Scotland’s longest-running greenfield music festival, held in stunning rural Dumfries and Galloway, announces the full line-up for their 27th year – including sets from Mungo’s Hi-Fi, The Dub Pistols, Elephant Sessions, Rokia Koné, Moving Shadow, and many more
Knockengorroch Festival has announced the final acts that will complete its 2025 music line-up and 27th festival year. Running 22 – 25th May 2025 in the beautiful rural hills next to Galloway Forest Park, Scotland’s longest running greenfield festival will welcome back long-time favourite acts, and exciting new artists, from Scotland, the UK, and internationally.
Exciting acts already announced for May include Mungo’s Hi-Fi, Omega Nebula, Kinnaris Quintet, General Levy, The Fontanas, Moxie, Euphonique, and Serial Killaz among others.
This year, the festival will embody and explore the chosen theme of SURVIVAL – the survival of live music festivals, community, language, culture, and biodiversity. Addressing both the overall global creative landscape and Knockengorroch’s character personally as a unique eco-conscious music festival, Knockengorroch Festival 2025 will share its passion for a present – and future – full of resistance, staying power, resilience, regeneration, and new beginnings. In a post-pandemic and climate crisis landscape, music events across the UK are undergoing increasing challenges – something Knockengorroch Festival is not afraid to highlight, not least through its recent partnership with fellow Celtic festival Green Gathering in Wales.
Final acts announced to complete Knockengorroch Festival’s music line up 2025 include:
Making her Knockengorroch solo debut is one of Mali’s leading female artists and musical force to be reckoned with, Rokia Koné – the Rose of Bamako. Exploring the gamut of emotion from joy to despair, fury to tenderness, soft to hard, through her ever-flexing sound, Rokia Koné will bring a beautiful set teeming with power, magic, universality, activism, and love to Scotland.
Psychedelic dub ensemble African Head Charge have decades of experience in the scene, set to showcase a unique blend of polyrhythmic outernational sounds on the Knockengorroch stage this May. African Head Charge is a long-running studio and live collaboration between master Jamaican percussionist, Bonjo Lyabinghi Noah, and English dub producer, Adrian Sherwood, featuring a revolving cast of guest players.
Hailing from Australia with seven records under their belt, ecological-family-funk-swing band Formidable Vegetable will also join the official festival line up this May. Having toured to over 20 countries – playing at some of the biggest events in the world alongside monumental acts like Radiohead, Tame Impala, Dolly Parton and The Rolling Stones – Formidable Vegetable adds Knockengorroch to their impressive performance roster. With a delicious mash-up of live instrumentation and tasty beets, FoVeg hopes to enrich the soil of our minds and plant seeds of inspiration on every stage they take to. The band is paving the way for an entirely new kind of creative action for composting problems and growing abundant, community-scale solutions in their place – making them the perfect addition for Knockengorroch 2025.
A celebration of the legendary Moving Shadow Records, this special takeover brings together two of the label’s defining forces: EZ Rollers and Richie (of JMJ & Richie). EZ Rollers Jay Hurren and Alex Banks helped shape the smooth, jazz-infused sound of drum and bass throughout the late ‘90s, releasing classics like Walk This Land and Tough at the Top on Moving Shadow before launching their own label, Intercom Recordings. This is a rare chance to witness two pioneers of UK drum and bass culture reunite for a heavyweight session of rolling beats and deep basslines.
Hailing from the city of Mzuzu in northern Malawi, celebrated musician Gasper Nali will bring his unique one-man-band act to Scotland to share the beauty of the Banatoni instrument with audiences – a three-metre long homemade bass guitar made from a sawed-off oil barrel, a hand-axed piece of blue gum Eucalyptus tree, and a string made from the wire inside the rims of car tyres. With a sound best described as part of the ‘Kwela’ tradition (a style of music created in South Africa in the first half of the 20th century by blending the local sounds with the music of Malawian immigrant workers), Gasper Nali has three highly successful European tours under his belt, and has performed on iconic stages such as Glastonbury, Womad UK, Boomtown Fair, and Zwarte Cross.
