Is it time to bring back T in the Park? By Molly Adam

Tents, tunes and Tennent’s was how Balado Airfield looked when the festival season dawned in Scotland from 1994 to 2016. Music lovers would flock to fields to see some of the world’s best grace Scotland with a performance. The festival saw the likes of Kylie Minogue, Beyonce and Foo Fighters deliver incredible sets to the passionate Scots.

The festival started in Strathclyde Park in Lanarkshire from 1994 to 1996, when it then moved to Balado, Perth and Kinross. The festival stayed there until 2015 where it then moved to Strathallan Castle for a year before cancelling.

The festival was known for its diverse lineup. In 2014, the three headliners were Biffy Clyro, Eminem and Arctic Monkeys. Also, included in that same lineup were, popular dance act Example, Paisley hero Paolo Nutini and American rapper Drake. There were many more big names that weekend. Any other Scottish festival currently would never get all these big names in the one weekend.

Many bands have had memorable sets which are now talked about many years later for the performance that was delivered. For myself, I think of Catfish and the Bottlemen’s set in 2016. Not long after releasing their second album they played the festival. During their song “7” frontman Van McCann shouts at the crowd, “T in the Park! T in the Park!” Nearly 10 years later the clip trends on TikTok, with fans expressing how they wish they could’ve experienced that set live - myself included.

In 2016, the owners announced the festival would take a break. There were many contributing factors to this decision. Some of the factors were logistics with travel and safety concerns after two teenagers died at the festival. Another factor was to focus on the upcoming festival TRNSMT, in Glasgow. The festival takes place in Glasgow Green but has no capacity for fans to camp. This meant fans are either forced to spend an obscene amount of money on accommodation or travel daily to and from.

Looking back at T in the Park lineups makes me feel incredibly jealous! They continuously had great acts on every day and something for everyone. That would’ve saved a lot of arguments in groups with different music tastes!

As someone who has been to TRNSMT for multiple years, it is a problem having deciding to hear the headliner’s last song or having to sprint for the last train. That wasn’t the case when I went to Leeds Fest – a camping festival in England – and it was great and stress-free! Not worrying about what train will give you enough time to see the first act of the day – never mind the never-ending queues.

T in the Park is an event, I wished I could have attended. Having attended festivals where you camp in England, it’s an unreal weekend with memories for a lifetime being made. As a music lover myself, I feel it’s the one thing the Scottish live music scene is missing. Although, Glasgow is the place to be for live music, nothing beats a proper sleeping in your tent, waking up to basslines festival!

I feel T in the Park will always be the blueprint for Scottish festivals and will never be topped. Watching sets on YouTube will be the closest I’ll ever get to the festival, and I have accepted that. I will always be jealous at TRNSMT, knowing those at T in the Park could’ve gone for a lie down in their tent when they didn’t like the act on. Being on your feet for three days straight in the Scottish sun (sometimes it’s the grey clouds!) isn’t for the weak.