Runrig to bow out with farewell concert

Legendary Scottish Celtic rockers Runrig are to quit touring after 45 years and have announced a farewell concert in Stirling next summer.

Titled The Last Dance, the concert will take place in Stirling’s City Park, against the spectacular backdrop of Stirling Castle, on Saturday 18th August 2018.

Billed as one of the biggest events the band has ever staged, Runrig say the the show will be a celebration of the band’s significant achievements over the last 45 years, as well as a thank you to their loyal fans who have followed Runrig throughout the decades.

Runrig, founded in 1973, were one of the most visible symbols of the revival of Scottish and Gaelic cultural life in the 1980s and 90s.

In their career they released over 20 live and studio albums and gathered a loyal fan base especially in the UK, Germany and Scandinavia.

The band’s version of Loch Lomond has become truly iconic, having achieved universal status as an unofficial alternative anthem.

Stirling Castle was the venue for a previous 'farewell' concert in 1997 when original lead singer Donnie Munro left Runrig to stand as an MP.

For the last 20 years the band has been fronted by Bruce Guthro from Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia.

Runrig Highlights

• 1978. Release of Play Gaelic, the first ever all-Gaelic pop/rock album with original material.
• 1991. Runrig is the first major band to play Balloch Country Park, on the shores of Loch Lomond, where 50,000 gather to witness the band’s biggest concert to date.
• 1993. The album Amazing Things enters the UK album charts at No.2
• 1995. The song An Ubhal As Airde becomes the first Scots Gaelic language song to enter the U.K. Top 20.
• 2003. Runrig receives Nordoff Robbins Tartan Clef Award for services to music.
• 2003. The song Running to the Light is the music requested as wake up call for astronauts aboard the ill-fated space shuttle Colombia on the morning of the infamous tragedy. A Runrig CD was one of the few items found intact from wreckage scattered across Southern Texas. It was subsequently presented to the band by the son and husband of deceased shuttle commander and Runrig fan, Laurel Clark, at a special ceremony in Glasgow City Chambers.
• 2008. Year of the Flood DVD reaches No.1 in the UK and Denmark, No. 3 in Germany.
• 2013. 17,000 people celebrate the band’s 40th anniversary at the Party On The Moor concert in the Highlands.
• 2016. Runrig plays a record breaking, sell-out show at Edinburgh Castle Esplanade. The band was the first to play there in 1991 and since then they’ve performed in this spectacular location on six occasions, more than any other artist.

Runrig released their 14th and final studio album The Story in 2016, and now the decision has been reached that the time is right to complete the circle as far as the live music side of the band is concerned. A series of farewell arena shows titled, The Final Mile, will take place in Germany and Denmark, together with farewell concerts in England.

Founder member, songwriter and percussionist Calum Macdonald said: This has been an enormous and difficult decision for us, but through the machinations of longevity and circumstance, we feel that the timing is now right, for a positive and celebratory conclusion.”

Drummer Iain Bayne added: “We want to make this a true celebration of the band's career, and the special bond we have with so many people from around the world, although it will be with heavy hearts when we strike the last note.”

Reflecting on the decsion lead guitarist Malcolm Jones commented “Although the band as we know it will end, its iconic music will live on, as will the Runrig brand. Individual members will continue to write songs, record and engage in live performances, whilst there are various exciting Runrig legacy projects in development.”

Tickets (standing and seated) for The Last Dance go on sale at 10am on Friday 29th September and are available to purchase from Ticketline 0844 888 9991