Haddstock 2024: 24-26 May

Once again, we brought Haddington’s venues and streets to life with music, art and events.

Working with local partners, we crammed as many fantastic artists as we possibly could into one action-packed weekend. Our theme of the Climate Crisis was a common thread woven through author events, film screenings, workshops, exhibitions and live music.    

Battle of the Bands 2024 was another great success, and our Newcomer Stage at the Corn Exchange offered a brilliant opportunity for performers aged 18 or under. Our sold-out headliner gig with Karine Polwart and Gaze is Ghost at the Corn Exchange was stunning.

Here’s a wee taste of the 2024 festival by Hendo Film:

 

Thanks to everyone who played / sang / discussed / watched / danced / helped / taught / organised / funded …. all of it, you’re all great and we can’t do it without you! This was the 2024 line-up:

 

 

Volunteer with us

Haddstock is run by volunteers! If you’d like to join our friendly team, please email volunteers@haddstock.co.uk.

See Haddstock 2023 | Haddstock at Home 

 

2024 saw our first Corn Exchange headliner gig – with Karine Polwart.

We partnered with The Brunton to bring this local multi-award-winning songwriter, folk singer, and storyteller to Haddington. Her songs evoke a richness of place, hidden histories, scientific curiosity and folklore. Trees and rocks speak. Birds flit in and out of vision. And the stars know everything. She conjures the beauty and magic, the sorrow and complexity of the world out of the corner of her eye, with lyricism and tenderness.

Karine’s many collaborative projects include – Still As Your Sleeping, a duo with pianist Dave Milligan; a longstanding trio with brother Steven Polwart and multi-instrumentalist Inge Thomson; her Scottish Songbook re-imaginings of classic Scottish pop; Spell Songs, a multi-artist response to environmental loss; and Wind Resistance, her peatbog-inspired theatre show for The Royal Lyceum in Edinburgh.

Recent commissions include new work for both the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra. 2023 saw her host and write for Seek the Light, a poetic three-part BBC Radio 4 series combining science, music and folklore.

Long established as a glorious singer, enquiring songwriter and enlightened mind  ★★★★  MOJO

There are few songwriters sharper  ★★★★  Financial Times

One of the finest singer-songwriters in Britain   ★★★★★  The Guardian

Karine was be supported by Gaze is Ghost.

Gaze is Ghost, aka Laura McGarrigle, is a local composer and singer-songwriter who cites influences ranging from Joanna Newsom and Julia Holter to Stravinsky and Talk Talk. She has supported acts such as Joan as Policewoman, Kathryn Joseph, SOAK and Holly McNish.

Like a ghost, her music is ethereal, otherworldly and, dare I say, somewhat supernatural. Her debut album Plume is a graceful and, frankly, beautiful meditation evident of a musician operating as sculptor. Each song feels carefully and deliberately constructed, but retains a feeling of earnest and spontaneous emotion. Overblown

Revolvere is an orchestral beauty with electronic undercurrents reminiscent of Julia Holter in execution while ‘Murmuration’ is a piano ballad with McGarrigle’s vocals lifting the tune above the norm. Nialler9