John Fogerty to headline festival held at a castle on a remote island in the Outer Hebrides

John Fogerty cradling a rickenbacker guitar
(Image credit: Lee Cherry)

Former Creedence Clearwater Revival frontman John Fogerty has been announced as the Saturday night headliner at the inaugural Midnight Sun Weekender, which will be held May 25-27 in the grounds of Lews Castle, Stornoway, on the Outer Hebridean Isle of Lewis. 

Joining Fogerty on the bill are Pretenders, who'll headline the opening night, and Primal Scream, who'll round things off on Friday. Other acts on the bill include Ocean Colour Scene, Spiritualized, Edwyn Collins, Public Service Broadcasting, Honeyblood, Ado Matheson, The Choir, The Joshua Hotel, Izzie Yardley, Hearty Har, Awkward Family Portraits and The Lewis Allstars.

"I am very pleased to announce I will be closing off the Midnight Sun Weekender Stornoway 2023 on Saturday, May 27th in Lewis Castle, Stornoway!" says Fogerty. "I can’t wait to see you there!"

Tickets for the festival are on sale now, with adult weekend tickets priced at £219 plus booking fee. Tickets for Saturday are £99 plus booking fee. Stornoway is an hour by air from Glasgow, or a two-and-a-half hour ferry ride from the Scottish mainland port of Ullapool. 

Three weeks ago, Fogerty – who'll be playing a set of Creedence Clearwater Revival songs at the festival – won control over his back catalogue after a legal battle that's taken five decades to reach its conclusion. 

"As of this January, I own my own songs again," Fogerty said. "This is something I thought would never be a possibility. After 50 years, I am finally reunited with my songs. I also have a say in where and how my songs are used. Up until this year, that is something I have never been able to do.

"I have been waiting my entire career for this moment, and I am honoured to share it with my family and with you! It’s finally done!"

Fogerty also has two North American shows lined up, at the Los Angeles County Fair in Ponoma, CA, on May 6, and at the Beachlife Festival in Redondo Beach, CA, on May 7. Tickets are on sale now.

Midnight Sun Weekender poster

(Image credit: Midnight Sun Weekender)
Fraser Lewry

Online Editor at Louder/Classic Rock magazine since 2014. 38 years in music industry, online for 25. Also bylines for: Metal Hammer, Prog Magazine, The Word Magazine, The Guardian, The New Statesman, Saga, Music365. Former Head of Music at Xfm Radio, A&R at Fiction Records, early blogger, ex-roadie, published author. Once appeared in a Cure video dressed as a cowboy, and thinks any situation can be improved by the introduction of cats. Favourite Serbian trumpeter: Dejan Petrović.