Status Quo confirm outdoor gig

The rockers will delight Scottish fans next month

Veteran rock band Status Quo will play an outdoor gig in Scotland next month.

Guitarist Rick Parfitt said he expected a "great gig" at the Knockhill racing circuit in Fife on Saturday, 23 August.

It will be the first time a music concert has been held at the venue, which can hold up to 10,000 fans.

Parfitt said he, lead singer Francis Rossi and the rest of the band were looking forward to playing in front of a "feisty" Scottish crowd.

'On the map'

He said: "This is the first time we have played outdoors in Scotland in the summer and, weather permitting, it should be a great gig.

"Generally, Scottish audiences have always been a very feisty lot and Quo over the years have become very popular up here.

"Hopefully people will like this venue and we can put it on the map so that more people will come here in the future."

We see ourselves as the people's band because we always go to the people, out on tour Rick Parfitt

Status Quo will celebrate their 40th anniversary in 2005.

The band have had 58 British hit singles, the first in 1968, including Rockin' All Over The World, Whatever You Want and Down Down.

Parfitt said: "We see ourselves as the people's band because we always go to the people, out on tour.

"I certainly hope that we will keep going, and as long as we are fit, we will do it."

Knockhill, which used to be a sheep farm, has been a race circuit since 1974.

Owner Derek Butcher, 53, said: "We are very excited - it's a great opportunity for us and it's the first music festival we've ever had."

The opening act at the event will be a new rock band chosen from a 'Battle of the Bands' competition running this weekend at venues in Glasgow, Dundee, Dunfermline and Edinburgh.