Connect Music Festival will return to the Royal Highland Showgrounds in Edinburgh from the 25-27th August 2023. The festival celebrates music, comedy, spoken word and wellness, so there is a very eclectic mix of events taking place.
Scottish rock band, Primal Scream, will headline on the Friday, playing their most famous album ‘Screamdelica’. The album celebrated its 30th anniversary recently, so it will be a great opportunity to hear this one live. They are accompanied by one of Scotland’s favourite rock bands, Franz Ferdinand, American four-piece Future Island, house indie electronic-pop group Confidence Man, as well as London based duo Jockstrap, Ethan P. Flynn and Glasgow punks Humours.
From playing in King Tuts in Glasgow in 2021 to being nominated for a Grammy and a Brit award only two years later Fred again…will be an excellent headliner for the Saturday night. He will be joined by Edinburgh’s own Young Fathers, Irish singer-songwriter Roisin Murphy, queer indie-pop band MUNA or as their merch flaunts ‘the greatest band in the world’, electronic musician Kelly Lee, TAAHLIAH and Leith Ross. Iconic duo Optimo (Especaio), who have a huge loyal following after a years-long residency at Glasgow’s Sub Club, will also be playing on Saturday night.
To close the festival, American indie-rock supergroup boygenius, featuring Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers, and Lucy Dacus, will be headlining. Fresh off the release of their hit debut album, ‘the record’, this trio are definitely one to catch at the festival. London hip hop artist Loyle Carner will also be headlining, after his recent album ‘Hugo’ launched at the end of last year. Alongside these impressive headliners, Raye, Public Service Broadcasting, English rock band Lightning Seeds, Olivia Dean and Christian Lee Huston will take to the stage. Sunday will also see Scottish indie rock band Arab Strap, ‘folktronica’ artist Beth Orton, Wunderhorse, Kamal and Katie Gregson McLeod performing.
My top picks for the festival are MUNA and boygenius and I am so excited to see them perform at a Scottish festival for the first time. Connect festival boasts a very impressive lineup this year and it is bound to be a great weekend.