This year Bella welcomes a new comedy session on both days of the event, brought to festival-goers by Scotland’s celebrated ‘The Stand Comedy Club’ which runs comedy nights in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Newcastle. 

Started by enthusiasts as a hobby, the Stand has become a runaway success, and its three comedy venues are regarded as being among the best in the world. Bella audiences will be treated to evening and late night hilarity from the Venus Flytrap stage.

“We are delighted that The Stand is to curate comedy at Bella. Hold your breath and count to ten for the line-up which will be announced in a few weeks time,” said festival promoter Joe Gibbs. The festival also offers more late night comedy in the Co-operative Verb Garden tent. 

Further music artists have been announced to play the festival. These include English experimental art rock band Sweet Billy Pilgrim whose album ‘ Two Born Men’ was Mercury Prize nominated in 2009;exciting Scots indie bands The Draymin and Bwani Junction and Celtic Highland heroes Torridon. And the craic-it-open ceilidh session on the Thursday night will feature Rhythm & Reel and The Rogues – the only Pogues tribute band in Achiltibuie – plus Davy Cowan. 

A Mystery Special Guest has been added to the main stage line up on the Friday evening “The identity of this artist will not be revealed until they appear on the Garden Stage at 1830 on Friday 3rd August,” said festival promoter Joe Gibbs. “But – and here’s a hint – judging by their previous receptions at Bella, they’re going to be a popular choice.” 

In response to popular demand, Belladrum has printed a new batch of tickets for availability through high street agents. So from Friday 1st June, hard tickets are back on sale from the following agents: In Inverness - Eden Court, the Ironworks, Mania and Hootananny’s; Dingwall – Sweet Treats; Elgin – Sight & Sound; Aberdeen – One Up; Beauly – Morrisons; Kiltarlity – Post Office; Edinburgh and Glasgow – Tickets Scotland. Weekend and Saturday e-tickets are still available HERE

Bella’s line up includes headliners and Scots indie stars Travis and Liverpool rockers The Wombats plus numerous other acts including: Legendary punk heroes The Buzzcocks; celebrated 80s band The South (formerly The Beautiful South); UK award-winning queen of soul Beverley Knight; Glasgow-based indie rockers Frightened Rabbit in an exclusive Scottish festival appearance; up tempo US songsmiths We Are Scientists; soul/rock band Vintage Trouble; introspective pioneers of indie folk Slow Club and crafters of beautiful folk rock Fink; Pink Floyd tribute band Macfloyd play the whole of ‘Dark Side Of The Moon;’ New York singer-songwriter Willy Mason; Celtic tune’n’groove folk artists Treacherous Orchestra; Northern Irish singer-songwriter Foy Vance; Newcastle sextet Lanterns On the Lake; Carrbridge artist Rachel Sermanni; singer/songwriter hot tips Juan Zelada and Ryan Keen; new indie tyro’s Bastille and To Kill A King; Nottingham five piece Dog Is Dead; Jiggery-folkery band Mad Dog McRea; alt country Red Sky July; Edinburgh singer/songwriter Nina Nesbitt; The Magnetic North, a band with Orcadian connections; Blackpool singer-songwriters Rae Morris and Karima Francis; Glasgow ska band Bombskare; young Irish singer-songwriter Marc O’Reilly; Aberdeen blues band Gerry Jablonksi & The Electric Band; ska/grime exponents Man Like Me and acoustic popsters Ellen & The Escapades; Edinburgh hip hop duo Stanley Odd; Highlands bluegrass men The Ballachulish Hellhounds; Glasgow bands Fatherson, Make Spars and Zombie Militia; Borders Celtic rockers, The Dangleberries; Highland artistes Niteworks, Grousebeater Soundsystem, James Mackenzie, Iain McLaughlin & The Outsiders, Whisky River Band, Little Mill of Happiness, Hoodja, Feis Rois, TMC Youth Fiddlers and The Red Kites whose front-man Moteh Parrott hails from Inverness. 

Belladrum has sold out each of the past three years.. Advance adult weekend tickets are £95 and Saturday tickets are £65. They include parking and camping, except for campervans and caravans which will be charged £50 per vehicle or £130 to include electrical hook-up.. As in previous years, tickets for children 12 & under are free. 

Belladrum 2012 takes place in the beautiful Highland surroundings of Belladrum Estate, near Beauly in Inverness-shire. The independent festival has built a reputation for its eclectic line-ups, its off beat non-musical entertainments and its all-ages approach. The festival won a VisitScotland Thistle Award in 2009 and is a past winner of the Grassroots Festival Award at the UK Festival Awards, the festival industry’s ‘oscars’.