Music fans were rocking all over Montrose as rock legends Status Quo thrilled the Friday night crowds at MoFest.
The East Links turned into a forest of air guitars as the denim-clad legends blared out more than 20 hits in their trademark V-legged formation.
They may have sold more than 120 million records worldwide and had numerous British hit singles, but they did not just go through the motions, and had the audience dancing and clapping along to every tune.
From the opening bars of 1973 top five hit Caroline, the crowd were treated to a host of familiar songs, alongside several newer numbers.
Lead singer Francis Rossi was in top form and the Quo still know how to give an audience a good time after 49 years on the road, and ripped through a packed set with hits like In the Army Now, Rockin’ All Over the World and Roll Over Lay Down.Click here for a full photo galleryEven though the weather stayed fair throughout, Rossi joked about the “Sassenachs” in the band feeling the nip in the air as it got late.
“I’m having a great time and hope you all are too,” he said. “It’s getting a bit cold but I see some of you have come prepared.”
Pointing to some of the more optimistically dressed revellers, he added: “Some less than others!”
Robert Gillespie said: “I’m a hardcore Quo fan. Seen them over 45 times. Tonight was one of the best. Thank you Montrose for a brilliant night.”
Accountant Graham Liddell, 48, said he has seen Quo seven times, from the USA to Doncaster Racecourse last week.
“It might be a bit uncool to get so excited about seeing Status Quo, although I think they have been fashionably unfashionable all their lives and I sympathise!” he said.
Staci Thorpe, 18, said she had come with her parents to her first “old timers gig”.
“They let me listen to the ‘best of’ CD in the car after they bought tickets and I kind of liked it,” she said.
MoFest secretary Anne Jenkins thanked the crowd for turning out and looked forward to the sun shining on Montrose Music Festival for the rest of the weekend.
“Tonight couldn’t have taken place without the support we’ve had from local businesses and the public,” she said.
Some 100 bands will perform at MoFest over the weekend including Ex-Seahorses singer Chris Helme tonight, another coup for the event.
Buffalo Soldiers, Headroom, Sonnet65, The Graham Brown Band and The Last Orders also join the line-up along with a number of DJ acts including Rossco and Moono and Mojo.