Where – Lilliardsedge Park, Jedburgh, Scottish Borders
When – 30th/31st August 2025
Review and Photographs by Linda McDermott
Day One Saturday 30th Aug 2025
Only in its third year, Edge-Fest has already carved out its name as a great Scottish pop festival that has quickly become a highlight on the summer calendar for around 5,000 people. The organisers haven’t messed about when it comes to booking big pop names, including the likes of McFly, UB40, The Lightning Seeds, Jake Bugg and Scouting for Girls lighting up the stage. This year they’ve raised the bar again, with Olly Murs and Scottish favourites Travis topping the bill on Saturday and Sunday.
If you like a mixed bag of music, this is definitely the place you’re going to get it. The lineup consisted of country and folk along with some traditional Scottish music, add in some disco, pop and indie influence, and you’ve got the idea. But don’t think it stops there, because there’s also some rave and dance music as well as pure party mayhem. On paper it’s a proper mashup of sounds, but somehow it all just works.
Day one has the place buzzing, with people arriving in motor homes and for camping as well as locals being ferried in on buses, it was clear it was going to be a full weekend of music-fuelled fun.
Featuring today
Cody Feechan
Cammy Barnes
Newton Faulkner
Generation GBX
Skipinnish
Sister Sledge
Olly Murs
With everyone getting themselves into the main area which had a great setup of food vendors, stalls, and a fair, it was time to buy drink tokens, get the first beers bought and get ready for the festival to kick off.
Cody Feechan was first up but her drummer was rushed to hospital just before they were due on (I hope he’s okay). Lesser acts might have panicked, but Cody and her band simply rolled up their sleeves and cracked on. Cody herself sang, played guitar, and even worked the kick drum, while the rest of the band kept things tight and backed her up. Together they pulled folk fans out of the sunshine and into the tent, with song such as Come Knock on My Door and Step into My Maze ringing out. The highlight of the set for me was Breathe, a lovely song which echoed around the tent beautifully. A great opening for the day ahead.
Cody Feechan Facebook https://www.facebook.com/CodyFeechanMusic
Cammy Barnes must have made a secret deal with the weather gods, because the rain started, and the big tent filled up perfectly for his set. His upbeat country folk vibe had everyone clapping, singing, and grinning from ear to ear. With songs with a story, he captivated the audience. Bonnie’s Song, written for his new daughter, got a huge cheer, and the energy never dipped for any of his songs. By the time the bagpipes came out for Whiskey Roll, the tent was a sea of voices which was amazing to hear. Cammy and his band had the crowd eating out of their hands for the full forty-five minutes and I’m not surprised one little bit. Maybe it wasn’t the weather gods after all, but his talent that brought the crowd in.
Cammy Barnes Facebook https://www.facebook.com/iamcammybarnes
Video
Whiskey Roll https://youtu.be/Y9JrTkGqwtk?si=ia4kkWrHnGy3RHls
Next up was singer-songwriter Newton Faulkner, stepping onto the stage solo with just three guitars for company. He kept the folk vibes flowing, and the crowd were lapping it up. I loved the acoustic sound and couldn’t help singing along when he played Dream Catch Me, a proper blast from the past for me. He mixed songs from his past albums with tunes from his upcoming one called Octopus, showing off both skill and charm. It was a relaxed, feel-good set that had the crowd fully engaged and giving him every bit of applause he rightly deserved.
Newton Faulkner Facebook https://www.facebook.com/newtonfaulkner
It was now 4.30pm and having gently eased people into the day it was at this point things stepped up a gear. Generation GBX brought the party vibes with high-energy dance anthems, and for anyone who loves rave, trance, or club music, this was their moment to shine. Remix after remix pounded inside and outside the tent, getting people moving and waving their hands like they were fighting of wasps!
The crowd didn’t hold back, letting themselves go with the beats, and the atmosphere was pure festival feel good vibes, a proper shot of energy that had everyone laughing, and dancing and it was brilliant to watch.
