Knockengorroch is a
world music
"World music" is an English phrase for styles of music from non-English speaking countries, including quasi-traditional, Cross-cultural communication, intercultural, and traditional music. World music's broad nature and elasticity as a musical ...
festival
A festival is an event celebrated by a community and centering on some characteristic aspect or aspects of that community and its religion or cultures. It is often marked as a local or national holiday, Melā, mela, or Muslim holidays, eid. A ...
held annually among the
Carsphairn Hills in
Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland. From its founding in 1998 until 2010 there were two annual festivals: the World
Ceilidh Festival, usually held around the end of May; and the Hairth, held in mid-September. Since 2011, only the former has been held, with licensing for around 3,000 attendees.
The early years
In mid-summer 1997 a 'rainbow gathering' was held on the Knockengorroch Farm in
Galloway
Galloway ( ; ; ) is a region in southwestern Scotland comprising the counties of Scotland, historic counties of Wigtownshire and Kirkcudbrightshire. It is administered as part of the council areas of Scotland, council area of Dumfries and Gallow ...
with the agreement of Simon and Liz Holmes. The festival is now an established event in the region. It has grown since its beginnings while still remaining an intimate and hospitable experience, welcoming people from all over Scotland, the UK and beyond for a relaxed, inspiring and riotous four days.
The festival has grown from an audience of 300 locals to 2700, including international visitors. The origin of the festival's name is unclear, but in Gaelic ‘knock’ (Cnoc) means a hill and ‘gorroch’ has a variety of meanings. The featured artists originate from Celtic, world and roots music genre and the festival has been held in various other locations as the
Forest of Ae near
Dumfries
Dumfries ( ; ; from ) is a market town and former royal burgh in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, near the mouth of the River Nith on the Solway Firth, from the Anglo-Scottish border. Dumfries is the county town of the Counties of Scotland, ...
, and Talnotry near
Newton Stewart
Newton Stewart (Scottish Gaelic language, Gd: ''Baile Ùr nan Stiùbhartach'') is a former burgh town in the historical county of Wigtownshire in Dumfries and Galloway, southwest Scotland.
The town is on the River Cree with most of the town to ...
.
Knockengorroch today
The festival now takes place in the Dumfries and Galloway hills, in a natural greenfield amphitheatre. The festival features outdoor and covered stages, a dance marquee, a recreated Iron Age Longhouse venue, a Ceilidh, a children’s marquee and procession, puppet shows, cabaret, fire shows, open mic, workshops, camping, real ale, food and shopping stalls. There is an emphasis on as much environmentally sound practice as possible, with a rigorous recycling policy, use of biodegradable products and alternative sources of power wherever possible, and both green and heritage workshops are available to participate in during the day.
The object of Knockengorroch artistic direction is to establish progressive linkage between the celebration of the natural amphitheatre of its venues and the now far-flung Celtic diaspora, once rooted in such homely places. It is Knockengorroch’s remit not only to celebrate ethnic diversity and fusion, but to make the music home in its natural home.
On the still wider contemporary seas of world-music the aim is primarily to promote multi-cultural forms and musical genres, highlighting the connection between roots music and the land that gave birth to that music and its people. Music from all continents is therefore booked alongside the best in Scottish, and European, talent to showcase Celtic and World music in both traditional and contemporary fields.
In 2015, Knockengorroch was one of 12 events to be recommended to be funded by Dumfries and Galloway Council's Major Events Strategic Fund. Others on the list included the
Eden Festival and the Lockerbie Jazz Festival.
Past line-ups
2015 line up
*
Young Fathers
*
Aziza Brahim
* B & the Roots Ragga Band
*
Peatbog Faeries
*
Shooglenifty
*
Scratch Perverts
The Scratch Perverts are a collective of Turntablism, turntablist DJs from London, formed in 1996 by Tony Vegas, Prime Cuts and DJ Renegade.
World DMC team champions in both 1999 and 2001. Additionally Prime Cuts won 2 consecutive ITF World Sc ...
*
Ferocious Dog
*
Mungo's Hi Fi Soundsystem ft
Solo Banton
* Awry
* Gnawa Blues All Stars
*
Stanley Odd
* Age of Glass
*
John Langan Band
* DJ Format
* Bella Hardy and Big Band
* The Girobabies
* Rob Heron & the Teapad Orchestra
* Samedia Shebeen
* The Amphetameanies
* Big Swing Soundsystem
* London Afrobeat Collective
* Blackbeard’s Tea Party
* Bunty Looping
* Jenova Collective
* Samson Sounds
* No Go Stop
* Colonel Mustard & The Dijon 5
* Fitty Gomash
* The Navigantes
* After Hours Quintet
* Ed Cox
* Frogpocket
* Jemima Thewes
*
Ewan McLennan
* Kate in the Kettle
* Jeremy Mage & the Magi
* DJ Dolphin Boy
* The Badwills
* Skayaman
* Sticks and Stones
* The Razorbills
* The Chicken Brothers (TCB)
* Griogair
* Tam Tam 2000
* PyroCeltica
* Ross Ainslie
* Stivs
* Chapel Perilous Art System
* Mayawaska
* Breezak
* PJ Coyle
* Xymox
* DJ Brainstorm
* Easy Skankin Crew
* Andy Mac
* Ben-Jamin
* Papa Shanti
* Neil Templar
* Key Lo
* Kala Ushka
* DJ Nem
* Bit Monkey
* Tom Tom the Piper’s Son
* Mischief La-Bas
* Voice Box Theatre
* Teatro Magnetico
* BassTonik
* Swing and Shout
* Cosmic
* BBL vs Triple Drop
* Wobbley Social
* ETC
* The Too Much Fun Club presents Sketch the Rhyme
2009 (September) Knockengorroch Doonhaime Hairth Line-up
*
Peatbog Faeries
*
3 Daft Monkeys
*
Tiger Style
* Tofu Love Frogs
* Latin Dub Sound System
* Glasgow Soundhaus
* Mungo’s Hi Fi
* Bombskare
* Sambayabamba
* Warblefly
* Ed Cox
* DJ Hobbes
rouble
The ruble or rouble (; rus, рубль, p=rublʲ) is a currency unit. Currently, currencies named ''ruble'' in circulation include the Russian ruble (RUB, ₽) in Russia and the Belarusian ruble (BYN, Rbl) in Belarus. These currencies are s ...
