Wellerman singer reveals ‘pinch-me’ moment as song is included in The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo

Audiences can see it for themselves with 50% off Preview Night tickets on sale now

Scottish musician Nathan Evans has revealed his pride after discovering his hit ‘Wellerman’ will be part of The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo this summer.

The 29-year-old shot to fame when the sea shanty went viral across TikTok in 2020 which led to a record deal and a Number 1 single in several countries.

Now it has been revealed that the famous track will form part of the Tattoo performance, with His Majesty’s Royal Marines Band taking it on, alongside some traditional navy tunes and sea shanties.

Nathan said: “What an incredible honour to have my song featured as part of the Tattoo.

“Growing up in Scotland, I think the Tattoo is something you’re always aware of and feel that sense of pride about so to have my song included is a real pinch-me moment.

“Since I released Wellerman, things have obviously changed dramatically for me but this is the icing on the cake and I can’t wait to see the song come to life as part of the amazing performances this summer.”

This year’s Tattoo performances will run from 2-24 August, with guests from around the world coming to experience the Journeys Show.

For fans eager to see the special performance of Wellerman alongside other world-class acts from across the globe, special preview night tickets are on sale from TODAY Monday 24 June, with up to 50% off standard ticket prices.

Journeys will celebrate the journey of connection through music, dance, culture, and military traditions.

The Show will be the third under the Tattoo’s bold brand proposition, Performance in a New Light, and will follow the successes of the last two years shows, Voices and Stories, under creative Director Michael Braithwaite Journeys merges the traditional military elements that the Tattoo is known and loved for, with modern touches through creative projection, technology, costume design and music inspirations.

Michael Braithwaite, Creative Director of The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, says “While the Tattoo has a proud history of the very finest world-class military and civilian performances; innovation and Scottish culture have also been a core tradition of the show since its first days.

Nathan’s much-deserved success and passion for Scottish music represent everything we hold dear at the Tattoo. He has taken a 19th century sea shanty and brought it to the modern era to great acclaim. We are thrilled to be presenting Wellerman, as a feature with the Band of His Majesty’s Royal Marines, our lead service, and a highlight of the journey our audience will embark upon this year.”

The Castle Esplanade will be filled with over 800 international performers from far and wide to showcase their epic journey, through vibrant dance, music, visual artistry and so much more.

Expressing their unique cultures, this Show will host talents from the USA, India, Switzerland, Australia, Canada, and homegrown acts from around the UK. Through an artistic odyssey, expect a wide variety of enthralling action featuring world-leading talent.

With the Royal Navy as lead service, the Show will pay homage to the seafarers that brave the ocean to travel across continents bringing people and cultures together

Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at edintattoo.co.uk/tickets or on the phone, 0131 225 1188. The Show will run from 2-24 August 2024, with Presenting Partner, Innis & Gunn, offering a bar service at the event.

Tickets for 2025’s Show celebrating the 75th Anniversary of The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo will go on sale in August during Journeys.

First Minister attends the Tattoo with special guests from Ukraine

Over the weekend First Minister Nicola Sturgeon attended The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. Seated in the Royal Gallery, Ms Sturgeon was accompanied by a group of Ukrainian teenagers, currently residing in Scotland to take in the spectacle of this year’s Show, Voices.  

On arrival, the Tattoo gave each of the teenagers a specially designed Tattoo t-shirt inspired by the Ukrainian flag and the special projections included in this year’s show.  

In March 2022, The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo showed its support for the people of Ukraine by flying the Ukrainian flag high above their Cockburn Street Office, while opening their shop doors to function as a pop-up donation hub in support of the work of the Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain.

Alongside this, the Tattoo made a charitable donation of £20,000 to the Disasters Emergency Appeal; it is now furthering its support of the relief efforts by launching these Ukrainian dedicated t-shirts with £10 from each sale being donated to the Association of Ukrainians in Edinburgh to fund their excellent work with refugees to Scotland.   

Buster Howes, Chief Executive of The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, said: “It is always an honour to welcome the First Minister to The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, but it was even more significant to host her alongside these young people from Ukraine.   

