It might be more than two years since T in the Park’s 20-year association with Perthshire came to a halt, but stay-at-home music fans were spoiled for choice with a run of high-profile concerts held in Courier country this summer.
Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds and Emeli Sande were amongst the artists who drew the crowds to the BBC’s Biggest Weekend at Scone Palace in May matched only by the thousands who flocked to see the likes of Status Quo and OMD at the 80s-themed Rewind Scotland extravaganza in July.
In Pictures: Courier country concerts
Dundee’s Slessor Gardens followed up the success of last year’s Little Mix and Olly Murs concerts with Steps, Blue, Aqua and Rita Ora taking to the stage in June/July.
A much anticipated Simple Minds, Pretenders and KT Tunstall gig then preceded the 3D Festival – headlined by Primal Scream, Be Charlotte and Lewis Capaldi for the opening of the V&A in September.
Add to that events like Almost Blue – Dundee’s live music festival – which saw more than 100 gigs take place across 20 Dundee venues at the end of June; Gary Barlow at the Caird Hall in April, the Southern Fried Festival in Perth at the end of July and James Yorkston’s eclectic Tae Sup Wi’ A Fifer events held regularly in Kirkcaldy, and there was no shortage of home-grown gatherings – over and above the dozens of gigs held at pubs and clubs every week.
