The Spree festival returns to Paisley this September

Often referred to as Scotland’s largest town, Paisley has a lot going for it. Known for the iconic Paisley pattern, it’s home to the stunning 12th century Paisley Abbey and has birthed some very famous faces over the years such as actor Gerard Butler and musicians including Gerry Rafferty and Paolo Nutini, who recently found himself back at the top of the UK charts having released his first album in eight years. What’s more, the town hosted the Scottish Album of the Year award ceremony for three years running; music runs through the very veins of Paisley.

It’s a joy, then, to see The Spree returning this autumn for its tenth edition, organised by Renfrewshire Council and programmed by gig promotion stalwarts Regular Music. Taking place from 1-10 September, The Spree returns once again to the iconic Spiegeltent on the town’s Bridge Street, in the stunning surrounds of Paisley Abbey and Paisley Town Hall, and the lineup is as eclectic as the town itself, with all manner of Scottish and international artists set to play the ten-day festival.

This milestone year kicks off with Highlands four-piece Tide Lines (1 Sep), followed quickly by two of the founding members of Ocean Colour Scene, Simon & Oscar (2 Sep), who have been performing together now for more than 30 years; expect acoustic versions of big hits such as The River Boat Song and The Day We Caught the Train.

While the first two nights are already sold out, as the week unwinds, you'll unearth some more gems, like Malian collective Tinariwen, who arrive in town on 4 September. Given that this band have been going since the late 70s, and are cited as one of the pioneers of the desert blues genre, it's quite the get for The Spree. With eight albums under their belt, it’s in the live setting where Tinariwen truly come alive, so this one is not to be missed.

Tinariwen. Photo: Thomas Dorn

Closer to home, on 5 September Teenage Fanclub’s Norman Blake heads up a bill which includes fellow Scot James Grant alongside Suede’s Bernard Butler, where the three talented musicians will perform a selection of each other’s songs, fronting their own, of course. With a beautiful camaraderie apparent between the three, this is set to be quite a special and unique night.

One of Scotland’s premier new wave acts Altered Images are set to play later in the festival’s run too, taking over the Spiegeltent on 9 September. With brand new record Mascara Streakz due on 26 August – their first in almost 40 years – you’ll have plenty of time ahead of the show to learn all the lyrics to go alongside hits like Happy Birthday and I Can Be Happy that made them stand-outs the first time round.

Also at The Spree this year you’ll find The Bootleg Beatles, undeniably one of the best cover bands of one of the UK’s most loved bands of all time. Covering The Beatles is no mean feat, but The Bootleg Beatles do it with such energy, style and attention to detail, it’s hard to separate them from the original Fab Four. On 6 September, expect to be taken on a journey documenting The Beatles’ romp through the 60s with the rock'n'roll bangers and huge singalong hits that made them famous, the costumes, onstage witticisms and more.

In addition to all of this, The Spree will welcome Modstuff events on 3 September, with the afternoon show featuring Paisley's own Gerry McGuire on DJ duty as well as The Absolute Jam tribute band, while the evening show will belong to Emily Capill and The Electric Stars. The Sunday Jazz Brunch on, well, Sunday 4 September, presented in association with The Glasgow Jazz Festival, will welcome Scottish Jazz Award-winners Rose Room to the Spiegeltent. Later, friends since they were 17, Barbara Dickson & Rab Noakes will perform together (7 Sep), Horse Macdonald performs a special acoustic-style show (8 Sep), and award-winning Scottish comedian Susie McCabe, who has supported the likes of John Bishop and Jason Manford, will get everyone laughing on the final afternoon (10 Sep), before Manchester indie-rock four-piece The Slow Readers Club bring things to a close that evening.

So whether you want heart-on-sleeve singer-songwriters, indie-rockers, desert blues, new wave, jazz, classic covers or just a good old laugh, or even a bit of everything, because why not, then Paisley's The Spree has got you covered.

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The Spree runs in the Spiegeltent, Bridge St, Paisley, 1-10 Sep
thespree.co.uk