Collegeprojectturnsintomusicfestival

A PERTH student has told how his college project has spiralled into a major music festival, which he hopes will one day fill the gap left by T in the Park.

James Lafferty was tasked with putting on an event as part of his music honours business course at Perth College.

The 37-year-old took aim at the boutique festival market and devised a concept for an event on a farm near Stirling.

The project snowballed from there, with Britpop survivor Mark Morriss – former singer of The Bluetones – signing up for the two-day event, along with singer-songwriter Pete MacLeod and Blondie tribute act Dirty Harry.

The first headline act will be singer Stevie McCrorie, the Fife firefighter who won TV talent show The Voice in 2015.

More than 20 groups and musicians have signed up to play at James’s Forthside Festival at Broadley’s Farm, Millhall, on May 3-4, and there are even plans for a dance tent.

He said he hopes it will take hold with fans and evolve into a mainstay for years to come.

“I started work on Forthside back in August and it’s been pretty much non-stop since then,” James said.

“It initially was part of my course, but now it’s grown arms and legs.”

He added: “There is capacity for 3,000 or so at the site, and this year we hope about 2,000 people will show up.”