Exactly a week ago, Balado near Kinross was packed with tens of thousands of fans enjoying Saturday night at T in the Park 2011. Having finally got rid of the last traces of mud, Courier Rocktalk writer Alan Wilson looks back and suggests that, despite some superb moments, it won’t be remembered as a classic T.
It was one of the more surreal festivals I’ve ever experienced blinding sunshine one minute, belting rain and hail the next, giant mudfights in front of the main stage in yet more blistering sunshine…
The new layout confounded some of us T veterans and, while reducing congestion, the removal of the natural amphitheatre had people complaining of a lack of atmosphere. With no raised view at the back, thousands were reduced to watching the entire action on the big screens.
The knock-on effect also meant some of the smaller tents saw acts drowned out by the booming fairground and the nearby, pounding Slam Tent. Acoustic singer-songwriter Rachel Sermanni on the T-Break stage in particular struggled to be heard above the din of the dive bombers, while the constant bombastic bass resonating from the Slam Tent all but ruined some of the quieter acts in the Red Bull tent.
Music-wise, things kicked off reasonably on Friday although Big Country were a disappointment as festival openers. But The View got things back on track with a superb performance and things moved along brilliantly, if hugely cheesily, with a fun singalong to Tom Jones in the sun.FlatArctic Monkeys sadly let the side down with a flat, uninspired shoe-gazing show not really what you need from festival headliners.
Beyonce had the boys ogling and the girls singing and performing the actions en masse, before more noise problems reared their head when Primal Scream’s pulsating King Tut’s set could be heard above Coldplay’s quieter moments, but overall that couldn’t detract from a stunning headline show from Chris Martin and his band.
Elsewhere there was magic all around, although Debbie Harry looked all at sea when the rains came down on Sunday.
With Pulp’s Jarvis Cocker claiming the stage as a personal soapbox, and Foo Fighters (yawn) rawking along for two hours, there were too many low points to make it one of the legendary T climaxes.
Overall though, and despite the mud which never really seems to spoil anybody’s fun it was a fab weekend.To browse Courier photographer Kris Miller’s photos from throughout the weekend, click here.