Belladrum is the annual “dinner party” for one music promoter from Nairn, who says the growth of live music in the Highlands is “phenomenal”.
Rob Ellen says that over his 50-year career in the music industry he has seen a shift from live music squeezed into a back room of a pub, to Belladrum attracting 25,000 people.
Belladrum, he says, is the peak of his annual “stravaig” as he invites some of the many hundreds of musicians he meets each year to play at the Trailer Trash Stage at Moose Hollow.
Nairn was the starting point for Belladrum music
This year he has managed to bag some of the best names – musicians who, while they might not be household names, are the very best in country music.
Rob, who gave up in the oil industry in the 80s and opened Undercover Records in Nairn in the back of his aunt’s wholefood shop, says much of what he does is by “kismet” or serendipity.
“Louise Goffin is here by complete chance,” he laughs.
Goffin is daughter of songwriters Carole King and Gerry Goffin.
“She is in Scotland and asked if she could sing at one of our house concerts this week,” he continued.
“And it just so happened that there was a band that pulled out of Belladrum five minutes before she called.
“That’s kismet or providence or something. Whatever it is – she is a great addition to the Belladrum programme.”
Goffin is not the only big name to play on the intimate Belladrum Moose Hollow stage.
Rob continued: “From the States we mainly have Texans with us this year, which is nice because that reflects the four years before Covid when I was in Texas.
“It is four years since I’ve seen most of these people.”
He continued: “We’re ending the whole Belladrum shebang with the queen of honky tonk Libby Koch from Houston.
“And she fits right in with us. She plays the house band to their very best.”
In the 1980s Rob opened a second record shop in Inverness, where he sold the latest music – long before downloads or Spotify was a thing.
He said: “And then I thought, right, okay, how do I get some of these artists to play in the Highlands.
Cairngorms were a barrier at the time
“The Cairngorms were a massive barrier at that time. There wasn’t a PA system up here. There were local bands doing gigs and having great nights. But there wasn’t a dedicated venue.
“So I took over the back of the Phoenix Bar and put on gigs, and that actually started doing better than the record sales.
“And now look, the line up that Belladrum has is phenomenal. We have come a long way from live music in the back of the Phoenix Bar.”
For Rob, Belladrum and promoting real musicians is a labour of love. He said: “I help musicians now for a donation to my work. So, I’m beholding to other people for the Trailer Trash stage.
“Wherever I go, they are hosting me. Belladrum is like my annual dinner party, where people play for a meal ticket. And it works.”
For all you need to know about Belladrum, click here.
