By Alan Wilson, Rocktalk writer

THE REMARKABLE rise of two bands who emerged through Dundee’s music scene has been recognised with headline slots at T in the Park.

Dundonians The View are top of the bill on the King Tut’s Stage on Saturday, July 7, while Snow Patrol, who formed at Dundee University and spent the best part of a decade in the city, have the honour of closing the main stage the following night.

It is a massive achievement for the bands, who find themselves in great company with Arctic Monkeys, Killers and Razorlight joining them on the Balado bill announced yesterday.

Organisers Big Day Out also announced the festival will have music on three days, with four bands on the main stage on the Friday night for the 50,000 who camp out for the weekend.

Bloc Party, Scissor Sisters, Kings of Leon, The Arcade Fire, The Coral, The Fratellis, Paolo Nutini, The Kooks, Kasabian, Babyshambles, Editors, current number one Mika, Amy Winehouse and Lily Allen are also among the first wave of acts named by Geoff Ellis.

Mr Ellis, the chief executive of Big Day Out Ltd, also announced they are in discussions with Perth and Kinross Council about adding another 5000 to the capacity, taking numbers to 80,000 on Saturday and Sunday.

With the first 35,000 briefs sold out in less than an hour after last year’s festival, another 40,000 go on sale at 9am on Saturday—undoubtedly prompting another massive scramble.

Mr Ellis said, “We have always said that it’s the incredible loyalty of the audience that makes T in the Park so special and last year the fans made themselves heard again by voting T the best UK festival for the second consecutive year at the UK Festival Awards.”

He continued, “To show our appreciation we wanted to give something back to them and create an even better experience than the last, so it is with great pleasure that this year we’re announcing a third day.

“The line-up is already particularly strong with four of the biggest bands in the world today confirmed to headline.

“Tickets are expected to sell out quickly once again this year but, as always, I must urge fans to only buy tickets from official outlets to avoid falling foul of online ticket scams or paying well over the odds for tickets that may not even exist, and being left disappointed.”

He had special words for Snow Patrol and The View.

He said, “Snow Patrol cemented their reputation as one of the world’s best live acts with a phenomenal performance at last year’s T on the Fringe at Meadowbank Stadium.

“And The View’s gig at the T Break stage was just fantastic.

“It’s the biggest crowd there’s ever been at that stage and it was an amazing atmosphere.

“Snow Patrol have been coming to King Tut’s since they moved through to Glasgow from Dundee, even just for a drink.

“They’re great lads and we wanted to support them then because they were always admired without getting commercial success until The Final Straw.

“The first time they headlined King Tut’s.

“We could have had them on the main stage but (lead singer) Gary Lightbody actually said he wanted to play in the King Tut’s tent because we had supported them so well in the past and he wanted to give something back.

“The View have so much electricity about them, and that’s a great asset.

“When I looked down from the balcony at the Carling Academy when they played the NME tour recently the energy in the crowd was like the 1970s for early Clash or The Buzzcocks gigs.

“It’s like when Oasis were young. There’s a real zeitgeist about the band. They’ve put the rock ‘n’ roll back into music.

“And it’s great for the event that we’ve got two acts in The View and Paolo Nutini who played on the T Break stage last year and are now on the big stages.”

Tickets go on sale on the hotline on 0870 169 0100, or at www.tinthepark.com or www. scotland.ticketmaster.co.uk