A small madhouse of cultures and influences, Àirdan is an exciting four-piece trad band born from the pubs of Edinburgh. With high energy grooves and dynamic arrangements that sees melodies and riffs juggled between fiddle, accordion, guitar and drums, combined with a shared thirst for Scottish trad music, Àirdan’s music promises to captivate listeners.
Returning to Knockengorroch for the first time since 2018 is the powerful one woman electro-orchestra, Bunty. Using synths, toys, ukulele, voice, effects pedals, and a mash of real and made-up languages, she whispers, bellows, beatboxes, claps, and stamps to produce impressive vocal harmonies for her eclectic hook-heavy tunes.
Glasgow based post punk band Girobabies will also return to the festival stage, bringing with them their own brand of baffling post punk party music to serve up social commentary with a hefty dollop of gutter-rock dystopian grit and a sprinkle of fun. Girobabies are no strangers to festivals, returning to the Galloway Hills after performances at the likes of Boomtown and Bearded Theory. The band will be coming to Knockengorroch in celebration of their brand new album, ‘Dreams Are Mental’.
The Brizz, formerly known as Bristol Branch, was developed from a shared love of North Eastern Brazilian Forro music and dance. Forro traditionally combines tight percussion grooves with accordion, fiddle, and call and answer vocals. After cultivating their sound for the past fifteen years, The Brizz will mix Samba, Cajun, and Scottish influences to produce an energetic and uplifting atmosphere guaranteed to get the Knockengorroch crowd dancing.
Originally from New York, singer-songwriter and artist Hope London now calls rural Scotland home. Drawn from her vast experience and colourful life spanning many career paths, Hope London’s music is centred around her storytelling style lyrics. Having recently released her electropop EP ‘Could Do Better’ at age 72, Hope London will be joined at Knockengorroch by DJ Dean Munch to weave tracks together seamlessly into an energetic non-stop dancing set.
Edinburgh based racecar also plans to introduce Knockengorroch 2025 to their unrestrained and captivating pop sounds. Composed of three childhood friends, singer and keyboard player Izzy Flower, guitarist Robin Brill, and bassist Calum Mason, racecar is set to perform at Knockengorroch just months after the release of their brand new album ‘Pink Car.’
Cera Impala will return with her unique musical skills and Half Moon Medicine Showcase takeover in the Longhouse. Mixed with pure and poetic storytelling Cera’s whiskey-honeyed voice is set to take intimately crafted musical pieces, and the Knockengorroch audience, to another time and place – one of dreams and magic, where the listening experience is as sensual as it is wild.
Dara Dubh, accompanied by her trusty companion the harp, aims to challenge existing ideas of an instrument often associated with traditional music via an electrifying live performance. Drawing influences from a vast variety of musical styles to create a blend of musical influences, coupled with emotive and heartfelt lyricism, the harp has found new life in Dara’s hands as she pushes the boundaries of its capabilities, infusing indie-pop sensibilities with authentic vocals.
Also joining the line up is one of Scotland’s most innovative composers and musicians, Kate Young and her full 8 piece band. Navigating through different musical genres, Kate’s sound fuses voice with fiddle techniques to evoke intriguing soundscapes, driven by the exploration of new sounds found in traditional music across the globe to help fuel her compositional world. With a developing interest in British plant lore and folktales, Kate cleverly weaves this information into her songs and compositions to perpetuate and empower traditions at high risk of being lost.
Also returning to Knockengorroch festival are The Dub Pistols – one of the few remaining working class bands whose illustrious career spans decades. Carrying the flame of reggae-driven sound system music, mixed with ska and rocksteady through to Soul II Soul, grime, dubstep, and beyond for a reggae-breaks-gangster-jungle mashup.
From the Highlands of Scotland comes four piece band Elephant Sessions. Combining the fiddle, bass, mandolin, and drums, Elephant Sessions will bring a progressive blend of intricate tunes to the Carsphairn hills this Spring as part of their 2025 tour. With numerous awards and big festival gigs under their belts, the indie-folk band’s music combines the very best of trad, funk, and electronica, with a bass and drum heavy backline, to create a breath-taking live sound.
Drawing influences from Egyptian 80s/90s Pop with Balkan Folk and Turkish Psych Funk, the seven-piece Egyptian Psych Funk band Tashkezar are set to blend psych guitar, funk bass, punchy horns, anthemic synth, and uplifting Arabic vocals for a not-to-miss groovy set.
