Arts / Rising North: Reflections on a ‘brilliant’ weekend of live music
FOUR days, seven different venues, more than 40 acts – this year’s Rising North music festival lived up to its promise to be bigger than ever.
There was everything from sweatbox pub gigs to two shows in Shetland’s largest venue, the Clickimin – while visiting acts were included this year, such as headliners High Fade and Callum Beattie.
Rising North committee chairperson Anthony Peart said the weekend had been “brilliant”, with things running more smoothly than the inaugural festival last year.
“All the committee, six of us, really enjoyed it this year – we’ve actually had time to stand and watch bands and take it in, whereas last year it was a bit more frantic.
“We’ve learnt, and this year we’ve learned more to make it even slicker in other years.”
The festival opened on Thursday night with a variety of free gigs in venues dotted around Lerwick – the Legion, Lounge, Thule and Marlex, while the Mareel auditorium hosted an all-ages event from the Shetland Young Promoters Group.
Next up was the first of two big gigs at the Clickimin, with funk rockers High Fade topping the bill and impressing with boundless energy and crowd participation before a DJ night afterparty event in Mareel which ran through to the early hours.
On the Saturday youngsters got a chance to sample the festival with an all-ages daytime event at the Clickimin, with bands playing in the main room and the bowls hall, while “rock school” instrument lessons were put on for the bairns.
Later Scottish singer-songwriter Callum Beattie and his band saw out the night at the Clickimin before the masses swarmed to Mareel again, with DJ Lyall and The Plonkys then performing a sold-out afterparty event.
To wind down there was a series of singer-songwriters and bands at a sun-drenched Mareel cafe/bar on Sunday.
Events of this scale is perhaps a win-win for just about everybody – not just the organisers, bands and the audience but the venues, drinks suppliers and the catering vans which fed punters through the weekend.
Among Peart’s personal highlights were High Fade, but he said “everybody has been outstanding”.
“It’s really nice to see particularly the High Fade boys watching a lot of the bands and cheering them on,” he added.
Peart said it “meant the world” to Friday act Fully Licensed to see the High Fade members “with their arms in their air” enjoying the local band’s set.
“All the bands played strong sets, everybody was really tight. I think it pushes everybody,” he continued.
“I’m hoping it will push the younger bands maybe to write more [original material] as well.”
Peart said the festival also offered appreciative young bands in particular a chance to play on the “big stage”.
He also referred to some negativity prior to the event about the festival bringing up headliners from south, which particularly reared its head on social media when line-up announcements were made.
“Once we’ve done it, I think it’s opened up a lot of people’s eyes on how good and how slick professional bands are,” he said.
“But I’m not knocking our local bands – we have so much unbelievable talent in Shetland.”
He said visiting sound technicians have also commented on the high standard of local acts in Shetland.
One local band which enjoyed a prominent slot at the Clickimin was alternative rock act The Fiction, who played purely original material.
Vocalist and guitarist Keirynn Topp said the festival has become something “quite special”.
“The Clickimin main stage was incredible,” he added.
“The sound on and off stage was just as massive as the amazing crowd. We’re just super proud to have played a whole set of originals and the response to our new music has fuelled us even more.
“Huge thanks goes out to everyone involved with Rising North.”
Meanwhile The Thule experienced a busy night on the Thursday hosting a range of heavier acts including Ten Tonne Dozer.
Iain Johnston said the pub was “delighted” to play a part, adding that said the night was a “great success – the audience in attendance had a ball and sales were positive”.
“We pride our place in helping promote local music, including those bands taking part in Rising North,” he added.
“At the end of the day, we are running a commercial premises and while taking the risks on hosting free live music provision are exactly that, a risk, after investing in the premises we are delighted Shetland residents continue to support live music of all genres.”
As energy levels restore and hangovers fade into memory, thoughts will slowly begin to turn to 2026.
Peart said it is “onwards and upwards” in terms of planning for the future.
“We’ve got a couple of bands in mind,” he added. “We’ll have maybe a month off and then start again.”
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