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Rockness and Music Festivals in Scotland |
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by AndrewKelly
If you are asked to think of Scotland most of us will immediately picture a Scotsman dressed in tartan playing the bagpipes or something equally clich. Of course there are plenty of places across Scotland where you are likely to see a piper in full dress playing a selection of traditional Scottish tunes, especially at, or outside, popular tourist attractions. However Scotland is a thoroughly modern country and, while maintaining a healthy pride in it's past, is forward looking and forever inventive and this is superbly displayed in modern Scottish music. In recent years the United Kingdom has seen a massive increase in the number of music festivals and this is most apparent in Scotland where countless festivals present all forms of music from traditional through to fusion and the latest pop bands and DJ's who appeared at the recent Rockness festival just outside Inverness.
Like any other nation, Scotland has a rich musical past and the music of Scotland has continually changed with society. However Scotland has always been proud of it's past and this is extremely apparent in Scottish music. Today the country has one of the most diverse music scenes in the world and this diversity is proudly presented at the numerous music festivals held throughout the year. It is not unusual to see a person dancing to the sounds of the latest rock band then cheering a traditional act. In fact many festivals in Scotland have traditional acts appearing alongside the most modern and all add to a most wonderfully eclectic mix and exciting atmosphere.
Of course there are highly specialized music festivals in Scotland which focus solely upon a specific genre of music. However the most highly attended music festivals offer the opportunity to enjoy all types of music with different tents and arenas presenting a different style or genre. While festivals such as the Hebridean Celtic Festival and Celtic Connections focus on traditional and modern Celtic acts, festivals such as Wickerman, Tartan Heart and Rockness present more modern pop sounds and some of the big acts of the day.
Rockness, being only it's thrid year, is one of Scotland's youngest music festivals but this year over 35,000 people attended. Taking place at Clune Farm, Dores (not too far from Inverness) the music festival has one of the most astounding locations on the banks of Loch Ness. Staged by Loudsound and Slingshot, Rockness may well be in a rural and remote setting but great care is taken to ensure that the traffic and superb transportation links flow freely and smoothly.
The first festival was held on Saturday 24 June 2006 and was mainly a dance event headlined by the popular DJ Fatboy Slim on the main stage and Daft Punk in the Clash Arena (a big top tent) with an attendance of around 10,000. The following year saw the event extended to two days. Again it was mainly a dance event with the Chemical Brothers headlining the first day and the rock act Manic Street Preachers headlining the second. Daft Punk again appeared in the Clash Arena which held only 10,000 capacity, as it was soon filled the sides of the tent were soon lifted to allow the full, 30,000 strong, crowd to enjoy their performance.
In it's third year Rockness retained the two day format with the first day being primarily a dance event (with Fatboy Slim headlining for the 2nd time) and the second day having a number of rock/pop acts performing (Razorlight headlining the main stage). With a crowd estimated at 35,000+ the site appeared crowded at times but the Clash Arena and smaller tents provided entertainment by the likes of Underworld and Pete Tong. When the main event was over the smaller tents continued until the early hours and the party continued in the camp sites until the next day!
A crowd of thirty five thousand party goers in the confined space of a town center is a policeman's nightmare as it, more often than not, there are numerous arrests, countless fights, many injuries and even deaths. Not so at Rockness, the atmosphere is incredible, everyone smiling and happy with not a care in the world. I did hear that there was one short fight and around ten arrests but this is nothing when you consider the numbers. Sadly one poor lad died which was widely reported in the newspapers but as the cause is not known (and witnesses reported no trouble) it is unwise to speculate. Overall it is one of the most friendly festivals I have visited in nearly 30 years of festival going!
Wickerman and Tartan Heart music festivals are equally, if not more, friendly events and both can be considered family friendly with children and toddlers seen running around playing. While some would consider this irresponsible you really need to visit these festivals to understand how safe they really are. Furthermore children are seen wearing ear defenders when they are in the vicinity of loud music.
About the Author: Rockness is over for another year (see Rockness Photos) but if you are planning to visit Inverness see our listings of Inverness hotels at http://www.invernesshotelscotland.com/ |
