It’s lovely to dress up for an occasion, and dress up for the Belladrum Festival the audience truly did! The theme of this year’s Tartan Hearts Festival was The Movies, well actually, ‘The Moovies’. At the ‘Bellawood’ Festival, the references to Highland Coos were everywhere. In fact, as soon as you crossed the Highland Fault Line at Perth, the Highland Coo image was on mugs, coasters, key-rings, cuddly toys and artwork. At the Belladrum Festival it appeared on all the movie posters to amusing affect. For instance, Matrix became Mootrix; Star Wars became Coo Wars and instead of a shark gracing the Jaws poster, yes, you’ve guessed it, it was the Highland Coo.
The festival goers had been asked to dress up in movie themed outfits, but a glance of the throngs of teenagers, there were no signs of Highland Coo inspiration. The Highland girls were instead clad in black lacy crop tops and bum skimming shorts: frilly, flouncy, puffed, many showing more than a glimpse of bum cheek above their finely tanned limbs. Very ‘unHighland’ like, not a shawl or a creel in sight. But that’s the Hollywood/Instagram influence for you.
On the opening night, Natasha Bedingfield was a huge hit and she certainly dressed up for the occasion in her ethereal white floaty dress, with flowing sleeves and fitted bodice, reminiscent of Stevie Nicks in Fleetwood Mac. And she could sing too. Her favourite song being Unwritten which the crowd chanted word for word, ….”feel the rain on your skin….” and as I later found out, all due to Natasha’s new found popularity as her song featured in the 2023 movie: “Anyone But You”. Natasha was thrilled with the appreciation, and she told the audience she was quarter Scottish thanks to her New Zealand lineage, as she continued to sing her heart out.
Paul Heaton of Beautiful South and Housemartins fame, headlined the opening night, and at his side was the exquisitely dressed singer, Rianne Downey. For those of us that still remember Lyn Paul of the New Seekers whose hand movements, ease with the mic, and compelling vocals made her so watchable, well, there was an exact replica of her in the shape of Rianne Downey. Wearing a canary yellow dress, in true 1970s style, it could have come straight from Karen Carpenter’s wardrobe. Rianne was glowing, in her prime, duetting with Paul Heaton, and taking on the lead vocals in: “I Know Your Problem, You Keep It All In,” and “Don’t Marry Her, Have Me”. She was pop star perfection and already dedicated to her craft. Together with Paul Heaton, they were a class act.
The second day of the Festival there was so much activity just wandering the pavilions. Dean, the most delightful magician held us enthralled with his satchel of tricks. There was a circus skills workshop where you could learn to spin plates or juggle and Madame FiFi’s Tent, where Highland, Line or Northern Soul dancing was demonstrated and free to join in. The highlight though for those of us of a certain age, was listening to the Dangleberries in the Walled Garden in the warmth of the evening sun, as they blasted out the King of Leon’s ‘Sex on Fire’, accompanied by the skirl of the bagpipes. The place was ablaze. On our way back to the Pine Chalets in Lentram, we stopped for a fish supper from the family-run Friary in Beauly. Delicious!
On Saturday, another young singer dressed up for the occasion in his bow-tie and highly polished black patent shoes. Michael Lewis, the 17-year-old Highland crooner entertained the audience with some Tinsel Town favourites: Sinatra’s ‘New York New York’ and Stevie Wonder’s ‘Lately’. Appearing on the Ice House stage, Michael Lewis melted the coldest of hearts of grown men, who were hushed by his lyrical phrasing, while the women grooved approvingly to his well-known Bubléesque repertoire. Michael’s school-boy good looks, bright eyes and thick head of hair, redolent of Rick Astley, was so unpretentious. When asked where he learned to sing so well, he answered with a smile, “To be honest, Tik Tok!” And the funny thing is, after singing each number, when met with fevered applause, he laughed in disbelief like an embarrassed teenager. Look out Michael Bublé, Michael Lewis from Inverness is heading to the US in January for a residency and is about to take your Crooner Crown.
Hamish MacDonald is a playwright, novelist, and poet who lives in Inverness. Hailing from Clydebank he is well known in the Highlands for his stand-up live entertainment. He was appearing at the Burke and Hare stage, and he was wonderfully dapper in his burgundy velvet jacket teamed with white shirt and jeans. He looked straight out of a Martin Scorsese’s ‘70s style New York film, and I was sure I had a similar velvet jacket myself back in the day, but then, who didn’t? His performance was the funniest, ‘grab you in the balls’ type of Billy Connolly humour that had the audience in stitches. Hamish was a fine-looking entertainer suitably dressed for the part and is appearing next at the Fringe Festival in The Not So Serious Burns Unit.
Now I have to admit I’m not a huge fan of Sharleen Spiteri, and after watching her on Kirsty Wark’s ‘Icons of Fashion’ BBC Scotland’s programme where she said virtually nothing about fashion, I wondered why she was ever included in the show? After all, she only ever wears a black t-shirt and jeans. Before her headlining appearance at the Hothouse Stage, I wondered if she’d dress up for the occasion. Maybe a ‘moovie’ themed little black dress in the Audrey Hepburn or Julia Roberts style? I’m sure she could pull it off. So when she came on stage in a glowing red/bronze bomber jacket, sleeves rolled up revealing her beautifully slim wrists ready for a guitar riff, I thought wow! She’s gone for the New York Saturday Night Fever look - and she’s pulled it off. But after she’d sung “I Don’t Need a Lover”, “Halo”, and “Here Comes the Summer Sun”, with the crowd instantly on their feet and in the palm of her hands, she announced, “Gee, its hot here for the Highlands! Seriously hot. I’ll need to take my jacket off.” And guess what she was wearing underneath? Yes, you got it. Her go to black t-shirt and jeans. Aaaah, Sharleen, you nearly had me for a moment, but your dressing up for the moovies sadly let the occasion down. But hats off to Sharleen the musician and singer for her 40 year career. She’s never had to constantly reinvent herself. She’s always let her music and talent do the talking. So maybe like the best of moovie stars, when they’ve reached the dizzying heights of fame, in the end, all they want is, like the great Greta Garbo, to be ‘left alone’, perhaps like Sharleen, in her black t-shirt and jeans.
To watch Belladrum Highlights: BBC ALBA Iplayer-Belladrum Stayed at Pine Chalets Lentram, Beauly Firth, Inverness Maura McRobbie appeared at the Verb Garden, Belladrum with her new book: Smugglers’ Midnight Escape For more info Click this Link
2 responses to “Dressing Up for Belladrum Festival 2025”
That was a great read, Maura. The festival sounds amazing! I’ve never been a fan of Sharleen Spiteri either.
You certainly seemed to have a fascinating time, Maura. It seemed a lot of fun. A lot of memories for Jess and Sophie. Well done!