Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
PR guru’s delight at music festival
A DUNDEE music PR guru today said big acts could become a regular sight in the city after the green light was given for a major festival in Camperdown Park.
Dundee City Council’s licensing board has approved the two-day music event on August 12 and 13 next year.
It is hoped 15,000 people will attend the festival, which has been called “Carnival Fifty Six”.
It will be the first major festival in Dundee since BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend in 2006.
Murray Chalmers, who represents stars such as Noel Gallagher, Kylie Minogue and Pet Shop Boys, said it was tremendous news for Dundee.
He added: “It’s great and I genuinely think that it will bring a lot of interest to Dundee.
“I think it will put Dundee on the map because it’s a cumulative thing. Once you have one festival, it gathers more interest and makes another one more likely.
“And it should help in terms of getting bigger acts to Dundee. When one big band plays it should l ead to more arriving.
“In terms of Camperdown Park itself, I think it’s a great venue and is currently underused.
“At the minute the only option for a big band to play in is the Caird Hall so to have somewhere where you can fit 30,000 people in one place is perfect.”
And Murray, who is a former pupil of Harris Academy, hopes there is a good mix of local groups as well as ones from elsewhere that are booked to play the event.
He added: “I hope some local bands and artists will be given a chance to perform as well.
“We represent Be Charlotte, who is a solo artist, so it would be great for someone local like her to be involved as well as artists from further afield. There’s plenty of great bands in Dundee.”
When asked if he felt Dundee had slipped off the music scene in recent years, Murray said: “I think so, depending on your age. If you think in the 70s Dundee had the Sex Pistols play at the college and bring their Anarchy in the UK tour here, it definitely has dropped off a bit.
“There are j ust l arger venues Glasgow and Edinburgh. in
“But I think this festival will also be fantastic for people who aren’t necessarily interested in the music.
“It’s like Glastonbury, people just like going for the experience.”
The festival is set to play host to five live main areas, including a main stage, a big top tent and VIP area along with bars and food outlets.
Craig Blyth, who is the founder of Carnival Fifty Six, will now be working on plans to bring in the best groups available to Dundee.
The festival is named after the map coordinates of Dundee.