Kirkcaldy set to welcome Breakout to the Promenade

It is a town with a thirst for live events and has a ready-made site down by the water, in an area that is no stranger to road closures to accommodate events.

And so it comes as no surprise that in just a few months' time – from October 8-10 – Breakout will host its first ever three-day festival in Kirkcaldy.

The bands are already lined-up – dozens of acts from across the country along with Fife acts raring to get back to business after 18 months off stage.

Hue and Cry were only announced earlier this week for the Friday line-up along with Colonel Mustard and the Dijon 5, Callum Beattie and Sandi Thom.

Another couple of acts are still to be added to the opening day bill, including a big-hitting headliner.

Saturday will see the likes of GUN, Midge Ure, Aswad, Billy Reekie and The Rezillos take to the stage, with Sunday acts coming in the shape of Red Hot Chili Pipers, The Skids, Big Country, Cameron Barnes and PG Ciarletta.

Other acts to perform across the weekend include the Urban Cookie Collective, Mark XTC, Adamski, Utah Saints, Kelly Llorenna, Ali and the Parade, Moonlight Zoo, Dionne Hickey and more.

Co-organisers Stuart Prentice and Ian Arnott came together with a joint goal of bringing the town together in the post-Covid world while also paying tribute to key workers.

Indeed, all profits from the first Breakout Festival will go to the NHS.

Stuart, born and bred in Fife, buzzes at the thought of seeing the Kirkcaldy promenade brimming with eager music fans bouncing between town stages on a brisk October afternoon.

Sitting in the very same spot the event will take place, he surveys the scene and envisions the festivities to come.

"There is a festival on the doorstep here," he tells The Weekender. "Everyone is really getting behind it and we hope they can all come out and enjoy live music again. There are some huge acts; there are more still to come.

"We're well placed here. The site is 10 minutes from the train station and five minutes from the bus station. We're near the motorway and there's plenty of parking. Kirkcaldy is not too far from Dundee and Edinburgh – we'd expect a good few Glasgow fans with GUN and Goodbye Mr Mackenzie on the cards."

He continues: "It is a lot about the town – the profits are going to the NHS – but it is also about the town and bringing the community together and giving them something to look forward to. It's the same for the bands, too. After everything, it gets them back on stage again.

"Breakout will help the local economy; I think we've got the best part of 150 hotel rooms booked; some of the local restaurants are involved, and we hope a lot of the shops will gain from the fact we are here.

"We also have a lot of local acts and other wider-known acts. These guys haven't worked in the industry for the best part of 18 months. It'll be great to have everyone back again."

Importantly, while many huge UK acts will be on the bill, Stuart and Ian were keen to have as many local acts as possible to ensure there was a real community feel for the festival.

He says: "We've probably got about 20 local acts across both stages – Billy Reekie, PG Ciarletta, Cameron Barnes – and for a festival that can be unusual. Normally, you'd find one local act opening the stage and the rest come on later.

"But we've deliberately made a decision to get as many local acts as we could on board.

Stuart Prentice, one of the organisers of the inaugural Breakout Festival in Kirkcaldy

"We found out about Ali & The Parade from Ladybank and they'll be playing their first proper live gig.

"And then there's Dovv; I've known him from a few bands over the years and he's really-really good.

He adds: "We'd like to think that in a few years' time that one of these acts will have made it. If that's the case, then we'd like to think that we'll have played a part in that.

"All it takes is for them to be in the right place at the right time – if there is a producer there on the day and falls in love with someone on the stage, then you never know what will happen.

With an early October date, Breakout will likely be one of the last outdoor festivals this year. The prospect of less traditional festival weather is one not likely to hamper preparations – especially as most of the arena area is situated on hard ground.

And while large-scale events should be back with us in Scotland before October, the organisers were keen to make sure no one would feel too crowded on the day.

"The weather should be fine," Stuart adds. "We've had some nice Octobers here and it should hold out. Also, we're on tarmac for the most part so that will be a godsend. I've been to so many festivals over the years and I've come home covered in mud.

"We've also capped the day at 10,000 a day – we could go for 30,000 or so if we wanted but it's the first year and we thought we would go for a smaller number. Also, given everything that we've experienced with social-distancing measures, we wouldn't want everyone crammed in like sardines.

"That's a cautious approach. We will encourage distancing to an extent and recommend masks and so on. And even if all 10,000 people were in our main arena at the one time, there will still be plenty of space to spread out."

In recent weeks, festivals such as Doune the Rabbit Hole and Party at the Palace were forced to pull the plug due to a lack of insurance coverage and government guidance. However, Breakout chose a later date in a move to ensure there would be less chance of cancellations.

"We are always gutted to see other festivals having to cancel," Stuart says. "I feel sorry for them all; I know the work that goes into these events. The more festivals out there then the easier it is for everyone to promote and get the bands up here.

"We went for October deliberately in the hopes that everything might be sorted by then and that looks like that will be the case."

Since the festival was announced, there has been an outpouring of support. Bands have given their voice to the event by reducing their fees and making sure more money would be raised for the NHS.

And with so much public goodwill for the cause, he hopes to see music fans from across the country giving their backing as well.

He says: "Those with the NHS have worked hard over the last 15 months, and before that as well, of course. But we just wanted to say a big thank you back to them for everything they have done for us.

"The bands have gotten right behind – Midge Ure halved his fee; he's not taking a wage. He'll pay his band and their accommodation but nothing for him.

"We said to the bands that for every penny they can save us off their fee... that will go to the NHS and they've all really bought into that.

"The stage guy is giving us their biggest stage for the cost of their smallest stage.

"Everyone has come together. They're all getting behind us for all the right reasons."

Tickets, priced at £49.76 per day, £90 for the weekend, and £128 for the three days, are available online at https://breakout-together.com