Excitement is growing as the Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival bursts into life today – not least among Aberdeen’s own The XCERTS.
The alt-rock trio are making a welcome return to the massively popular event – and frontman Murray Macleod says they can’t wait to get in front of the thousands of fans flocking to the music spectacular near Beauly.
“We’re absolutely delighted to be heading back. It’s been a long time since we played – about 2008 so we’ve been badgering our management about getting us back on and lo and behold, we asked and we received,” said Murray.
“We’re absolutely buzzing, and the line-up is fantastic this year – it’s really so strong – so we can’t wait. And for us, it’s a pretty magic festival, it’s got a real community spirit and family feel, which I love.
The XCERTS promise a treat for fans at Belladrum with songs old and new
“Last time we played we were very young and had a really small following, so I think we’ve got a few more people on our side, so I’m hoping they come out in droves.”
And while it’s a treat for Murray and bandmates Jordan Smith and Tom Heron, he wants to give fans a treat, too, with their Saturday set full of the emotive, energetic, and passionate music that particularly marks their live performances.
“We’re going to play a few from our new album – about three new songs – and the rest of the set is kind of spanning our career. It’s a good mix, we’ve got about 45 minutes at Belladrum, so we’re just going to pack it with as much power as possible,” said Murray.
“We’ll be playing Feels Like Falling In Love, which is probably our biggest song, and we’ll be playing a special one for the north-east, Aberdeen 1987. It’s an acoustic number which always seems to bring out the magic in a performance with myself and the crowd, so I’m really looking forward to playing that one.”
The XCERTS are playing the last day of Belladrum on Saturday, part of a massive bill that day which includes the likes of Travis, Scouting For Girls and Peat & Diesel – and Murray hopes to catch some of their performances.
“I’d love to see a few acts play. Pale Waves are headlining our stage and I’ve never seen them before but very much liked that band for quite a long time, so very much looking forward to seeing them – and Travis, too.”
New album on the way from Aberdeen’s own The XCERTS
This is a busy time for The XCERTS – formed by Murray and Jordan when they were just 13-year-olds after meeting in the headmaster’s study at Robert Gordon’s College.
On the day we were chatting the band were busy filming a music video for new single Love Sick – “a big pop production” – which is coming out just before the release of their new album, Learning How To Live And Let Go, set for release on August 18.
Murray said the post-lockdown album is something of an experimental record for The XCERTS.
“There’s still definitely The XCERTS thread that runs through it, but it was time for us to shake things up and reinvigorate ourselves. It’s in the title – Learning How To Live And Let Go – we had to let go of a lot of the fear,” he said.
“When we were younger we were very much focused on what we deemed was cool. Now we are a little bit older and experienced a lot of highs and lows of life, cool to us is being vulnerable. That’s what this record is, very vulnerable and very transparent.”
That includes The XCERTS bringing influences from a range of different genres, from the punk the three of them grew up on, to “poppy stuff” to acoustic music and even a jazz solo.
“Musically, it’s kind of all over the shop. We really wanted to throw everything at the wall and it would appear that everything stuck,” said Murray.
You can hear Aberdeen in our music says The XCERTS frontman
In a nod to their Aberdeen roots the band – now based in Brighton – will be launching the new album on the day of its release in the Granite City, with an intimate performance and signings at HMV on August 18.
“That was important to us. Aberdeen is in our blood, even though we don’t live in the city we’re still back there a lot and our families are still in town,” said Murray.
“The city birthed the band and I feel like you can hear Aberdeen in our music. I don’t know if that makes sense to anyone else, but it does to us.”
They will be taking Learning How To Live And Let Go to a wider audience with an October tour off the back of the album, including Aberdeen’s The Lemon Tree on Friday October 13.
“We’re really excited to get back in that room,” said Murray. “We grew up in awe of that venue and so the fact we get to headline it, is really special.”
Belladrum is an important festival for Scotland and UK says Murray
Not ones to rest on their laurels, The XCERTS – who have built a massive and loyal fanbase since they formed in 2001 – are already planning to get back in the studio and write their next album, aiming to release a single from that new venture at the start of next year.
But before all of that is Belladrum this weekend – a festival which Murray feels is important to not only the Highlands.
“It attracts people from all over Scotland, from all over the UK. People really enjoy the idea of getting to see the beautiful sights of Inverness and the north of Scotland and see some bands while they are at it,” he said.
“So I think it’s an incredibly important festival for Scotland and the UK in general.”
The Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival runs from Thursday July 27 to Saturday July 29. For more information visit tartanheartfestival.co.uk