Teaming up for their Knockengorroch performance, Isa Gordan and Harry Gorski-Brown will blend their unique sounds of electroacoustic, ethereal, live pipes and Gaelic vocals for a stellar performance rooted in a diverse sphere of musical influence – with a focus on eclectic club dance, folk, and electronica.
Irish singer-songwriter Mima Merrow – whose distinct sound uniquely blends alternative folk characterised by longing, sudden changes in direction, and melodies that ache – will explore our shared human fascination in the relationship between our environments and bodies, with thoughtful lyricism is held together by intimacy, honesty, and stories that challenge her listeners.
A pair who have gathered impressive international recognition over the years, global folk duo Mishra (made up of musical duo Kate Griffin and Ford Collier, who met in Sheffield over a shared passion for finding inspiration in Indian classical music) will draw together roots from UK traditional music with continent-spanning musical textures for a multi-limbed virtuoso performance. Creating an unaccountably big sound for just two people, Mishra’s finely crafted songs with stunning vocals and exhilarating instrumentals, spanning all eclectic moods, from meditative raag inspired improvisations to high-energy celtic dance tunes.
Blurring the lines between club, ambient, and experimental music comes Scottish electronic music producer Nick Dow. Combining emotive and cinematic melodies with organic instrumentation and visceral textures, Nick Dow’s sound will envelop Knockengorroch listeners in a world of surging musical landscapes that make you ‘lose sense of space and time’.
A travelling four piece from Glasgow, Samson Sounds will make Knockengorroch festival one of their next stops, bringing with them positive dance floor vibrations and a unique stage presence. Meshing West African and Latin rhythms and melodies into focus with Scottish influences, you can expect Samson Sounds to emphasise the global nature and power of music.
Live electronic music act and immersive experience Acid House Therapy will also bring their sound to Knockengorroch. With live performances described as a mix between a spiritual epiphany and a free party in the woods, the group creates a shared experience through house music and related genres utilising analog hardware. The group has come a long way from their early performances at festivals with a few synthesisers, drum machine, and a sound system on a wheelbarrow.
Multi-disciplinary Māori musician, composer, and anthropologist Rob Thorne will perfectly complement Knockengorroch’s own centuries-old natural landscape with his unique fusion of ancient Taonga Puoro (traditional Māori instruments) and modern sound. Through combining looping technologies and traditional Māori flutes and horns made from stone, bone, shell and wood, Thorne’s set promises an immersive aural listening experience that seeks to understand and connect the past with the present.
Expect energetic Scottish folk band and 6 piece The Greasy Whiskers to conjure a mix of Scottish, Irish, and American folk tunes on the Knockengorroch stage. Mixing musical influences with different geographical backgrounds and experiences, the group forms a wonderful folk music chameleon for all to enjoy.
Having toured the UK for almost a decade with his searing electro breaks releases, musical force, and roof raising, DJ Vandal is set to bring his unique style of Jungle/Reggae infused Hardtek and Hardcore to Scotland for a legendary non-stop set.
Also bringing a modern exploration of Joik music is Northern Sami musician Kari Heiman. Inspired by many genres world-over, Heiman combines playing the frame drum with finger techniques that originate from India and the Middle East, with a unique sense of groove and meditation, to both expand and preserve the uniqueness, history, and joy of Joik.
