Hidden Door will be back in May with a shorter punchier long weekend of music. They have already programmed music for Thursday, Friday and Sunday, but are keeping back news of the nine hour marathon of music planned for Saturday – for now at least.
Tickets will be on sale today through Citizen Ticket who are supporting the organisers with a refund of 50% of the booking fee on each ticket.
Thursday 30 May will be presented in partnership with The List, offering an opening night with a strong statement addressing the gender imbalance rife in UK music festival lineups, with a female-led roster of acts including the groundbreaking R&B star Ray BLK, winner of BBC Sound of 2017, and the universally acclaimed experimental pop duo Let’s Eat Grandma. Bass-heavy hip hop direct from the East Coast (of Scotland) is provided by the all-female rhyme-masters The Honey Farm, with Edinburgh’s underground, electronic duo Chuchoter and notorious Glasgow DJ Sarra Wild bookending the celebratory bill.
Friday 31 May Hidden Door will offer its first ever nine-hour show of seamless music from 6pm – 3am, bringing together some of the finest electronica currently being made in the UK with a live set from London-based George Fitzgerald fresh from his BBC Radio 1 residency, and Ninja Tune’s Nathan Fake taking us through til 3am alongside local duo Maranta and acclaimed producer and singer Kelly Lee Owens.
Sunday 2 June The hugely popular US phenomenon Cigarettes After Sex will light up the main auditorium of Leith Theatre for one final night with their distinct brand of euphoric and atmospheric crafted songwriting
David Martin, Creative Director of Hidden Door, said: “Hidden Door wants to make a difference to Edinburgh – we want to play a part in making sure the people who live in this city have the chance to experience some of the very best, most exciting, and beautiful music of today, right on their doorstep, in a venue worthy of the city. That’s why we are putting on this weekender and continuing our work to make the Leith Theatre fulfil its potential.
“The music will be incredible, but Hidden Door is more than just a set of gigs. We are bringing together some of our favourite visual artists from the past five years to embellish and adorn the venue, and together with our incredible production team, we’ll be showing the Leith Theatre off in a more visually stunning and immersive way than ever before! This year, with the acts we have secured, coming to the Leith Theatre will be a truly sublime experience!”
Arusa Qureshi, Editor in Chief at The List, said “We are really pleased to be involved with Hidden Door again this year. As one of our top events in the city, being asked to programme the opening night has been an absolute pleasure and we’re very excited to share our line-up with everyone.
“The wonderful Ray BLK, who was the first unsigned winner of the BBC’s Sound Of competition, and experimental pop duo Let’s Eat Grandma will no doubt ensure that it’s an awesome party but we’re also so happy to have List favourites The Honey Farm, Chuchoter and Sarra Wild on the bill, along with various other surprises. We’re certain that this year’s Hidden Door will be the best yet.’
Jack Hunter, chair of the Leith Theatre Trust, said: “We are thrilled that Hidden Door will return to Leith Theatre in 2019 in a fantastic, packed weekend programme. Hidden Door has been instrumental in putting Leith Theatre on the map and generous in its time and support of our campaign to save the theatre.”
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
