Ewan McVicar gave fans an unforgettable Saturday as he debuted his new Scottish World Cup anthem with Clanadonia (Saturday, 2nd May) live on stage after playing his Party People live show in Scotland for the first time at Pavilion Festival.
Fresh from playing his new residency at Hï Ibiza the night before, the global DJ flew into Prestwick early on Saturday morning before heading straight to Ayr Beach to open the festival alongside his brother, Rory McVicar.
In front of a packed hometown crowd, McVicar brought out tribal drum and pipe band Clanadonia for a show-stopping finale, where he performed his unreleased Scotland World Cup track live for the first time, marking 40 days to go until the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The headline moment came as McVicar unveiled his Party People live show in Scotland, transforming the 8,000-capacity Big Top into a full 360° immersive audiovisual experience.
The massive production featured three towering 24m x 4m LED screens stretched across the main stage, and six wraparound screens throughout the tent, mounted on six king poles. This, combined with lasers, large-scale visuals and state-of-the-art sound, created one of Pavilion Festival’s biggest shows to date.
Detroit house legend MK kept the party going with a standout set with his impressive back catalogue of hits, while electronic icons Leftfield brought their unmistakable sound to the Ayr coast. Dr Banana, Sally C and Scottish favourite La La also kept crowds dancing throughout the day.
Now in its fourth year, Pavilion Festival has sold out for 2026 after major investment in production, stages and a huge weekend line-up.
Speaking after Pavilion Festival, McVicar said:
“Year four of Pavilion Festival, and we took everything up a notch. Debuting Party People in Scotland and my new World Cup anthem is a big moment for me, and doing it at Pavilion Festival just takes it up another level. Here in my hometown is class, there’s no crowd like it, and that’s exactly what this show is built for. Bring on the World Cup in the summer. ”
Elsewhere on site, London’s Lab54 took over the Pavilion Arms, transforming the space into a fully decked out ‘proper’ Scottish pub experience. Guests entered through a custom-built doorway made from dozens of stacked beer kegs, leading into a whisky-barrel doorway, and the DJ booth sat behind a wood-panelled proper pub set. A roster or DJS played the new stage.
Festival-goers were also treated to complimentary on-site merchandise from Buckfast, housed within a bespoke shipping container wrapped in signature Bucky tartan, created exclusively for Pavilion Festival 2026. From temporary tattoos, hats, sunglasses, beach balls and bracelets, fans could redeem items by returning empty cups for recycling, adding a sustainable edge to the festival.
In Case You Missed It:
A limited number of tickets will be available at the box office tomorrow. Fans are advised to come early, as these will be on a first-come, first-served basis. Tomorrow sees legendary DJ, Carl Cox, headline Pavilion after first playing Ayr in the 90s.
Pavilion Festival takes place from 2nd to 3rd May on Ayr Beach
Final-day Sunday tickets are Available at the box office today
