KT Tunstall to headline new event in '˜gateway to the isles'

The singer-songwriter will be topping the bill at the two-day Oban Live event in May.

Other acts confirmed include Gaelic standard-bearer Julie Fowlis, Irish folk stars We Banjo 3, former SilencCers frontman JJ Gilmour and Celtic supergroup Capercaillie.

Around 7000 fans are expected to flock to the town’s Mossfield Stadium for the first year of the event, instigated by the Hebridean folk-rock outfit Skerryvore.

Some 1500 early-bird tickets for the new festival, which has won the backing of national tourism agency VisitScotland, have already been snapped up, with the next batch due to go on sale on Saturday.

The Tiree band attracted 6000 followers to the same arena for a tenth anniversary celebration last May, which was said to have generated more than £1 million for the local economy.

Band leader Daniel Gillespie, the artistic director of Oban Live, said: “KT Tunstall is an iconic musician who has been flying the flag for Scotland for many years around the world.

“Oban has hosted incredible music events in the past year - including our own Decade event and The Royal National Mod – and we want to continue to celebrate this town’s wonderful community spirit and incredible atmosphere with an event that will welcome people from all over the world to Oban for a weekend of sensational live music.

“With the early bird tickets selling out so quickly we advise people to book tickets early to avoid missing out.”

Paul Bush, director of events for VisitScotland, said: “We are delighted to be supporting the inaugural Oban Live through our national funding programme.

“This exciting addition to Oban’s existing portfolio of music events, with its impressive line-up of trad and international pop artists, will no doubt attract visitors to the town from the local area and further afield.”