Imogen Calderwood
IT’S been compared to ‘Glastonbury, without the mud and loose morals’.
The Gibraltar Music Festival rolls into town on September 6, headlining Clean Bandit, Rita Ora and The Script among many other contemporary artists and old-time family favourites.
Now in its third year, the rockfest kicks off Gibraltar’s week-long national celebrations at Victoria Stadium.
In the build-up to the all-day, outdoor musical extravaganza at Victoria Stadium, Gibraltar’s Minister for Culture Steven Linares said he expects more than 10,000 people to buy tickets to see nearly 40 acts across four stages.
“This year’s edition of the Gibraltar Music Festival is set to be bigger than it’s very successful predecessors and is attracting more people from abroad to come to Gibraltar to enjoy it,” he said.
“With great live music from 12 midday until past 12 midnight, this festival will no doubt prove to be another great day out for the whole family.”
The Script have been pencilled in to headline the event since the beginning of the summer, and UK sensation Rita Ora is also set to, in her own lyrics, ‘roc the life’ out of the festival.
If you would ‘rather be’ dancing to house music, then Clean Bandit’s ‘extraordinary’ string quartet should satisfy your urge.
Spandau Ballet’s Tony Hadley will provide a musical trip down memory lane, while X-Factor winner James Arthur looks set to be a hit with the younger audience.
International artists also appearing on the bill include John Newman, Roger Hodgson and Maxi Priest, with a huge line-up of local supporting artists.
Counting the hours until Roger’s Hodgson show at the Festival! I saw Roger, voice and co-founder of Supertramp, last year at Royal Albert Hall and I am still thinking about that show today. Spectacular does not even come close. Roger’s voice sounds even better today than on my vinyls and I left that show with a spiritual lift that has never left. The intimacy and warmth felt from Roger is incredible and what a thrill it was for me to see him perform his songs that I have loved for years – Give a Little Bit, Dreamer, Take the Long Way Home, The Logical Song, Breakfast in America, and so many more! Check out this video from his channel for a glimpse of what we’ll see on Saturday – “https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMLNeSbtVN0”.