* Black Diamond Express
* Frogpocket
* Punch & The Apostles
* Missing Cat
* Haight Ashbury
* Banana Sessions
* Kuch Ke
* Ruby & the Emeralds
* Paddy & the Waggoneers
* Mandalyn May
2009 World Ceilidh Line-up
*
The Orb
The Orb are an English electronic music group founded in 1988 by Alex Paterson and Jimmy Cauty. Known for their psychedelic sound, the Orb developed a cult following among clubbers "coming down" from drug-induced highs. Their influential ...
*
Roni Size with MC Jakes
* Orkestra Del Sol
* Errol Lintons Blues Vibe
* Terrafolk
* Mungo's Hi-Fi
*
Skerryvore
* Michael Marra
2007 Festival Line-up
Line-ups and rumours - search results
/ref>
* Transglobal Underground
Transglobal Underground (sometimes written as Trans-Global Underground) is an English electro-world music group, specializing in a fusion of Western culture#Music, western, Music of Asia, Asian and Music of Africa, African music styles (someti ...
* Natacha Atlas
Natacha Atlas (, , ; born 20 March 1964) is an Egyptian-Belgian singer known for her fusion of Arabic and Western music, particularly hip-hop. She once termed her music "'' cha'abi moderne''" (modern folk music). Her music has been influenced by ...
* Kíla
Kíla is an Irish folk music group formed in 1987 in Coláiste Eoin, an Irish language secondary school in County Dublin.
History
Early formation
The original lineup of the band included Rossa Ó Snodaigh (whistle and Bones (instrument), bon ...
* Shooglenifty
* Go Lem System
* Mr Scruff
Andrew Carthy (born 10 February 1972), known professionally as Mr. Scruff, is an English record producer and DJ. He lives in Stretford, Greater Manchester and studied fine art at the Psalter Lane campus of Sheffield Hallam University. Before ...
* Zion Train
Zion Train are a British Dub music, dub ensemble that formed in Oxford, 1988. They have consistently released music and toured from 1992 to present day. Their mix of reggae and dance music was a notable innovation in the early 1990s.
History ...
* Fantazia
* Tannahill Weavers
* The Mordekkers
* Voces del Sur
* Mambo Jambo
* Kampec Dolores
* Albaroot
* Talking Drum
* The Belle Star Band
* Swing Guitars
* Jacob's Pillow
* Bombskare
* Cello Man
* Sun Honey
* Big Hand
2006 festival Line-up[Line-ups and rumours - search results](_blank)
/ref>
* Bellowhead
Bellowhead is an English contemporary folk band, active from 2004 to 2016, reforming in 2020. The eleven-piece act played traditional dance tunes, folk songs and shanties, with arrangements drawing inspiration from a wide range of musical sty ...
* Eliza Carthy & the Ratcatchers
* Huun Huur Tu
Huun-Huur-Tu ( ; ) are a music group from Tuva, a Russian federative republic situated on the Mongolia–Russia border. Their music includes throat singing, in which the singers sing both a note and its overtones, thus producing two or three n ...
* Old Blind Dogs
Old Blind Dogs is a Scottish musical group which plays traditional Scottish folk music and Celtic music, with influences from rock, reggae, jazz, blues, and Middle Eastern music rhythms.
Background
The three founding members of the band (Ian ...
* Kangaroo Moon
* 3 Daft Monkeys
* The Baghdaddies
* Big Hand
* Paddyrastas
* Pendulums
A pendulum is a device made of a weight suspended from a pivot so that it can swing freely. When a pendulum is displaced sideways from its resting, equilibrium position, it is subject to a restoring force due to gravity that will accelerate i ...
* Jacob's Pillow
2005 festival Line-upDesmond Dekker & the Aces
Desmond Dekker (born Desmond Adolphus Dacres; 16 July 1941 – 25 May 2006) was a Jamaican ska, rocksteady and reggae singer-songwriter and musician. Together with his backing group the Aces (consisting of Wilson James and Easton Barrington How ...
* Elephant Talk 2
* Errol Linton's Blues Vibe
* John McSherry
John Patrick McSherry (September 11, 1944April 1, 1996) was an American umpire in Major League Baseball who worked in the National League from 1971 until his death. McSherry wore uniform number 9 when he entered the National League, then wore n ...
* Le Cod Afrique
* Matt Seattle with the Eildon Strings
* Michael McGoldrick Band
* Mystery Juice
* Planet Woman
* Sheelanagig
* Tarantism
'' Lycosa tarantula'' carrying her offspring
Tarantism ( ) is a form of hysteric behaviour originating in Southern Italy, popularly believed to result from the bite of the wolf spider '' Lycosa tarantula'' (distinct from the broad class of sp ...
* The Assassenachs
* The Ruffness
* Virginia MacNaughton
* Wuyan Mei & Co
Primary Ticket Outlets
Skiddle
/ref>
References
{{reflist
External links
Knockengorroch official site
Knockengorroch Past Line-ups
Music festivals established in 1998
Music festivals in Scotland
1998 establishments in Scotland