London record execs, this Scottish-based talent found that by remaining true to himself he could communicate in a way that few could match. Debut LP ‘People Like Us’ was an astonishing breakout success on its 2020 release, but with new album ‘Vandals’ he wants more – much more. Brought up in a working class, single-parent household on the fringes of Edinburgh, Callum Beattie quickly gravitated towards music. His father would constantly have the stereo playing in their tiny flat, educating his son in the classics – vintage blues, soul, and rock. Led Zeppelin and David Bowie became early touchstones, before Callum discovered groups like Oasis. “Anything with a good song, that’s all I really cared about, that’s what would catch my ear,” he recalls. “And then I start reading the writing credits of a lot of these artists, and just became obsessed with writing songs… so I got a guitar and started doing it myself.” Hurling himself into the local open mic circuit, Callum Beattie pushed himself harder and harder. Bold and ambitious, every gig became an opportunity to make a connection, finessing his craft in front of the some of the demanding audiences around. “When I write songs, I’m imagining that people are screaming them back to me at festivals,” he says. “If I don’t get that feeling, then I probably won’t stick with it. I like anthemic music, and I guess this new album is exactly that.” But it’s taken a huge amount of commitment to get to this point. During those soul-sapping weeks and months in London, Callum Beattie was told to change virtually every aspect of his life – his accent, his sound, even his name. “I went down there to follow my dream,” he says. “So to hear stuff like that… well, you can imagine how pissed off it made me. It made me incredibly rebellious.” Returning to Scotland, guitar in hand, Callum Beattie’s lucky break came when a dance DJ lifted his vocal, and placed it on a club track. Ears pricked up, 3 Beat Records intervened and suddenly doors began opening up. Debut album ‘People Like Us’ became a phenomenon, hitting the top spot on the Scottish charts and breaking out nationally. The hard-hewn home truths behind ‘Salamander Street’ for example – in actuality, about the life of a prostitute – or the naked emotion of ‘Daddy’s Eyes’ won over countless fans. Callum Beattie’s route is paved with empathy, a working class voice speaking with a profound honesty. “You have to have emotion,” he says. “That’s what music is – it’s about making somebody feel better about their life. And it’s also storytelling. They’re all stories, every song.” Unrepentant about the world he grew up in, Callum Beattie equally isn’t asking for a hand-up, or a sympathy note. “I hate sob stories,” he says. “This isn’t X Factor. Yeah, I was brought up by my Dad and things were difficult but there’s a lot of things to be celebrated there, as well. Let’s look at the positives. That’s what I’m trying to get out of it, really.” New album ‘Vandals’ goes right back to his roots. A selection of songs penned about Scotland, working class life, and coming of age, it also contains a rare universality. Worth comparing to peers such as Gerry Cinnamon, there’s also a hint of Frank Turner into his precocious, speakingtruth-to-power sensibility. At times, it’s almost punk in its desire to be up-front, raw, and – especially – honest. “It’s nice to be back in Scotland, doing this new album – everything about it is Scottish,” he grins. “Every person who played on it is Scottish. It was recorded in Glasgow, written in Glasgow. It feels more natural now that I’m away from that world.” Recorded at Castle Of Doom in Glasgow alongside close friend Chris Marshall, Callum eschewed fly-by-night London music industry tactics by building his band with people like him - ambitious, rough around the edges musicians from Scotland’s live music circuit. “I spoke to my manager, and I just said: look, I want to do things differently. I just want to work with people who have got good energy and are hungry to make a good record. I picked up some friends I knew, from my years playing in the pubs. Now they’re in the band, and it feels good.” After 18 months of pandemic enforced lockdown, the quickfire album sessions came as sweet relief to this relentlessly ambitious songwriter. “The feeling of just going into a studio, turning the guitar up full blast, and start strumming away… there’s no better feeling, really.” Lead single ‘Heart Stops Beating’ was also the first song recorded for the album – a breakneck slice of indie-punk that splices towards Buzzcocks and the more refined songwriting of Lewis Watson, say. “It’s a statement of intent,” he says. “It’s full of spirit. Honesty. What you see, is what you get.” By contrast, though, a song such as ‘Mammy’ lay bare his childhood memories, that experience of love but also longing. “It's very therapeutic, writing songs. If you’re writing songs that are emotional, and close to your heart, then obviously it can be like opening a can of worms at times. I don’t find them particularly easy to sing, but that’s how you know you’re singing about something that’s real. It’s a good sign.” A record that is unrepentant, and ruthlessly honest, ‘Vandals’ is the sound of a songwriter finally able to speak to his truth. After years on the sidelines, this is Callum Beattie’s moment. “It’s so hard to see people do well, when you know as a songwriter you could wipe the floor with them. And I’m not meaning that in an egotistical way, it’s the hard truth,” he comments. “But equally I’m a great believer in creating your own luck.” On the brink of a key moment in his life, Callum Beattie is now balancing the scars of the past and the promise of the future. His new album ‘Vandals’ could transform his life – but he’s fought for the space to be his own judge. “At the end of the day I’ve made a record that’s me,” he says, “and I love it for that reason."

Brandon McPheeA Brandon McPhee concert is a mix of songs and tunes, some his favourites, others requested by people attending his shows consisting of a mix of Scottish, Country and Folk with a few surprises as well. Brandon and his five piece band are looking forward to appearing on Tunes By The Dunes.

Beinn LeeFounded in 2013 on the isle of Uist, Beinn Lee are a six piece renowned for their ability portray the natural beauty of the Outer Hebrides in musical form, encompassing the rich history of West Coast music; creating an experience that tells stories through every sense. Come along and let their music float you into a whole new dimension of beautifully crafted West Coast music!