WHILE Inverness readies itself for XpoNorth, Summerhall in Edinburgh is gearing up for Southern Exposure, a 10-day outdoor festival in collaboration with Synergy Concerts, National Museums Scotland and The Edinburgh International Film Festival.
Running from June 15 to 24, Southern Exposure’s live music schedule is inspired by Rip It Up, the first major exhibition dedicated to Scottish pop music, which opens at the National Museum of Scotland on June 22.
Of the 300 objects on display at the exhibition, several relate to artists performing at Southern Exposure such as The Skids and Big Country, who play a double-headliner on June 19, evergreen indie kings Idlewild (June 21) and new wave legends The Rezillos (June 24).
Two of latter band’s homemade stage outfits are on show at Rip It Up: a yellow mini dress worn by singer Fay Fife and a green PVC jumpsuit worn by guitarist Eugene Reynolds on Top Of The Pops.
Other highlights include memorabilia from the likes of Lonnie Donegan, The Proclaimers and Franz Ferdinand and the Brit Award won by Belle and Sebastian in 1999.
There are also two acoustic guitars donated by Simple Minds, one of which is covered in cigarette cards. The band’s Charlie Burchill was bought the guitar – his first ever – by his mum who paid for it with coupons from Embassy cigarette packets.
In tribute to Rip It Up the exhibition, Summerhall present an all-day mini festival of the same name on June 23. Celebrating the Scottish pop greats of today as well as looking ahead to future stars, Rip It Up Festival features cerebral hip hop outfit Stanley Odd, Emma Pollock, local heroes Withered Hand, Modern Studies and Be Charlotte, as well as a special guest to be announced imminently.
All tickets for Southern Exposure are ticketed separately by day. See www.summerhall.co.uk
Rip It Up Festival: June 23, Summerhall, Edinburgh, noon to 10.30pm, £25. Tickets: bit.ly/RipItUpFestival
Rip It Up Exhibition: June 22 to November 25, National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street, Edinburgh. www.nms.ac.uk/ripitup
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