“The Tattoo is a celebration of the connections, culture and creativity which frame our common humanity, and which unite us all; we are always delighted to introduce young people to the vivid multinational spectacle we present.  We stand resolutely alongside the embattled people of Ukraine.” 

Over 900 performers from across the globe are taking part in this year’s Tattoo. Voices, is a celebration of expression, giving a stage to performers and acts from around the globe to share their voices through the spoken word, song, music, and dance.  

You can purchase these special edition t-shirts at online at www.edintattoo.co.uk, The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo Shop & Box Office, located at 1 Cockburn Street in Edinburgh or at the Retail Kiosks at the Show.

The Show runs until 27 August 2022. Limited tickets are still available and can be purchased at edintattoo.co.uk/tickets or on the phone on 0131 225 1188. 

EDINBURGH’s FESTIVALS POSTPONED

For the first time in their seventy-year history, the five festivals that transform Edinburgh into the world’s leading cultural destination every August WILL NOT GO AHEAD this year due to concerns around the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Edinburgh Art FestivalThe Edinburgh Festival FringeEdinburgh International Book FestivalEdinburgh International Festival and The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo have been postponed.

Together, the five August festivals comprise over 5,000 events across Scotland’s capital each summer, welcoming audiences of 4.4 million and over 25,000 artists, writers and performers from 70 countries, making them the second biggest cultural event in the world after the Olympics.

The festivals’ history stretches back to 1947, where in the aftermath of the Second World War the Edinburgh International Festival was founded to reconcile and reunite people and nations through art, in an event that transcended political and cultural boundaries.

Many years later the International Festival continues to present the world’s leading theatre, dance and music artists in Edinburgh’s magnificent venues.

The Fringe story began when eight theatre groups turned up uninvited to perform on the fringes of the very first International Festival. Since the dawn of this spontaneous artistic movement, millions have flocked to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe to produce, and to enjoy art of every genre.

Conceived in 1950 the iconic major event, now known as The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, brings together a huge cast of international military and folkloric performers to perform live to 220,000 visitors each August, with many millions seeing the show on BBC TV around the world.

The Edinburgh International Book Festival began in 1983 and has grown rapidly in scope and size, welcoming writers from all over the world to exchange ideas on some of the world’s most pressing issues. The youngest of the August festivals, Edinburgh Art Festival was founded in 2004 to provide a platform for the visual arts, each year bringing together the capital’s leading galleries, museums and artist-run spaces to present work by international and UK artists.

Since their visionary beginnings the August festivals have presented the very best established and emerging artists from all corners of the globe and across all aspects of the performing, literary and visual arts in what has become the most significant and important celebration of culture anywhere in the world.

Said Sorcha Carey, Director, Edinburgh Art Festival, said: “It is with deep sadness that today we announce the cancellation of Edinburgh Art Festival 2020.

“Our decision is taken in response to the ongoing risks posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, and the need to prioritise the safety of our audiences, artists, participants, staff and indeed all those working to combat coronavirus.

“While it has become impossible to deliver a festival this year, we remain fully committed to doing all we can to continue to support our visual arts community during what is going to be a hugely challenging time in the weeks and months to come.

“We hope that it will be possible for galleries, museums and production spaces across the city to reopen their doors in the coming months; and in the meantime, we will work creatively to find alternative ways to share the work of artists with audiences.

“We will be back next year – as always working closely with our partner galleries, and alongside our extended network of sister festivals, to celebrate the work of artists with audiences and communities across the city.”

Shona McCarthy, Chief ExecutiveEdinburgh Festival Fringe Society, said: “It’s heart-breaking that the Fringe and our sister August festivals will not take place as planned this summer. However, having taken advice and considered all the options, we collectively believe this is the only appropriate response.

“The safety of participants, audiences, local residents and indeed everyone connected to our festivals will always come first. Our thoughts today are with the doctors, nurses, health and social care professionals on the front line, as well as all those affected by this dreadful pandemic.

“Our sympathies too are with the thousands of artists and participants directly affected by today’s decision – we will do everything we can to support you over the coming months.

