Edinburgh Summer Sessions 2020: line-up for Princes Street Gardens gigs, ticket prices and how to get them

The headliners for this year's Edinburgh Summer Sessions gigs have been revealed, with a line-up that includes pop and rock icons and BRIT Award winners.

Sir Tom Jones, Lionel Richie, Simple Minds, and Travis are among the first names announced for the major outdoor concerts, which run between 8 and 20 August this year.

They'll be joined by McFly, The 1975 and singer-songwriter Michael Kiwanuka.

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The shows - which take place in the city's Princes Street Gardens during the world famous Fringe festival - were attended by 47,000 fans last year, who flocked to catch the likes of Lewis Capaldi, Primal Scream, Chvrches, and Madness live.

The 1975 will play a headline show at the Sessions on 12 August (Photo: Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for KROQ)The 1975 will play a headline show at the Sessions on 12 August (Photo: Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for KROQ)
The 1975 will play a headline show at the Sessions on 12 August (Photo: Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for KROQ)

It will be Sir Tom Jones second appearance at the Summer Sessions - the Welshman opened the inaugural festival - and Simple Minds will be performing in the Gardens for the first time since their Hogmanay show in 2012.

"No one enjoys playing in Scotland more than we do," said Simple Minds singer Jim Kerr, "and we are sure that fans from far and wide will want to join us for what is set to be a memorable concert in our capital city. We look forward to it immensely."

Pop rockers The 1975 headlined a night of Glasgow's iteration of the Summer Sessions in 2019, while (somewhat unbelievably) the shows mark the first time Travis have stages a major outdoor concert in Edinburgh.

"We are very excited to announce this show," said Travis frontman Fran Healy, "the venue is pretty breathtaking.”

Richie, who will be appearing in the city for the first time since an Edinburgh Castle concert in 2015, said: “I’m really looking forward to heading back to Scotland next summer.

"The crowds are some of the best in the world and I can’t wait to get back over there.”

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BRIT Award-winning pop rock band McFly, who are embarking on a UK-wide tour in 2020 after a four-year hiatus, said: “It’s going to be an amazing show in front of Edinburgh Castle.”

The full list of Edinburgh Summer Sessions 2020 dates is as follows:

Saturday 8 August - Sir Tom Jones

Sunday 9 August - Lionel Richie

Tuesday 11 August - Michael Kiwanuka

Wednesday 12 August - The 1975

Thursday 13 August - McFly

Tuesday 18 August - Simple Minds

Thursday 20 August - Travis

How do I get tickets?

Tickets for the Edinburgh Summer Sessions gigs go on sale at 9am on Friday 31 January.

They can be purchased through the Sessions' official website.

At the time of writing, prices of tickets for each gig are yet to be announced. They will presumably be confirmed once tickets go on sale.

Last year, 36 per cent of tickets for the gigs - which each have a capacity of 6,000 fans - were snapped up by local residents.

The new gigs were announced as a city council report estimated the shows to be worth £5.5 million to the economy.

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