Gala concert welcomes 2014 Ryder Cup teams to Scotland

Scotland will welcome the 2014 Ryder Cup team in September by holding a gala concert at the Hydro Arena.

Scotland will welcome the 2014 Ryder Cup team in September with an exciting gala concert, including the likes of Jake Bugg, Texas, Twin Atlantic, Nina Nesbitt and many more.

The concert, which will be held in Glasgow, will mark the start of the historic Ryder Cup and golf fans will have the chance to welcome both the European and USA Ryder Cup teams to Scotland. It will be an exciting time for Scotland, as the 40^th Ryder Cup will be contested this year at Gleneagles.

The world-class Hydro Arena will be the host of the event on Wednesday 24^th September, where a capacity of 12,000 people will see the two teams, assembled by Captains Paul McGinley and Tom Watson, presented on stage together for the first time.

The audience can also look forward to seeing golf, music and the arts unite for an unforgettable event, which will be a fitting welcome for one of the world’s most prestigious sporting events.

Creative Director Kim Gavin, who directed the London 2012 Closing Ceremony as well as the Concert for Diana in 2007 and trained at the Royal Ballet School, will collaborate for the first time with contemporary artists such as Jake Bugg and Nina Nesbitt for the event.

Gavin spoke about the opportunity to work on the concert, saying, “The Ryder Cup is one of the most exciting events in the sporting calendar and to have the opportunity to work on two of the biggest sporting events in the world (Ryder Cup and London 2012 Closing Ceremony) is a dream come true for me. What’s really exciting about working on this show is the fusion of live music and culture plus I’m a huge sports fan too so this ticks all the boxes. It’s going to be a really special night”.

While the star-studded golfers will be the main attraction for thousands of golf fans, the musical talent will also be there to impress:

20-year-old Jake Bugg has become one of Britain’s hottest musical stars, after hitting the number one spot in the UK Albums Chart in 2012. The stunning live performer, well known for his song ‘Two Fingers’, is sure to bring a touch of rock ‘n’ roll to the Ryder Cup gala.

Also on the line-up is one of Scotland’s most successful hitmakers; Texas. The band has 35 million album sales to their name, and will perform a collaboration with Royal Scottish National Orchestra in the second half of the concert, allowing audiences to see their range of hits like never before.

Twin Atlantic were catapulted from clubs to sold-out shows at Shepherds Bush Empire and the main stage of T in the Park almost three years, and 300 gigs, ago. Their debut album ‘Free’ is responsible for the success, and their new album ‘Great Divide’ marries their incredible energy and their long-held love of pop.

Lead singer Sam McTrusty managed to get his hands on the Ryder Cup trophy at the weekend and said, “I’ve just been holding the Ryder Cup! Golf has been part of my life longer than music has and in more of a personal way. But golf has really taught me lots – everything I’ve learned from golf I’ve then put into being in a band. You don’t stand on the tee and hit the ball straight 330 yards without practising for years before that.”

Another new Scottish talent joining the bill is Nina Nesbitt. The singer has gained a huge fan base whilst debuting her sunny folk-pop sound around the globe, and charted number 11 in the UK with her debut album.

The Royal Scottish National Orchestra, the countries national symphonic ensemble, is made up of some of the countries most talented classical musicians and will be playing a selection of works by Craig Armstrong, a renowned composer. They will be providing the soundtrack for a short film created by Kim Gavin especially for the audience on the night of the concert.

For the first time at the Hydro Arena, the Scottish Ballet will perform a passionate duet sequence from Jealousy, choreographed by award winning choreographer James Cousins.

The National Theatre of Scotland will also perform an excerpt of the critically acclaimed show ‘Glasgow Girls’. The show has recently been described as ‘the most politically engaged and enraged British musical since Blood Brothers’ by the Sunday Express.

Tickets for the superb concert go on general sale on Saturday 19^th July at 10am.