Seasick Steve to headline Southern Fried

Seasick Steve has been announced as headliners of Southern Fried the annual festival of American roots music, held from Friday 30th July to Sunday 1st August.

Held in the Perth Concert Hall, Perth Theatre, and other venues in Perth & Kinross, in Scotland Seasick Steve will closes this year's Southern Fried Festival on Sunday.

Friday's opening concert in Perth Concert Hall features Carolina Chocolate Drops, and The Holmes Brothers. Craig Duncan and Friends, Elizabeth Cook, and Phantom Limb play late night music club Late and Southern Fried in Perth Theatre.

Saturday in Perth Concert Hall sees Paul Buchanan (of Blue Nile fame) and Justin Currie combine with Elizabeth Cook, and Rachel Harrington, plus Holly Williams granddaughter of Hank, Yolanda Quartey, and others for 'The Roots of Elvis'. This festival exclusive will see the unique line up put their own voices to Elvis songs. Holly Williams makes a night of it by performing Late and Southern Fried in Perth Theatre along with Tim Eriksen and The New Madrids featuring former Revivals front man Ian Hutchison.

New for 2010 is a free Festival Launch Party in the Twa Tams on Thursday with Red Pine Timber Company and an Open Mic Session in Greyfriars on Sunday.

Festival director Andy Shearer of Horsecross Arts, the creative organisation behind Perth Concert Hall and Perth Theatre said, "I'm really pleased with the line-up we've put together for this year's Southern Fried. If anything, we've got an even wider range of music on offer this time and there genuinely is something for everyone in the festival and our three headline shows strongly reflect that. We've a strong blues feel this year with Seasick Steve and The Holmes Brothers and, lots of bluegrass with Craig Duncan, Goldrush and The Grass Mountain Hobos, a clutch of world-class songwriters including Elizabeth Cook, Rachel Harrington, Holly Williams, Nels Andrews, and AJ Roach, some great country rock and wonderful artists that defy categorisation like Carolina Chocolate Drops, Tim Eriksen and Phantom Limb."

"And, with our completely unique Roots of Elvis show on Saturday night it means a lot of the visiting performers will be around for more than a day which really helps them connect to the event and our audience. We had a lot of people coming to Perth for the weekend last year from all over Scotland and the UK - and even further afield - and we hope to see these numbers grow further still this year."

Tickets are priced at £60 for a big festival pass, allowing entry to all events, concessions are priced at £50. To buy tickets when they go on sale on Monday 17th May at 10am , click here.

Daytime activities will include music workshops, kids activities and Southern Fried themed food tastings. Aside from the main gigs, the weekend is liberally sprinkled with workshops on songwriting, bluegrass fiddling and banjo playing and guitar playing demos. Opportunities to join in include the Shape Note Big Sing with Tim Eriksen and Bluegrass Harmony Singing Workshop. Kid's entertainment is covered with Eleanor and Julia's Big Yee Haa.

Perth has good road, rail, and air links, along with a choice of hotels, restaurants, bars and specialist shops there is plenty to keep festival goers occupied between gigs.

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