MUSSELBURGH singer-songwriter Callum Beattie has announced a headline show at Edinburgh Castle for July next year, describing it as a "surreal" milestone in his career.
The chart-topping musician, who began his career playing in Lothian pubs, is set to play the iconic venue on July 10, 2026.
Callum said that the feeling had not sunk in yet that he will be performing at the Scottish monument, in front of an audience he started his career playing to in small venues.
Callum told the Courier: "When my manager Dave told me we were doing this, I honestly thought it was a wind up!
"It’s an incredible, surreal thing and the Edinburgh audience have been instrumental all the way through my career, since day one.
"They are very important, and I’ll never be able to repay people for the kindness and compassion they have shown to myself and my music.
"They are incredible."
Callum will be joining the ranks of legends like Rod Stewart, Kylie Minogue and Tom Jones, who have all headlined gigs at the Castle.
For Callum, who grew up in the Capital, the show is expected to be "a very emotional night."
Having seen The Who play there a few years ago, he said it was mind-blowing to think he would now be sharing a stage graced by "proper bona fide legends."
"I can’t think of many artists who can put out a poster that has both Glasgow’s Hydro and Edinburgh Castle on it. It’s a very odd and humbling experience. One for which I will be eternally grateful," he added.
Looking back on his early days, Callum joked about his time spent gigging in smaller venues before he met his manager Dave in 2019.
And said those early gigs offered lessons that fame could never teach him.
Callum told the Courier: "I'd say to younger Callum 'don't spend your gig fee at the bar!'
"So many times I would go to the owner of the bars I played in and ask for my 50 quid or whatever, only to be met with 'you owe us 40', because I’d had a bar tab!
!I think some bar owners just gave me extra out of pure sympathy!
"In all honesty though, my experience of playing in the pubs was the best apprenticeship - even to this day, it keeps me humble and grounded.
"I’m very grateful to have had all those experiences and it makes me appreciate these enormous wins even more."
Where do I even begin… Almost 16 years ago I was playing in a pub, waiting for Noel Gallagher’s fans to wander down from his Castle gig, just hoping they’d listen to my songs. Now here we are. 🙏❤️ pic.twitter.com/kW7aRIJiHJ
— Callum Beattie (@callumbeattieuk) October 14, 2025
The 35-year-old singer has had a whirlwind year, including announcing a 2026 UK Tour that will see him playing venues in Manchester, London and the OVO Hydro in Glasgow.
In the last month, he has also travelled to Ghana to perform and take part in outreach work, an experience he describes as "life-changing."
Callum said: "Within a minute, Dave and I knew that we would never be able to turn our back on it.
"We worked in a small village called Busua, and I can’t say too much at the moment, but we know we will be back there early next year, and we know it will become a major part of our lives.
"It was both the hardest and the the best experience we have ever had."
The next goal on the horizon is getting an album to the top five in the UK charts.
His new album 'INDI', will be released on January 23, with pre-orders available now.
Tickets go on sale for Callum Beattie at Edinburgh Castle tomorrow (Friday) at 9am on Ticketmaster .
Share