Generation GBX
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/GeorgeBowieOfficial
With the strong crowd now whipped up into a frenzy, it was time to bring in the Scottish music. Enter Skipinnish, a nine-piece Scottish band the crowd knew and loved. With fiddles, flutes, accordions, and bagpipes (to name just a few), they reminded everyone we were firmly in the Scottish Borders. Celebrating nearly 26 years as a band, they knew exactly how to involve the audience, treating us to an
array of songs, some sung in Gaelic and all steeped in Scottish heritage. As the rain fell outside, the tent was full of smiles and laughter, with little groups breaking out their best Highland fling that was a pure joy to watch.
Skipinnish
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Skipinnish?locale=en_GB
Video
The Lifeboat https://youtu.be/WWNKtEqA_M0?si=G-UWmrLYV9D2V_kF
Up next was Sister Sledge who were pure entertainment from the very first note, with Kathy Sledge taking centre stage and commanding the crowd from the start. Kicking things off with Lost in Music, the tent was on fire and voices were loud, and as they continued, you realise just how many of their hits you actually know. He’s the Greatest Dancer saw them get half a dozen festival-goers up onto the stage to show off their moves, each one getting huge cheers from the crowd. By the time Frankie rolled around, everyone was singing along, whether they knew the song from 1985, a disco, or a karaoke night.
They were captivating, slick, professional and made it all look too easy. And just when you thought it couldn’t get any better, they belt out Thinking of You and We Are Family. The crowd kept on lapping up every second as the dancers kept moving, the music kept flowing, and before you knew it, their sixty-minute set had disappeared. From start to finish, Sister Sledge had the crowd in the palm of their hands, a proper festival high point that left the tent buzzing.
Sister Sledge (featuring Kathy Sledge)
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/SisterSledgeOfficial?locale=en_GB
Video
Frankie https://youtu.be/Cu2k0Ygnkqc?si=gc0i20AY3h8bYUq_
Olly! Olly! Olly! What’s not to love about Olly Murs? Whether he’s your guilty pleasure or your ultimate pop crush, his songs are as infectious as his smile. I loved the fact that the packed tent of around 5,000 fans was already screaming his name before he even set foot on stage. Celebrating 15 years in showbiz, Olly took a moment to remind everyone that before X Factor (and yes, he didn’t win it), he was working in a call centre, so he urged us all not to give up on our dreams. With Edge Fest being his final show of the tour, he made it clear how pleased he was to be back in Scotland, soaking up the love from the crowd.
He kicked things off with a mix of fan favourites, Thinking of Me, Die of a Broken Heart, and You Don’t Know Love, before dedicating a whole section of his set to his dad, whisking us all back to the 80s with a medley that had everyone singing along
to hits from Wham, Rick Astley, Bon Jovi, Michael Jackson, George Michael and finishing off with the Proclaimers song 500 Miles, that saw the volume of the crowd hit another level.
There was a poignant moment in his set when he dedicated Dear Darlin’ to his late friend Caroline Flack, a performance that had everyone captivated.
The hits kept coming with Heart Skips a Beat, Wrapped Up, and Olly’s new single, Save Me, with its infectious ska beat, I found myself strutting my best moves, thankfully without needing a medic!
And just when you thought it was over, there was a wee encore of Dance with Me Tonight, leaving everyone smiling, singing, and wishing the night didn’t have to end. Slick, charming, and endlessly entertaining, Olly Murs reminded us all why he’s still one of pop’s much-loved stars.
Olly Murs
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ollymurs?locale=en_GB
Video
Save Me https://youtu.be/T76Rsxkb7I4?si=kpSQSKM1aDTXeZu1
Dear Darlin’ https://youtu.be/m20BTdy9FGI?si=1dNz3XQ2k1upI5BJ
And that’s day one of Edgefest wrapped up, what a day it’s been. A proper melting pot of genres with something to keep everyone happy, young, or old. I’ve loved every minute, but now it’s time to get some kip and recharge for round two tomorrow.
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