DYLAN MORAN, GROOVE ARMADA, ELKIE BROOKS, SUSIE MCCABE, WILLIAM DALRYMPLE, ESTHER SWIFT AND PHILIP CONTINI

 

Fringe By The Sea is proud to announce more events to be staged during the North Berwick Festival this August.  The tickets will be on sale at 9am on Thursday 30^th March,

Comedian, actor and writer Dylan Moran won the Perrier Award, at the Edinburgh Fringe in 1996.  He starred in and co-wrote Black Books, the Channel 4 hit sitcom which won two BAFTAs, and he has since won numerous prizes and accolades for his television work and live-shows. As a comedian, Moran has toured the world many times, but he also works extensively in film. His performances alongside Simon Pegg in Shaun of the Dead and Run Fatboy Run other credits include; Good Vibrations, Calvary and Pixie.

Groove Armada stormed the festival in 2019 with their DJ set and Tom Findlay and Andy Cato are welcomed back to get North Berwick dancing on the opening night, 4^th August.  Over two decades of prolific productions and tireless touring, they’ve proved that it’s possible to daringly explore a multitude of sounds while achieving critical and commercial success. From the dancehall dub of ‘Superstylin’ to the crossover pop appeal of ‘Song 4 Mutya (Out of Control)’ and from the dancefloor-igniting ‘I See You Baby’ to the woozy sunset vibes of ‘At The River’.

Rock, Blues and jazz singer. Elkie Brooks was a vocalist with the bands Dada and Vinegar Joe, and later became a solo artist. She gained her biggest success in the late 1970s and 1980s, releasing 13 UK Top 75 singles, and reached the top ten with Pearl’s a Singer, Sunshine After the Rain and No More the Fool.

Following an alcohol fuelled dare to try stand up, Susie McCabe is rapidly becoming one of Scotland’s best comedians.  With regular appearances on Radio 4’s The News Quiz and  Radio Scotland’s Breaking The News, her live shows are becoming a must for lovers of comedy.

Likened to Kate Bush, Anna Meredith and Bjork, Esther Swift combines her love of folk, jazz, classical and all things in between in this brand new commission from Celtic Connections. Masterful instrumentalists Emma Lloyd (viola, violin), Patrick Kenny (trombone and alphorn), Esther Swift (harp and voice) and Owen Williams (multiple percussion and drums) share the stage with electronic musician Matthew Collings to explore intimate and epic soundscapes through rich harmonies, flowering textures, improvisations and pre-sampled soundscapes. Featuring settings of poems by Rachel McCrum, William Butler Yeats and Glasgow’s own Edwin Morgan.

Best selling and award winning author, William Dalrymple returns home to North Berwick to make his first appearance at Fringe By The Sea.  His books include the Wolfson Prize-winning White Mughals, The Last Mughal, which won the Duff Cooper Prize, and the Hemingway and Kapucinski Prize-winning Return of a King. His most recent book, The Anarchy, was long listed for the Baillie Gifford Prize 2019.

Festival favourite, Philip Contini and his Be Happy Band returns to sing unforgettable, classic songs of Cole Porter, one of the greatest composer-lyricists of the 20th century.

Already on sale for this year’s festival are Travis. Peat & Diesel, Patrick Grant,  Geno Washington, Singing Kettle, Sister Sledge, Robin Knox Johnson, Dick & Dom and Corto:Alto.

North Berwick Trust are supporting Fringe by the Sea 2023 as a Master Partner with a £30,000 grant. The hub of the festival will once be again in North Berwick’s Lodge Grounds, where The Trust will showcase its work as well support the involvement of other community groups at the event.

The Lighthouse, North Berwick’s flexible and co-working space, is back on board as Community Partner. Visitors will be able to once again enjoy a programme of free live music on The Lighthouse Live Stage in the festival hub, thanks to the support of The Lighthouse.

Coulters will be returning as sponsors of the hugely successful Makers Market, supporting local artisans and craft businesses at the festival. Sophie Duns, Area Director at Coulters said: “After last year’s wonderful event, we’re delighted to be sponsoring the Makers Market once again. Over the coming months, we’ll be sharing our exciting plans and showcasing the lovely local artists and artisans who will be this year’s residents. From paintings and pottery to jewellery and homeware, there’s a special something for everyone.”

An independent report by MKA Economics suggests that the net additional economic impact of visitor spend as a result of Fringe by the Sea in 2022 was in the region of £6,428,785, a 105% increase on the 2021 figure. There were over 35,000 tickets sold and was the most successful festival since it started in 2008 with 12 events over three days.

Olwyn Owen, Trustee and Chair of North Berwick Trust Grants Group says “North Berwick Trust is delighted to support Fringe by the Sea again. This is the fourth time that we’ve awarded a grant to the festival, which brings huge benefits to the town – socially, culturally and economically. We were so impressed with the organisation of the 2022 festival and the sheer variety of events and attractions on offer, and we know that local people and visitors alike enjoyed it immensely. We wish Fringe by the Sea every success with next year’s festival.”

Festival Director Rory Steel says “It’s really great that so many brilliant acts want to come to Fringe By The Sea.  Dylan Moran is one of the funniest comedians around, Groove Armada raised the roof in 2019, Elkie Brooks has an amazing voice which I can’t wait to witness live, Philip Contini just loves performing in North Berwick, Susie McCabe is fast becoming one of Scotland’s hottest comedy acts and we’ll be laying on a good East Lothian homecoming welcome to William Dalrymple.”

 

For further information contact

 

Fiona Duff

fiona@duffpublicity.com  07710 419762