Summer Nights festival postponed until 2022

Summer Sessions has become a popular festival but physical distancing has made this year's concerts impossible

Glasgow's popular Summer Nights festival has been postponed and rescheduled for summer 2022.

The series of concerts at the bandstand in Kelvingrove Park were due to take place in July and August.

But organisers Regular Music have announced that the event will not go ahead this year.

They said the likelihood that physical distancing measures would still be required in July meant the gigs would not be possible.

'Heavy heart'

Regular said the line-up would remain the same for 2022 after all artists agreed to move their shows.

Van Morrison, Primal Scream, Rick Astley and Scottish acts The Jesus and Mary Chain, Edwyn Collins and Altered Images were among the artists who had sold out their dates at the bandstand.

The events company released a statement which said the decision was made "with a heavy heart".

Bobby Gillespie and Primal Scream will now move their dates to 2022

It said: "For the audience it is seeing their favourite artists up close, the great atmosphere, mixing with friends and singing along with the crowd and for the artists, its connecting with the audience in such an intimate setting and feeling the energy from an arena full of excited fans.

"As much as we would dearly love to be able to return this summer, it will not be possible to go ahead with the festival with restrictions in place or to guarantee the experience that everyone has come to expect.

"Even in Level 0, the lowest level of restrictions, social distancing and other restrictions will still likely be required at outdoor events this July. We have decided it would be best for all to postpone the festival until next year."

The annual Summer Nights festival won the Unesco City of Music Best Live Event at the Scottish Music Awards in 2017.

The Belladrum Tartan Heart music festival which should have taken place at the end of July was cancelled in March after organisers said there were "still too many uncertainties" surrounding the potential Covid restrictions that may be in place.

Scotland's biggest music festival, TRNSMT, has also been moved from its traditional July slot to September.

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