Edgefest Music Festival – A Third Day of Nostalgia and Great Music.

Where – Lilliardsedge Park, Jedburgh

When – 4^th/6^th Sept 2026

Review and photographs by Linda McDermott

Sunday 6^th September Day Three

Sunday morning at Edgefest near Jedburgh in the Scottish Borders is now into its third and last day (see previous reviews) and the campers are already up and about as the gates open at midday. With seven bands and artists ready to entertain the masses, there are plenty of people making their way towards the stage, including some new faces who have arrived with their day tickets. I head straight for the Big Top, just in time to catch the first band getting ready to take to the stage.

Liv Dawn and her band walk on to a big cheer as Liv announces that it is her first time at Edgefest. She delivers a set of self-penned songs, including A Love Song, which showcases her delicate voice. Her latest single, Running in the End, released at the end of July, highlights her vocals once again, while her lyrics draw inspiration from her feelings, the Scottish landscape and nature. There is something very endearing about Liv as she giggles while introducing her songs. Falling For You, her first single from the EP Hopeful Wandering, is another strong tune, showing the range of her songwriting.

With Chris on guitar and Aiden on keys, Liv and her band provide a gentle start to the day, creating a relaxed atmosphere inside the Big Top. They finish with The Mountains Are Calling, and by the end of the set, I’m already thinking I need to go and listen to more of Liv’s music.

From gentle beginnings, things take a very different turn when Scratchcard Wednesday bounce on to the stage with so much energy and enthusiasm that I’m smiling almost immediately. The Scottish duo, who have been friends since their school days, are just bloody brilliant. The crowd love them, I love them, and what could be better than watching two young lads having the absolute time of their lives while singing to a packed tent?

Ty takes on the vocals while Dexter switches between multiple instruments, and together they fill the stage and the Big Top with their infectious energy. Whether they are singing about girls, going to therapy or, inevitably, more girls, every song lifts the spirits.

When chants of “No Scotland, No Party” start filling the tent, it would be rude not to join in. They ask if anyone knows their good friend Archie, and a few people cheer before he joins them on stage for another upbeat number. Young girls are dancing in the audience, laughing as they do so, and there is a real sense that everyone is simply having a great time.

Then it’s back to girls again, with a song about Daisy. Another great tune from the duo and another set that leaves the crowd smiling.

Next up are Mànran, the seven-piece traditional Scottish band, bringing a completely different sound to the Big Top with a mix of instrumentals and traditional songs. Some are sung in Gaelic and others in Scots, while the musicians create a sound that soon has people tapping their feet.

At the back of the tent, some of the crowd are even attempting Scottish dancing, including young children who are giggling and laughing as they join in. I particularly like Crow Flies, beautifully sung by Kim. There is a lively quality to her voice that is somehow both relaxing and upbeat at the same time.

By now the tent is filling up, and there is plenty of foot tapping going on around me. Then comes the Scottish classic Wild Mountain Thyme. What Scottish person doesn’t join in with the chorus of this one? The crowd certainly don’t hold back, and the sound of everyone singing together echoes around the Big Top like a choir. It is an emotional moment and feels particularly fitting at a Scottish festival.

After a short break, it’s time for GBX to take over the decks, and suddenly the Big Top is filling up again. The thumping tunes cater for all generations, with people dancing from the front right through to the back of the tent for around an hour.

I, however, need food, and thankfully the food vendors have plenty to choose from, with everything from steak or toasties to wraps and traditional fish and chips. I opt for the latter and sit down to eat while still listening to the tunes coming from the big blue tent. You can’t really complain about having your lunch to a soundtrack like that.

Then it’s time for The Lottery Winners, and from the moment frontman Thom takes to the stage, it is obvious that we are in for a lot of laughs. He is genuinely hilarious, and if he doesn’t already do stand-up comedy, he really should.

He asks the audience to pretend that every song they perform is a huge hit, before deciding he is Ed Shearer, not Ed Sheeran, and later Freddie Mercury, getting the crowd to repeat everything he sings.

At one point he claims to have written two songs, Ring of Fire and Hey Jude, before explaining that he only knows two words of Hey Jude. Thankfully, the crowd are more than happy to help him out and sing the verse for him.

Once they get properly into their set, Letter to Myself, about Thom when he was younger and lacking confidence, is a great song and shows another side to the band. They also have a new single and album coming out, while they are filming their song Steady We Go, which is about being four years sober.

I Already Feel Much Better is another highlight, with the band asking the crowd to sing along. The chorus is sung back at them and dedicated to Peter Lennon, a fan in the crowd.

There are plenty of random moments too, including Thom bursting into well-known songs such as You’re Just Too Good to Be True, which the crowd happily take over. Their music is upbeat and boppy, bouncing along just like the crowd.

I thoroughly enjoy the whole performance, smiling at the banter while getting into the music. With only two songs left, Thom has everyone swaying from side to side before announcing that they are going to do this for an hour. It turns out he is actually starting a dance move that everyone follows without question.

For the final song, Thom gets his phone out to document the moment for Instagram, which results in everyone squeezing towards the front of the stage. It is chaotic, funny, and exactly the sort of moment that makes a festival memorable.

Keeping the summer vibes alive, Tinie Tempah and his DJ are next, and they have everyone bouncing around from the start. “Move to the left, move to the right” comes the instruction, before we are told to get down as low as we can and then jump back up again, dancing into a frenzy as the beat kicks in.

It is an amazing sight to see the crowd responding as one. Tinie treats us to a mix of tunes, including tracks from his latest two EPs, 9PM and 12AM, alongside some of his other hits.

This isn’t normally the sort of music I listen to, but that’s the beauty of Edgefest. I find myself, along with two friends, busting some moves. My dancing may well have been scrutinised by those who actually know what they are doing, but I didn’t care. It was about the atmosphere, the music and having fun with friends, and we certainly did that.

And then it is time for the final act of the weekend, and what better way to finish than with Ronan Keating?

As the Irish singer-songwriter takes to the stage and kicks off with the firm favourite Loving Each Day, the die-hard fans at the front are screaming and singing from the very first note. Hit after hit is sung back to him, including Baby Can I Hold You, If Tomorrow Never Comes and This I Promise You.

Ronan chats away between songs and tells us about what he describes as the most important song of his career, the song he sang at his Boyzone audition. It was recorded with the band and performed on Top of the Pops, and then ten years later, Ronan recorded a duet of it with its original songwriter, Cat Stevens.

I love Father and Son, and judging by the volume coming from the crowd, I’m certainly not the only one. Ronan also pays tribute to one of his musical heroes, George Michael, with a rendition of Faith, which fits neatly into the set.

He takes us on a trip down memory lane, mixing his own solo hits with the many Boyzone favourites that people have grown up with. No Matter What and Love Me for a Reason are greeted with huge reactions, while there is even a duet for Last Thing on My Mind, the song Ronan recorded with LeAnn Rimes.

Then comes the song everyone has been waiting for. Rollercoaster brings the weekend to a fitting close, with the crowd singing along to every word.

What a way to finish a brilliant weekend of live music.

Edgefest have got it right. A great mix of musical genres, spanning generations and giving everyone something to enjoy. There is nostalgia that takes you back to when life seemed a little easier, a chance to get lost in the past for the weekend, let your hair down and spend some time with family and friends.

And really, what could be better than that?

Socials

Liv Dawn

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/livdawnmusic

Scratchcard Wednesday

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100089314371036

Manran

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/ManranOfficial

GBX