“Culture brings out the best in us. It gives the marginalised a voice, it shapes and reshapes how we think of ourselves and, crucially, it unites us. Since their inception in 1947 the Edinburgh festivals have existed to champion the flowering of the human spirit and, in the face of this truly unprecedented global emergency, we believe that this spirit is needed now more than ever.”

Nick Barley, Director, Edinburgh International Book Festival, added: “It is with great sadness that I can confirm that the Edinburgh International Book Festival will not take place as a physical entity in August of this year due to the risks surrounding the Covid-19 pandemic.

This is not a decision we have taken lightly, however the safety of not only our authors, our audiences, our staff and our suppliers, but also that of the people who live and work in our wonderful city, is of paramount importance and we believe that planning to bring large numbers of people from all over the world together in Edinburgh in August is not appropriate this year. We hope to be able to programme a series of online events to take place in the summer.

“We will be back! The Edinburgh International Book Festival is an integral part of the Scottish cultural offering, and we will return next year. We are already looking forward to authors and audiences coming together to celebrate the written word in 2021. In the meantime, please keep reading and please keep supporting your local independent bookshops, many of whom are offering a mail order or door drop delivery service.”

Fergus Linehan, Festival Director, Edinburgh International Festival, added: “We are hugely disappointed to announce this cancellation but given the current outlook we believe it is the correct decision.

“We recognise that Edinburgh’s festivals play a very important role in the cultural, social and economic lives of our city and country, and this decision has not been taken lightly. Our thoughts are with all the country’s key workers and we hope that we can celebrate your heroic efforts when this awful pandemic has passed.

“The Edinburgh International Festival was born out of adversity – an urgent need to reconnect and rebuild. The current crisis presents all at the Festival with a similar sense of urgency. Work begins straight away on a 2021 Festival season that will boost both our spirits and our economy.

“As we observe our essential social distancing we can, I hope, look forward to being back together soon: sharing brilliant music, theatre, dance, literature and art from the greatest creative minds of our time. Until then, thank you for all your good wishes and keep safe in the coming months.”

Edinburgh’s world famous Tattoo is another casualty. Brigadier David Allfrey MBE, Chief Executive, The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, said: “Like most people, businesses and institutions, The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo has been working hard to adapt to the unprecedented conditions occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“In the first instance, we have sought to comply carefully with Government advice and guidance in looking after our customers, staff, suppliers, stakeholders and all those who rely on our annual success and charity. In addition, we have been looking at how best to make a wider and constructive contribution to the national, regional, municipal and individual effort.

“The pandemic is impacting across the world, the Tattoo – along with other major events and festivals – will need to carefully understand and adapt to whatever is our new normal.

“We are keen to do this as a great many people have come to rely on our annual routines for their livelihood and their entertainment, with an associated benefit that stretches internationally and across Scottish and UK tourism. Now though, we judge it is impractical and undesirable to stage a Tattoo in anything like its normal form in August.

“Accordingly, we have decided – for the first time in our 70-year history – to cancel our 25 shows set previously for the period 7–29 August 2020.”

Edinburgh’s festivals bring millions of visitors to the city in summer, spending much-welcomed cash in the capital. Council Leader Adam McVey and Depute Cammy Day, said: “This was a profoundly difficult decision– leaving a massive gap in our Capital – but clearly it was the right one. Our thoughts are very much with all those fantastic artists, writers, performers and organisations who were working so hard to prepare for another busy festival season.

“The most important consideration is the health of our residents and the safety of everyone in the City. We’re all working closely together as a city and internationally with the common purpose of protecting each other, whilst taking up our shared responsibility for planning towards our recovery.

“With that in mind, we’re looking at every feasible option to help to sustain our key sectors, including the festivals, and have committed to honouring all grant payments due to our cultural partners for the current year, and to the repurposing of these, as required. We’ll do everything we can to assist our world-renowned cultural sector to remain at the centre of the city’s identity going forward.

“We’re incredibly proud to be known as the world’s Festival City and must never forget the positive contribution our festivals make to our lives, bringing art to Edinburgh in a way no other city enjoys.

“We’ll continue to work with all of our citizens, colleagues and stakeholders to do everything we can to make sure we come through 2020 and look forward to again bringing the world to Edinburgh and Edinburgh to the world for our summer festivals in 2021!”

