Silloth Music and Beer Festival returns for its 16th year next month, boasting one of its biggest headline acts so far.

Big Country have multi-million-selling and number one hit albums to their name – one of which they’ll be performing in full in the subsequent tour, which kicks off shortly after their trip to Cumbria.

The Fife five-piece most recently revived the full Steeltown album to celebrate its 30th anniversary, and just four days after Silloth they set out across the UK to showcase The Seer as it reaches the same milestone.

“The tour is going to be all the songs off The Seer , but we haven’t decided if we’re going to do them in order yet,” says Bruce Watson, a founder member of the band back in 1981.

“We usually play five songs off each of those albums, because we had so many hits, but there are album tracks that we’ve never played live before. The only time we’ve played them was in the studio.

“It’s a fun job relearning those songs after all these years – a bit like putting together a jigsaw puzzle.”

But before that huge trek, which also takes in Dumfries, just over the border, on October 22, they wrap up their busy summer festival season with an appearance at one of Cumbria’s best-established events.

“Silloth is a festival that’s totally unknown to us, and that’s always quite exciting,” admits Bruce.

“We’ve done things like Solfest and shows in Kendal, and I’ve recently just come back from the Lake District, so it’s a place I know reasonably well.

“Like any other band, we do as many festivals as we possibly can, so we’ve played at loads this summer.

“They’re a bit different because we have to trim the sets back, sometimes to half an hour or an hour, and we have to pick and choose what songs we play.

“Festivals are a great place to pick up new fans because you’re playing to people who aren’t necessarily there to see you.”

Guitarist Bruce and founding drummer Mark Brzezicki are still with the band, while Bruce’s son, Jamie, and Simon Hough have been with them for a few years, providing guitars and vocals respectively.

Big Country’s original frontman Stuart Adamson sadly died in 2001, and current singer Simon followed Mike Peters, formerly of The Alarm, who has moved on to his own successful projects.

Expect to hear hits from The Seer , such as Look Away and The Teacher , alongside a whole ream of chart successes, including Wonderland, Chance and In a Big Country, when they play Silloth Music and Beer Festival on Saturday, September 10.

The festival runs from Thursday to Sunday, September 8 to 11. Tickets are available from www.sillothbeerfestival.co.uk