Belladrum Music Festival Preview 2008 by Ally Hunter.

Belladrum is building itself up a reputation as one of the best festivals in the country. It’s a bit smaller than others, and maybe that’s one of the main draws – it brings back more of a community feel in what has become an overwhelming festival season. And it has no trouble in attracting bands with a little bit more credibility than many festivals – from Idlewild and the Waterboys through to relatively new bands such as Twin Atlantic, the quality of this line-up is something to be reckoned with.

To say nothing of The Twilight Sad would be to miss out one of the key up-and-coming bands on the line-up. Their T Break appearance earlier in the summer was the most impressive show I have seen in a very long time, and from someone who spends so much time in the Queen Margaret Union with the amount of bands we have passing through on a weekly basis, that is not something I say lightly. Their lyrics, their style, and their musicianship are truly stunning.

Belladrum is one of those festivals that is not completely focused on music though: there’s a lot more going on than that. Opening with the “Crack It Open Ceilidh”, the festival seems to provide more of a community feel. Poetry, comedy, debate, and performance all take place in the Verb Garden and the availability of organic vegetables make interesting additions to the festival atmosphere.

The quirkiness continues as the festival closes with the Invenetian Masked Ball where you can let yourself go with whatever sort of fancy dress you like. All in all, Belladrum’s fifth year looks set to be a resounding success, and one of the most exciting of Scotland’s new festivals.