Castle Concerts: Texas to play Edinburgh Castle for first time since the Millennium

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The alternative Scottish rock band who last played the Castle during the city's Millennium celebrations will return to the Castle this summer on Thursday, July 14.

Looking forward to being back at the Castle some 22 years after she last played it, t​he band’s frontwoman Sharleen Spiteri, says, “Edinburgh Castle is just an amazing setting for a big outdoor summer show and we can’t wait to get on that stage and play​ ​there again.”

Mark Mackie, Director of Castle Concerts, adds, “This will be the first time Texas have played at Edinburgh Castle since their stunning Millennium Hogmanay show up there in December 1999, so we are all in for a treat indeed.”

Formed by ex-Altered Images and Hipsway band member Johnny McElhone in 1986, Texas took their name from Wim Wenders' 1984 film Paris, Texas. Led by Spiteri, the sextet's current line-up brings together McElhone, Ally McErlaine, Eddie Campbell, Tony McGovern and Cat Myers.

In their 36 year history, Texas have sold in excess of 40 million records worldwide and released 10 studio albums, including Southside (1989), Mothers Heaven (1991), Ricks Road (1993), White on Blonde (1997), The Hush (1999), Careful What You Wish For (2003), Red Book (2005), The Conversation (2013), Jump on Board (2017) and Hi (2021).

The album Red Book marked a time of hiatus for the band as Spiteri began work on her debut solo album. In 2009, McErlaine was hospitalised with a brain aneurysm at age 41, leading Spiteri to observe in The Sunday Mail, ‘Ally is the most stubborn person I have ever come across, and I think his sheer pigheadedness is the reason he's still here. When he asked what was happening with Texas, I said it was up to him. He told me he wanted to get back into the studio.’

The band reconvened in 2013 with the album The Conversation released later that year.

On December 31, 1999, Texas famously helped the Capital see in the new Millennium when Spiterri and co. stormed the Esplanade with a set that included hit songs such as In Our Lifetime, Halo, I Don't Want a Lover, Black Eyed Boy and Say What You Want.

The band’s enduring popularity was underlined last year with their ​tenth​ album Hi reaching​ ​the ​T​op 3 in the official UK Albums Chart, 33 years after their 1989 debut album Southside​ ​did the same.

Texas are just the latest act to be added to the Castle Concerts 2022 season.

Ricky Ross, Lorraine McIntosh and the evergreen Deacon Blue will play the historic Edinburgh venue on Saturday, July 9.

English indie-rock band Elbow will appear on the Esplanade on Friday, July 15, whie Irish rock band The Script take to the same stage on Saturday, July 16.

Last month, however, Olly Murs was forced to cancel his Castle gig following unavoidable knee surgery.

​Tickets for Texas at the Castle go on sale on Friday, March 18, at 9am, here.​ ​

Please note, tickets are NOT available from Edinburgh Castle Box Office​.​

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