Iain Munro, Chief Executive, Creative Scotland, said: “We understand and support the decision by Edinburgh’s Festivals to cancel this Summer’s activities at this extremely difficult time.

“Our hearts go out to all those involved with the Festivals who work tirelessly every year to deliver one of the highlights of the annual cultural calendar and to the many artists, performers and companies who will miss this year’s opportunity to be celebrated on a global stage.

“We look forward to their return when audiences can once more marvel at the extraordinary art and creativity that will be on offer.”

Adam French, Which? Consumer Rights Expert, said: “While understandable, the cancellation of the Edinburgh festivals will be disappointing news for the millions of people who flock to the Scottish capital to experience one of the world’s great cultural events.

“It’s good to see that some organisers have said they’ll be refunding registration fees, tickets and memberships, so those who planned to attend events may be able to get their money back.

“It could be trickier to get a refund for any related travel or accommodation. The good news is that National Rail has offered to refund tickets booked before 23rd March, but you will need to check the cancellation policies for any accommodation you have booked or any other mode of transport.”

 

The Tattoo’s heading down under

‘If I had to name one world event that I wanted to attract to Melbourne it would be The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo’ – Melbourne’s Lord Mayor Robert Doyle 

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The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo will take place in Australia and New Zealand next February.

The Tattoo is a major fixture in the global events calendar providing upwards of £100m into the UK economy every year. Last year marked the Tattoo’s sixteenth successive sell-out season at Edinburgh Castle, generating approximately £10 million in box office receipts.

The news that the Tattoo will be on the road next year has already received an overwhelmingly positive reaction in Australia and New Zealand. Ticket sales for Melbourne and Wellington are already breaking expected targets, with 50% of tickets sold in the first week and an additional Melbourne show announced yesterday. These two offshore Tattoos are expected to draw millions into their respective local economies.

Brigadier David Allfrey MBE, Chief Executive and Producer, The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo said: “The Tattoo provides a wonderful excuse for people to come together for an enjoyable and inspirational evening and to reflect on where their interests and influence might coincide. We are so proud to play our part in these international endeavours.

“Our project to take the Tattoo to Wellington and Melbourne has been more than three years in the planning. It has involved a huge number of partners across all three countries, never mind in those nations getting ready to contribute to the Show. It is, however, a much wider story than us doing a show. The Tattoo’s integrated approach provides our wide ranging stakeholders with an exciting, high profile platform which can deliver a plethora of interesting and beneficial opportunities.”

Scottish Secretary David Mundell said: “The UK enjoys a very close international relationship with Australia and New Zealand across a wide range of areas including an extraordinary shared heritage in culture, history and military alliance. The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo overseas programme represents an exciting platform in this rich relationship.

“It brings together a unique blend of music, ceremony and entertainment that showcases a stunning array of Scottish heritage & culture and the precision and expertise of the British Military combined with a colourful mix military and cultural groups from around the world.”

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Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Europe and External Affairs, Fiona Hyslop said: “This is great news for The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo and for Scotland. The Tattoo is a firm favourite in Edinburgh’s world famous festivals and I am sure the Australian and New Zealand audiences will be delighted by the unique blend of music and entertainment that only The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo can provide. The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo is a world renowned Scottish brand and reaching out to people who are interested in Scotland and our heritage is important to tourism and our image overseas.

Kerry Prendergast, Executive Chair, New Zealand Festival, said: “The New Zealand Festival and the Tattoo, with the support of the New Zealand government, sought to bring this iconic event back to Wellington because we were sure Kiwis would come out in force to support it. We’re thrilled that audiences have responded so enthusiastically, and can’t wait to welcome the Tattoo to what’s on track to be a sell-out season in Wellington.”

The Right Honourable, the Lord Mayor of Melbourne, Robert Doyle said: “If I had to name one world event that I wanted to attract to Melbourne it would be The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo and we are delighted to be hosting it for the first time in 2016. Melbourne is renowned for our world-class events calendar and I’m delighted that Melburnians have embraced the event and that it will have major flow-on effect for our tourism industry.”