Knockengorroch 2025 line-up:
African Head Charge
Dub Pistols
Elephant Sessions
Kinnaris Quintet
Moxie
Rokia Koné
General Levy
Mungo’s Hi Fi Soundsystem
Serial Killaz
Legends of Moving Shadow Takeover ft. EZ Rollers & Richie (of JMJ & Richie)
Vandal (Kaotik)
Gasper Nali
Omega Nebula
The Fontanas
Kate Young
Blue Giant Orkestar
State of Satta
Ben Pest
Ixindamix (Audiotrix/SP23)
Euphonique
Kornelia
Katch Pyro (Life4Land)
DJM aka Dan the Hat
Simply Dread
Mama’s Broke
Formidable Vegetable
Tashkezar
Falasgair
The Brizz
Awry
Samson Sounds
Mima Merrow
Girobabies
Bunty
Jack Badcock
Kryptik
racecar
Mishra
Cera Impala
Morphamish
Isa Gordon & Harry Gorski-Brown
Acid House Therapy
Vardi
World of Twist
Crucial Roots ft. Bee
Mighty Oak
Nick Dow
Breezy Lee
Hope London
Mic Orion & E-Yin
Dara Dubh
Rose Room
Freya Rae – Divergence Project
The Native Cult
Greasy Whiskers
Flew the Arrow
DJ Dolphin Boy X Kuchke
Sam Grassie
Robin Adams
Jemima & The Fuse
Ewan Macintyre
Àirdan
Portnawak & The Woo
Tenalach
Torgeir Vassvik
Kari Heiman
Rob Thorne
Huia Hammond
Fourclef & Olive
Chapel Perilous
Nikki Kent
Nem & Lewis
BBL Takeover
Cosmic ft. PsyUbik & Quadrant
Cenote Sounds Takeover
Easy Skankin Crew ft. Sir Skanksalot & Rubba Dubba
Raw Vibe Takeover ft. TifFin & DJ Mariekee
About Knockengorroch Festival:
Environmental Policies
Honouring the prolific landscape and history the festival is built upon – and as part of its membership to the A Greener Festival and Music Declares Emergency initiatives – Knockengorroch employs a multitude of policies to contribute positively to the environment. The festival site is a single-use plastic free zone and has a dedicated waste recycling team. All printed materials use recycled paper, and the festival uses local suppliers and food traders wherever possible. The festival reduces its carbon emissions by running a special shuttle bus (the Knock bus, for which tickets are now on sale) from the central belt to the festival site, and encouraging the use of public transport by placing a higher percentage of the ticket price on vehicles rather than people.
Additionally, many of the festival’s permanent buildings were constructed using traditional, environmentally friendly techniques. The festival’s Longhouse venue was built by hand with traditional techniques including wattle and daub with lime (natural, breathable plaster that was used for centuries before the introduction of cement in the 19th century), and the main open air stage was made from local timber and green turf from the site. The Discee polytunnel is a venue and a food growing educational space, year round. The Glasgow Galloway Association have committed funding to the Discee polytunnel venue this year for signage and to help with stage building.
Knockengorroch’s environmental incentives mark the festival as one that cares and showcases their deep commitment to helping the environment in a historical time of crisis. It may be one of the first festivals in the UK to have its own Environment and Land Statement.
Gaelic Language and EDI
Knockengorroch’s environmental vision sits hand-in-hand with its Languages Plan and EDI policies. Paying true homage to the history and roots of its venue in the south-west of Scotland, the festival has always placed an importance on its Gaelic heritage. Knockengorroch has its very own languages plan, laying out its commitment to honour and support the Scottish languages for generations to come. This is paired with the Knockengorroch team spearheading equal opportunities and diversity as part of the PRSF Keychange 50% pledge they have taken, within which they promise that at least 50% of their bands have female or gender minority representation.
This year, Knockengorroch will also welcome The Long Song, a project funded by British Council Connections through Culture Grant Partners: Matarik Cultural Foundation (New Zealand) and Trac Cymru (Wales). The Long Song is an exciting cultural exchange between Aotearoa-New Zealand, Sami land – Sweden and Norway, Alba-Scotland and Cymru -Wales. Knockengorroch will host a residency prior to the festival’s commencement featuring curated conversations in the sphere of music and culture with the aim to reclaim cultural narratives and build global alliances, exploring how music and culture interacts with land, languages and identity.
In this, the first Scottish iteration, Maori, Welsh, Sami and Scottish artists and cultural producers will come to the land at Knockengorroch to take part in a residency before, and during Knockengorroch Festival in 2025. Creative collaborations will be trialled at the festival and workshops and talks will also take place across the festival. The Long Song is a continuation of a project begun in March this year when Knockengorroch producer, Katch Holmes was invited to New Zealand by the Matariki Cultural Foundation to join other indigenous and international delegates for a conversation about a potential global indigenous music platform.
Through these policies, Knockengorroch demonstrates its commitment to the long term, bringing together open minded, curious and creative people who share a broad, deep love of music – a warm and welcoming celebration of history and unparalleled sounds set against one of Scotland’s most beautiful natural landscapes.
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