Students from Perth College UHI are hoping to make their mark in the music business at a sell-out festival.
A group of seven students have secured work placements at the Belladrum Festival next month which will be headlined by Madness, while a student band has been given the opportunity to perform.
Audio engineering students Christine Heriot and Erika Schweighofer will be working with the production team, while music business students Lauren Patterson, Christopher Glynn and Kitt Carr will take up roles as press and site assistants.
Ruth Stewart, a technical theatre student will develop her experience as a lighting assistant and music student Stuart Duncan will work as an artist liaison.
Speaking about the opportunity, Stuart said he was “thrilled” to have been selected for a role at the festival which will be staged at Beauly, Inverness, from August 4 to 6.
“I’m really looking forward to joining a strong team dedicated to creating a brilliant experience for event-goers and event-makers alike,” he said.
Student band The Purple Felts, meanwhile, will showcase their talents with an appearance on the XpoNorth Seedlings stage.
The Perth-based six-piece, made up of students from the university’s BA (Hons) popular music course, will open the stage at 11.30am on the Saturday with a set of original funk and high-energy ska.
The Purple Felts drummer, Matt Walker from Kirkcaldy, said: “We’re really excited for what we hope to be one of our biggest shows to date, which comes just after the launch of our debut EP. The show comes at a good time for us as it will be an opportunity to get our music to a bunch of fresh ears.”
Joe Gibbs, the festival founder, said: “Perth College UHI’s BA course consistently nurtures talent and provides students with industry standard skills.
“We have a great relationship with the team who look after the course and welcome new students each year to the festival for experience, many of whom impress so much that they return to the event to work in subsequent years.”
MSP Pete Wishart, himself no stranger to the music business with his role in Runrig, said: “I know very well how hard it can be to make it in the music industry so I wish all these Perth students the very best of luck.
“The relationship between Belladrum and Perth College UHI shows how well regarded the college is for the way in which it nurtures the talents of its students.”
