Loopallu was a 2-day
music festival
A music festival is a community event with performances of singing and instrument playing that is often presented with a theme such as musical genre (e.g., rock, blues, folk, jazz, classical music), nationality, locality of musicians, or h ...
that took place in
Ullapool, in the north of
Scotland. It was held annually between 2005 and 2019, attracting 2,500 people which essentially doubled the population of the village while the event was being held.
The festival took place in Ullapool with the main stage located only metres from the shore of
Loch Broom, in a big-top tent.
After the acts on the main stage finish a string of fringe events continue into the early hours, offering live music.
History
The first Loopallu was held in 2005, with the American rockgrass band
Hayseed Dixie
Hayseed Dixie is an American band formed in Nashville, Tennessee in 2000. Their first album was ''A Hillbilly Tribute to AC/DC''. The band performs bluegrass cover versions of hard rock songs and also original songs of a mostly satirical or absu ...
promoting the festival and being the headline act.
The success of the event was also attributed to support being shown by
BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It is the most popular station in the United Kingdom with over 15 million weekly listeners. Since launching in 1967, the station broadcasts a wide range of content. ...
’s
Janice Long.
The festival has been organised by local promoter Robert Hicks. The name of the festival is the name of the village, spelled backwards. It has played host to
Mumford & Sons,
Franz Ferdinand,
Paolo Nutini.
and the
Levellers.
In 2014 the festival added a literary tent, teaming up with the Ullapool Book Festival.
That year the ticket quota sold out in advance of the acts being announced, and there were about 2,500 people attending the event on each of the days it was held.
In 2017 the festival moved from the loch-side site to take place on the pier in the harbour. This was to be the last event, but its success and pressure from the public ensured its continuance. Unfortunately 2019 was announced as the last year Loopallu would be held, citing pressure on accommodation as the primary reason.
The last festival was held on 27 – 28 September 2019.
Lineups
2013 lineup
The Enemy,
Newton Faulkner,
The Temperance Movement,
Roddy Hart & The Lonesome Fire.
2014 lineup
Utah Saints,
Twin Atlantic,
,
Shed Seven,
Alabama 3,
Public Service Broadcasting, Hunter and the Bear, Caithness-based rock band Neon Waltz and Wishaw-based indie band Vigo Thieves,
Mark Radcliffe and his band The Foes.
2019 lineup
The line-up for the last ever festival included Astrid, The Rezillos, Tide Lines, Bombskare, ONR, Idlewild, Peat and Diesel, Hunter and the Bear, The Vatersay Boys, and, on the Literally Literary stage, actor David Hayman and playwright Chris Dolan.
References
External links
*
{{Scottish Festivals
Music festivals in Scotland
Ross and Cromarty
Music festivals established in 2005