Latest news with #StJamesQuarterSessions
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Free rooftop Edinburgh St James Quarter music festival returns for summer
Edinburgh's St James Quarter Sessions music festival is set to run for a third year. Members of Edinburgh Council's licensing sub-committee granted a public entertainment licence at a meeting on Monday, July 21. The free festival will be held on the centre's rooftop terrace, Level 6, with a stage featuring a range of headliners, local acts, and musicians. READ MORE: Edinburgh couple victorious in years-long battle with neighbours over hedge READ MORE: Edinburgh drivers wade through water as busy road completely flooded after downpours The event was referred to the council's licensing sub-committee for scrutiny due to its city centre location. It was confirmed there will be two safety stewards on site, first aiders, and the usual security staffing by St James Quarter. Lib Dem Councillor Neil Ross quizzed: 'As you are on the roof, you are presenting your music to the world. Who are your newest neighbours? What is the communication with them?' A St James representative confirmed: 'The newest neighbours are located on Leith Street. Last year, the neighbours were informed and we didn't have any complaints. The PA system is not directed out to Leith Street; it is directed into the quarter.' The rooftop will include audience seating and a bar area to take advantage of panoramic city views. Entertainment will feature a diverse range of musicians, from Glastonbury acts to local grassroots talent. 'You're looking at Jazz, Rock, R&B, Indie, Hip-Hop — all sorts of different performers — covering the whole spectrum,' said the St James representative. In terms of perks for competing musicians, there will be a £1,000 cash prize in place, and opportunity for acts to use W Hotel's recording studio located nearby. 'It's a really well co-ordinated thing,' confirmed the representative. "We're keen to do this next year and the year after that.' Conservative Councillor Jo Mowat said: "I think the neighbours you are most likely to disturb are the Calton Cafe." The sessions will take place from August 15 to August 24. All events are free but ticketed. There will be a cancellation fee for no-shows, which will be donated to charity. More details can be found on the St James Quarter website.
Edinburgh Reporter
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Reporter
Free music festival at St James Quarter this August
St James Quarter Sessions is coming back for the third time from 15 to 24 August. The Edinburgh Festival Fringe at St James Quarter includes more than 60 acts performing in the canopied development, including the Level 6 rooftop, which has panoramic views of the city, on one of the most unique festival stages. Hot on the heels of the band's 30th anniversary tour, 90s icons The Brand New Heavies, will be bringing acid-jazz hits such as 'You Are The Universe' and 'Midnight At The Oasis' to Edinburgh. Fans can expect a stacked set of classic tunes, heavy bass lines and hypnotic rhythms from one of the band's that helped to establish acid-jazz in popular culture in the 90s. Winner of the Scottish Music Awards' Sound of Scotland award and previously BBC Introducing's Scottish Act of the Year, Glasgow rapper Bemz will begin this year's main event with a Friday night performance on the Level 6 Castle View stage. Having toured with the likes of The Snuts, Bemz has been building a reputation as a leading light in Scotland's hip-hop scene. Fresh from making her Glastonbury debut this year, Cortney Dixon is poised to set the rooftop on fire with a set of indie-pop anthems. Expect fuzz laden guitars and a raucous performance from the North East's latest hot property. Cortney Dixon Grassroots music body Wide Days will be taking over the Castle View stage with their New From Scotland series, showcasing Scotland's hottest new talent. Festival-goers can enjoy the industry's top picks of future Scottish stars on Friday 22 August before they reach the masses. Scheduled to appear on the Level 3 Yellow Stage and hailing from Cromarty, critically acclaimed Highlands singer songwriter, Tamzene will bring her unique sound to Sessions. She will deliver an intimate set of R&B‑tinged pop ballads set to mesmerise festival goers with candid lyricism and haunting melodies that draw on a nuanced mix of Irish, Jamaican and Highland roots. Nigerian-born and Edinburgh-raised, James Emmanuel will also be performing his soulful sounds on the Yellow Stage on Level 3 of the Galleria. Raised as the son of a preacher, he first found his voice in gospel choirs, a grounding that shaped his soulful sound from the beginning. Now backed by BBC Introducing, James draws inspiration from legends like Marvin Gaye and Bobby 'Blue' Bland, James brings a timeless quality to stories that feel deeply personal and human. After their first headline tour since releasing their debut album in 2024, Scottish duo The Laurettes will be bringing their unique take on Celtic-folk to the Sessions stage, supported by their all-female band. The Laurettes Elsewhere on the bill Dara Dubh, Beth Miller, Ant Thomaz, Indoor Foxes, Dictator, Justine Beverley and more home‑grown talent will perform on other stages throughout St James Quarter. Dara Dubh Festival-goers can sign up for free tickets, set times and stage information by downloading the St James Quarter App, which allows everyone to stay updated with events happening throughout the destination for Sessions and beyond. Susan Hewlett, Festival Creator at St James Quarter, said: 'At a time when festival ticket prices have never been higher and independent venues are closing across the country, we're not only putting on this incredible line-up for free, but also giving existing and emerging artists the platform to continue being heard and discovered. We've even got clean toilets, no mud, and food and drink venues on tap – what more could you ask from a free music festival in one of the best cities in the UK.' The warm-up to this year's St James Quarter Sessions will champion Edinburgh's rich grassroots music scene by offering the next generation of Scottish stars a series of pop-up busking performances appearing throughout the destination. Running throughout August, musicians can apply for a paid performance slot with applications on Picture – Chris Watt Photography Picture – Chris Watt Photography Picture – Chris Watt Photography Like this: Like Related
