MacMoray Festival 2024: Atomic Kitten, Basshunter and Gareth Gates to perform in Elgin
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
HOT off the heels of this year's MacMoray Festival, the first three acts have been announced for 2024's event.
Girl group Atomic Kitten, Swedish DJ Basshunter and singer-songwriter Gareth Gates will all play at Cooper Park across the weekend of May 4-5, 2024.
Atomic Kitten – currently consisting of original members Liz McClarnon and Natasha Hamilton, as well as Jenny Frost – are famous for hits such as Whole Again, The Tide is High and Eternal Flame.
The group, who have 15 top 10 singles, are sure to bring a sing-a-long vibe, similar to the one seen on Saturday night this year when B*Witched and Five played on the main stage.
Atomic Kitten recently played at the opening ceremony for Eurovision in their hometown of Liverpool.
Basshunter hit the UK charts late in the noughties with two big hits – Now You're Gone and All I Ever Wanted.
The energy of the Swede's music will be felt by the crowd, who can expect something reasonably similar to the feel-good vibe brought to 2023's event by Alice Deejay.
Gareth Gates originally rose to fame when he finished runner-up on the first season of ITV's Pop Idol.
The 38-year-old has been on tour around England this year, and will visit the central belt of Scotland later this year.
Festival organiser Andy Macdonald, who is now living in Forres, said: "These are all acts that people have requested.
"I've been talking to them all since before this year's MacMoray. They were always going to perform, it was just a case of which year.
"They have all heard of MacMoray and are buzzing and can't wait to perform in Elgin.
"I'm really grateful for how good the Elgin community has been with the festival. It's been so positive and that is spreading like wildfire through the industry.
"Agents are only hearing positive reviews and every act that comes wants to come back."
The next act announcement will be on Friday, May 26. Annoucements will then come on the last Friday of every month throughout 2023.
Before any acts had been announced, almost 60 per cent of tickets for the festival were sold.
"I can't believe how well the ticket sales are going," Andy admitted. "VIP tickets completely sold out in three days and we sold more than 50 per cent of tickets a year in advance.
"The majority of people buying are Moray-based and that shows MacMoray is establishing itself in the community.
"It's amazing how many people will be coming back for a third year in a row.
"Tickets being sold so early shows that everyone trusts that I'll have a versatile, mad mix of artists that everyone will be able to sing a long to.
"It's great to have created something so special in the town I was born in."
Weekend tickets for the festival are currently on sale – with day tickets to follow in due course. Visit macmoray.com/shop for more information.
