Scottish musicians to send new version of David Bowie classic into space

Scottish musicians are to send their version of the David Bowie classic ‘Space Oddity” to the International Space Station – from the site of a proposed spacesport.
The Slainte Davaar Allstars recorded their version of David Bowie's 'Space Oddity' at Machrihanish Airbase, near Cambeltown.The Slainte Davaar Allstars recorded their version of David Bowie's 'Space Oddity' at Machrihanish Airbase, near Cambeltown.
The Slainte Davaar Allstars recorded their version of David Bowie's 'Space Oddity' at Machrihanish Airbase, near Cambeltown.

The Slainte Davaar Allstars performed the late singer’s 1969 hit at Machrihanish Airbase, near Campbeltown, in tribute to astronaut Chris Hadfield’s own famous cover version.

They band worked with the Mull of Kintyre Music Festival and the Machrihanish Airbase Community Company to record the track and make the video after the enforced cancellation of the annual event they perform at in Campbeltown.

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The band’s version will be beamed into the space station this Saturday when it is unveiled on Facebook.

A spokesman for the festival said: “With the annual music festival moved online this year, the organisers keen to try something new and showcase the traditional and contemporary artists to a new virtual audience, came up with the idea of partnering with the local base and its unconventional location for the exclusive gig.”

Events manager Iain Johnston said: “The festival has encouraged people to visit Kintyre from all parts of the globe since its inception 28 years ago and we were naturally disappointed, like every other event organiser up and down the country, to have to cancel this year. However, what better way to turn it into a positive than to take our music interstellar.

“We hope the astronauts enjoy their Scottish welcome just as much as we enjoyed making it.

"As far as stage backdrops go, it might not be quite as impressive as Chris Hadfield’s, but it’s still pretty unique.”

The music festival is also staging five virtual concerts in the wake of the cancellation of this year’s event.

It is hoped that the Space Oddity cover will raised awareness of a new campaign to raise awareness of the new “Kintyre66” project which has been created to showcase the Kintyre peninsula as a holiday destination.

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Set to officially launch in January, the circular route will take in 66 miles around on the A83 and B834, including Southend & Machrihanish, Campbeltown, East Kintyre, West Kintyre, Gigha and Tarbert.

A new downloadable visitors guide will be launched with the aim of attracting tourists to the area and hopefully a successful tourism season in 2021. The campaign is spearheaded by Explore Kintyre & Gigha Tourism and Marketing Group and supported by CalMac Ferries.

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