Detour Scotland Video blog from Rock the Fort Festival in Fort William. Music shenanigans in gondolas at Nevis Range to the bonnie banks in the Scottish Six Days Trial West End Marquee in Fort William, check it out

We’d like to take this opportunity to thank each and every person who attended this year’s Rock The Fort and helped to make it such a successful festival!

We’d also like to thanks all the amazing bands who played including: Bronto Skylift, Homework, James Mackenzie & The Aquascene, Kitty The Lion, The Stu Goodall Band, Russian Ninjas, Mitchell Museum, Pareto, We Are Soul, Panda Su, Lost In Audio, Naked Strangers, I Build Collapsible Mountains and Great White Elephant and The Shine.

The festival would not have been possible without the generous support of our partners and sponsors; The Scottish Six Days Trial, Event Scotland, HAIL Music, Highland Backline Hire, CMPS Productions and UHI College.

We fully intended to return even bigger and better next year – in the meantime stay tuned for all the latest reviews, round-ups, photos and videos from Rock The Fort 2011!

See you all next year!

Team Rock The Fort  x

Glasgow’s Detour, well known for filming cutting-edge music shenanigans in unusual settings, have just confirmed they will be descending on Rock the Fort Festival in Fort William. The collective’s profile has been growing considerably with one of their founders, Ally McCrae’s appointment as Scotland’s new BBC Radio 1 presenter.  Expect some live music adventures from some of Fort William’s most picturesque locations as well as footage from the bands performing on the main stage at the SSDT marquee, including Kitty The Lion, The Stu Goodall Band and The Shine. For a taste of what’s in store: www.youtube.com/detourscotland

To get you in the mood for Rock The Fort, we are giving away a FREE download album featuring some of the artists due to appear at the festival over the coming week. The album features eight tracks by the likes of Mitchell Museum, Bronto Skylift, Homework, Pareto and Russian Ninjas.

To download your copy simply click here

Due to the high volume of demand we have received for Rock The Fort Fringe tickets, we have now lifted the ticketing process. This will mean that all Fringe activity will be fully open to the public with no need to present tickets or wristbands at any Fringe venue.  We greatly appreciate all those who took the time to go through the process and apologise for any inconvenience this decision may have caused. We have worked hard to deliver a truly fantastic Fringe programme and will be announcing full details tomorrow.

The FREE Fringe Festival will take place across four town centre venues, Cobbs Bar, The Crofter, Ben Nevis Bar and Fired Art on Sunday May 1^st. For further information please click here.

Glasgow-based noise-pop quartet Pareto enjoyed a fruitful 2010, picking up an impressive level of airplay and a series of support slots with the likes of General Fiasco, Attack Attack and Flood Of Red. With recent offering Paint Them Silver gaining an impressive response across the board and no shortage of praise for their charged live outings, the young four-piece are a seriously exciting addition to this year’s Fringe.

‘Crunchy guitars, loud/quiet bits, and a singalong chorus you could float the QE2 in.’ – Is this Music?

Full Fringe details will be announced over the coming days.

We are delighted to announce the addition of Panda Su and Scrap Brain to this year’s Fringe. Having recently confirmed the like of Mitchell Museum, I Build Collapsible Mountains and Lost In Audio, some of the most exciting emerging artists in Scotland are now set to descend on Fort William on Sunday May 1st.

Panda SU could be described as something of an enigma. Half Portuguese, born in the rural Highlands and having spent her formative years deep in the forests of Fife, she found her voice early last year with the release of the critically acclaimed Sicks & Bricks. The inclusion of the wonderful Eric Is Dead in the finale of Skins Series Four brought her to widespread attention and with recent offering I Begin more than delivering on her debut’s artistic promises, Panda SU is sure to deliver something really rather beautiful at Rock The Fort 2011.

‘beautifully dark pop songs, as earthy and richly textured as they are light and accessible’ – The Skinny
‘satisfying Folk-pop perfection’- Bearded Magazine

Controversial punk/grunge trio Scrap Brain are one of the capitals brightest new bands. The three-piece are quickly establishing a fearsome reputation in the live environment, with front woman Angie in possession of a rare star quality, oozing with confidence, charisma and sex appeal. If you’re looking for an entertaining, roller coaster performance at Rock The Fort 2011, look no further.

Full Fringe details  and additional acts will be announced over the coming days, for your FREE ticket click here.

Rock The Fort are set to take over Fort William High Street  on Sunday 1^st May with a series of special showcases boasting some of the most exciting emerging talent in Scotland. Acts announced so far include: Mitchell Museum, I Build Collapsible Mountains, Lost In Audio and local favourites We Are Soul.

The FREE Fringe Festival will take place across four town centre venues, Cobbs Bar, The Crofter, Ben Nevis Bar and Fired Art. One ticket allows entry to all fringe shows, to book simply click here

Full Fringe details and more acts will be announced over the coming days.

We are delighted to announce the addition of Bronto Skylift to Rock The Fort 2011. The ferocious Highland duo are fresh from a blistering sonic assault on the US which saw them generate a huge buzz at leading industry event SXSW and deliver at a series of shows in LA.

Bronto are one of the most exciting bands to have emerged from the Highlands in recent years and are an electrifying prospect in the live environment, but don’t just take our word for it:

“Dazzling beat combo. Live, they will set your face on fire.” The Skinny

“There’s melody and groove at the heart of their songs, and a passion in their delivery that would put most bands to shame.” The Scotsman

“The sound of a thousand angry bears running amok in a salmon farm.”Glasgow Podcart

Bronto Skylift play Rock The Fort on Fri 6 May. Get your free ticket HERE

Bronto Skylift

Welcome to the official website for brand new music festival Rock The Fort which is set to take place from 30 April – 6 May 2011 in Fort William, Scotland.

Photo of The Mystic Shoes by Al Donnelly