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Arts / For those about to rock: local bands look forward to Orkney festival

The Fiction. From left to right: Chris Coles, Keirynn Topp, Barrie Scobie, Joe Robertson. Photo: Naomi Lewis

FIVE bands with Shetland connections will be making the trip to Orkney next month as the isles’ rock festival returns.

Delorean, Nameless Ones, Quantana, Shipyard Riot and The Fiction are all on the bill, with the festival taking place across a number of Kirkwall venues between 2-4 September.

The festival has regularly offered Shetland bands a chance to reach a new audience, all while bolstering the connection between the Northern Isles.

But due to the Covid pandemic it has not taken place since 2019.

Any Shetlanders looking for a spree in Orkney should note that tickets are not on sale yet, but they will be available soon.

The rock festival is put on by a group of volunteers under the Orkney Live Wire banner.

One Shetland band making the Orkney pilgrimage for the first time are alt-rockers The Fiction.

Vocalist and guitarist Keirynn Topp said the chance of playing off Shetland is a “step we’ve really been looking forward to”.

“We’re real grateful to be on the bill, especially on the main stage,” he said.

“It’s nice to be rewarded for your original material so we hugely appreciate the opportunity.”

The last rock festival held in Shetland that was fully open to the public was Heavy Metal Buffet’s final event in 2017. The private Pigstock in Burra has taken place in recent years to fundraise for charity – with last year’s shindig taking in more than £2,500 for the fight against Motor Neurone Disease.

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