As the Scottish music world mourns the demise of the Wickerman festival, news has emerged that another of the country’s major music events may also soon be no more – at least in its current form.
T in the Park – which celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2013 – may not take place this year, with its long-term future in doubt.
A report in the Sunday Mail details how promoter DF Concerts are considering a three-day event at Glasgow Green in July – exactly the same time of year that T traditionally takes place. Talks are said to be under way between DF and Glasgow City Council.
However, perhaps crucially, the new event is said to not feature the brewer’s ‘Red T’ branding.
Scotland’s biggest and longest-established mainstream event has run continuously from its inception in 1994 at Strathclyde Park, where for three years a host of international acts like Rage Against The Machine, Radiohead and Nick Cave performed.
The event then moved to Balado in 1997 and gradually became one of the biggest dates in the world festival calendar.
However, a distinct shift shift to a more mainstream event saw an expanding lineup attract more world stars including Beyonce and Rhianna as well as the likes of Sam Smith and Jessie J, but consequently losing more of the longer-established clientele and instead attracting a younger audience, perhaps more interested in a party weekend than the lineup itself.
An enforced move to Strathallan Castle in 2015 was plagued with infrastructure problems and the 2016 incarnation unfortunately made headlines for drug-related tragedies and the theft of a cash machine.
Going against the usual pattern, early-bird tickets for the 2017 have not gone on sale.
The new festival is rumoured to see a move back to its more rock roots with Radiohead and Coldplay among those approached to take part, according to the report.
Glasgow Green has hosted many events, albeit sporadically – 1990’s Big Day Out saw Sheena Easton make the headlines thanks to her LA accent, and 2001’s Gig On The Green saw Iggy Pop and Green Day perform, as well as putting Eminem and Slipknot on the same stage. More recently, the Stone Roses played a memorable show in 2013, while a range of events tied in with the 2014 Commonwealth Games put Sydney Devine and Errors on the same bill, although sadly not together.
A Glasgow City council spokesperson said that although talks were in place with DF Concerts about a non-camping event in July, “we will not be and are not interested in hosting T in the Park”.
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