Revellers set sail for Danish festival

Rip-roaring folk rockers The Revellers swapped the tour bus for a fishing boat when they set sail for a festival in Denmark.

Members of the much-loved Shetland band piled onto the Adenia on Tuesday morning ahead of two dates at the Skagen music festival. According to the AIS on marinetraffic.com they are making their way south of Norway, steaming at around 14 knots.

The boys will play two shows – one tomorrow and one on Friday.

Banjo player Lewie Peterson spoke to The Shetland Times, as a cooked breakfast courtesy of guitarist Michael Anderson was under way as the entourage prepared to set sail.

It is the first gig the band has played outside of the UK and Lewie said they were looking forward to playing material from their soon to be released album Skeletons.

“It seems to be one of the most popular festivals in Denmark and not necessarily just for the music,” he said.

“A lot of Scandinavian people go to this festival as part of a holiday and it seems to have more of a family kind of atmosphere than other festivals.”

Playing to a new audience aiming to win them over was rewarding, said Lewie and “playing new material will just add to that”.

Travelling by sea was the most direct route, though Lewie’s brother and fellow Reveller Erik was making a longer journey – travelling back from Columbia and then hitch hiking to the festival.

“He’s arriving in Europe as we speak and flying from Columbia. He’s just arrived in Madrid and then arrives in Copenhagen tonight and then hitch-hiking to Skagen,” said Lewie.

When gigging south the band normally take the north boat so despite a 30-hour journey Lewie said the group should be okay with their sea legs.

At least there was breakfast to settle the stomach. “I can smell it just now – the black pudding and everything,” said Lewie.