Scottish-based, Hidden Door festival has revealed its first wave of artists that will be performing at this year’s festival, featuring the likes of R&B star Ray BLK and Let’s Eat Grandma. The volunteer-run arts festival is returning this year to the historic Leith Theatre, with a stellar programme of music, visual and performing arts, from Thursday the 30th of May to Sunday he 2nd of June 2019. Tickets are available now and can be purchased here.
The announcement comes after the future of the festival was called into question but, following the successful ‘Save Hidden Door’ fundraising campaign, which saw the community come together to raise £40k, which secured the festival’s future. Hidden Door will be running this year, with a shorter programme, with the view of returning in full for 2020.
Speaking about the festival, Creative Director of Hidden Door, David Martin, said: “Hidden Door wants to make a difference to Edinburgh – we want to play a part in making sure the people who live in this city have the chance to experience some of the very best, most exciting, and beautiful music of today, right on their doorstep, in a venue worthy of the city. That’s why we are putting on this weekender and continuing our work to make the Leith Theatre fulfil its potential.
“The music will be incredible, but Hidden Door is more than just a set of gigs. We are bringing together some of our favourite visual artists from the past five years to embellish and adorn the venue, and together with our incredible production team, we’ll be showing the Leith Theatre off in a more visually stunning and immersive way than ever before! This year, with the acts we have secured, coming to the Leith Theatre will be a truly sublime experience!”
Among the first wave of acts to be confirmed to be performing at the festival and joining headliner Ray BLK and Let’s Eat Grandma are The Honey Farm, Chuchoter, and DJ Sarra Wild. The following names are also on the bill and joining the already stellar line-up is George Fitzgerald, Nathan Fake, Maranta, Kelly Lee Owens, and Cigarettes After Sex.
The opening night of the festival, presented in partnership with The List, will be a dynamic line-up led by females, which is Hidden Door’s way of rebuking the gender imbalance in the UK festival scene. The bill will lead with R&B star Ray BLK, winner of the BBC Sound of 2017; experimental pop duo Let’s Eat Grandma, Scottish rhyme champions and hip-hop maestras The Honey Farm; Edinburgh’s own indie-electro pop dup Chuchoter; before closing with a set from OH141’s fearless leader DJ Sarra Wild.
Meanwhile, Friday will boast a seamless nine-hour programme of electronic music from 6pm to 3am, with a live house and techno set from BBC Radio 1 resident George Fitzgerald, as well as indie label Ninja Tune’s Nathan Fake, who will be playing into the early hours alongside Edinburgh electronic act Maranta and the great Kelly Lee Owens.
Speaking about the stellar programme, Editor in Chief at The List, Arusa Qureshi, said: “We are really pleased to be involved with Hidden Door again this year. As one of our top events in the city, being asked to programme the opening night has been an absolute pleasure and we’re very excited to share our line-up with everyone.
“The wonderful Ray BLK, who was the first unsigned winner of the BBC’s Sound Of competition, and experimental pop duo Let’s Eat Grandma will no doubt ensure that it’s an awesome party but we’re also so happy to have List favourites The Honey Farm, Chuchoter and Sarra Wild on the bill, along with various other surprises. We’re certain that this year’s Hidden Door will be the best yet.”
With the programme confirmed for Thursday, Friday and Sunday, organisers originally kept back news of Saturday’s nine hour marathon of music, but it has been confirmed that the Crystal Fighters will take to the stage of Saturday. Meanwhile, Sunday’s closing act will be the acclaimed American pop group Cigarettes After Sex, who shoot to fame with their hit ‘Nothing’s Gonna Hurt You Baby’ and their 2017 debut album.
