UP-AND-COMING young musicians from Helensburgh and Lomond are being given the opportunity to open a music festival taking place near Loch Lomond.

Loch Lomond Live – which takes place at Drymen’s Show Field on Saturday, September 22 and Sunday, September 23 – have launched the ‘LLL: Upcoming’ competition on their Facebook page, offering the chance for an upcoming artist to perform a ‘stripped back’ set on their Session Stage on the Saturday, to get the event under way.

The festival welcomes the likes of Donnie Munro (ex-Runrig) and Highland pop band Tide Lines to the national park, as well as popular festival acts Clann an Drumma, Trail West and Rollin Drones, with around 5,000 visitors expected to descent on the area over the weekend.

Festival booker, Ross Coutts, told the Advertiser: “We’re very keen to support local bands as well. Around a third of our line-up is from nearby areas. Have Mercy Las Vegas and Dave Arcari are probably the two most well-known, but the likes of Folky Macfolk Face, The Foz and The Super Pumas are doing really well, and I’m sure they’ll all put on a great live performance."

The eclectic line-up also features the best emerging indie rocks acts with Declan Welsh, Foreignfox and Mark Sharp and the Bicycle Thieves among the offering, and the festival organisers have confirmed there might still be one or two announcements to come before day splits are revealed at the end of the month.

Mr Coutts added: “We’ve a couple of surprises up our sleeve, so we’re hopeful to confirm all information in the next couple of weeks, it’s going to be special."

In addition to the live music, visitors have been promised local food and drink produce, plus a host of activities, attractions and family fun across the weekend.