Scotsman
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Free music festival in the heart of Edinburgh returns
The Brand New Heavies, Bemz, Tamzene, and Cortney Dixon lead the line-up for St James Quarter Sessions Sign up to our Arts and Culture newsletter, get the latest news and reviews from our specialist arts writers Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... St James Quarter Sessions is back for its third year (15th to 24th August '25) with a packed line up of heavy hitters and up and coming talent taking over the East End of the city. Happening during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe at the city's leading retail and lifestyle destination, St James Quarter, this year's festival programme sees over 60 acts performing across the impressive, canopied development, including the Level 6 rooftop, with panoramic views of Scotland's capital and castle – providing one of the most unique festival stages in the UK. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Hot on the heels of the band's well-received 30th anniversary tour, 90s icons The Brand New Heavies, will be bringing iconic acid-jazz hits such as 'You Are The Universe' and 'Midnight At The Oasis' to Edinburgh. Fans can expect a stacked set of classic tunes, heavy bass lines and hypnotic rhythms from one of the band's that helped to establish acid-jazz in popular culture in the 90s. The Brand New Heavies, Bemz, Tamzene, and Cortney Dixon lead the line-up for St James Quarter Sessions. Coming off the back of rave reviews from this year's UK festival scene, Winner of the Scottish Music Awards' 'Sound of Scotland' award and previously BBC Introducing's 'Scottish Act of the Year', Glasgow rapper Bemz will be kicking off this year's main event with a banging Friday night performance on the Level 6 Castle View stage. Having toured with the likes of The Snuts, Bemz has been building a reputation as a leading light in Scotland's hip-hop scene. Fresh from making her Glastonbury debut this year, Cortney Dixon is poised to set the rooftop on fire with a riotous set of indie-pop anthems. Expect fuzz laden guitars and a raucous performance from the North East's latest hot property on the music scene. Grassroots music champions Wide Days will be taking over the Castle View stage with their 'New From Scotland' series, showcasing Scotland's hottest new talent. Festival-goers can enjoy the industry's top picks of future Scottish stars on Friday 22nd before they reach the masses. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Slated for the Level 3 Yellow Stage and hailing from the small Scottish town of Cromarty, critically acclaimed Highlands singer songwriter, Tamzene will be bringing her unique sound to Sessions. Riding the waves of a career that's pacing towards stardom, Tamzene will deliver an intimate set of R&B‑tinged pop ballads set to mesmerise festival goers with candid lyricism and haunting melodies that draw on a nuanced mix of Irish, Jamaican and Highland roots. Running throughout August, musicians can apply for a paid performance slot with applications via Nigerian-born and Edinburgh-raised, James Emmanuel will also be bringing his soulful sounds to the Yellow Stage on Level 3 of the Galleria. Raised as the son of a preacher, he first found his voice in gospel choirs, a grounding that shaped his soulful sound from the beginning. Now backed by BBC Introducing, James draws inspiration from legends like Marvin Gaye and Bobby "Blue" Bland, James brings a timeless quality to stories that feel deeply personal and human. On the back of their very first headline tour after releasing their debut album in 2024, Scottish duo The Laurettes will be bringing their unique take on Celtic-folk to the Sessions stage, supported by their all-female band. Elsewhere on the bill will be Dara Dubh, Beth Miller, Ant Thomaz, Indoor Foxes, Dictator, Justine Beverley and more home‑grown talent taking over stages throughout St James Quarter. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Festival-goers can sign up for free tickets, set times and stage information by downloading the St James Quarter App, which allows everyone to stay updated with events happening throughout the destination for Sessions and beyond. St James Quarter Sessions is back for its third year (15th to 24th August '25). Susan Hewlett, Festival Creator at St James Quarter, said: 'At a time when festival ticket prices have never been higher and independent venues are closing across the country, we're not only putting on this incredible line-up for free, but also giving existing and emerging artists the platform to continue being heard and discovered. We've even got clean toilets, no mud, and food and drink venues on tap – what more could you ask from a free music festival in one of the best cities in the UK.' The warm-up to this year's St James Quarter Sessions will champion Edinburgh's rich grassroots music scene by offering the next generation of Scottish stars a series of pop-up busking performances appearing throughout the destination. Running throughout August, musicians can apply for a paid performance slot with applications via
