Stage is set for Runrig farewell
Preparations for rockers’retirement concert under way
The stage is being set for Runrig’s massive farewell concerts in Stirling next weekend.
The iconic Scots rockers will take to the stage for the final time on Saturday evening, drawing the curtain on a 45-year career.
They will also perform to a sold-out audience of thousands a day earlier — on the Friday evening — with both shows taking place at the city park in the shadow of Stirling Castle.
Teams have been on-site for much of this week working to get the venue ready ahead of more than 45,000 music fans arriving next week.
The Observer reported on Wednesday that people were being urged to plan ahead and expect disruption on the roads throughout the weekend.
The A811 Raploch Road, from the junction with Back O’Hill Road to Dumbarton Road, will be closed from 10am on the Friday until 8am on the Sunday. Residents of Ballengeich Road will be unable to turn left on to Raploch Road during this period.
Raploch Road between the Huntly Crescent and Back O’Hill Road junctions will also be off limits between 10am on Friday until 1am on Saturday, and 10am on Saturday until 1am on Sunday.
A 720-metre stretch of Dumbarton Road will be closed from the A811 junction will also be shut off for up to 20-minutes between 11pm and midnight each night. Also closed will be the pedestrian footbridge adjacent to the Millennium Way and Raploch Road.
Access will be maintained for emergency vehicles on blue lights.
All motorway traffic heading to Stirling for the events are directed to come off the M9 at Craigforth. The A84 is the only road with access to the site and a temporary trackway will be in place.
The main car park, located there, provides parking for around 3500 vehicles and will be open from 1pm to 1am while the campsite car park has capacity to hold a further 1300 cars.
Access to the car parks is by pre-paid tickets for all vehicles. A drop off and collection point is available in the Castleview park and ride off the roundabout on the A84. The campsite will be open from 10am on Friday until 12pm on Sunday.
Calum MacDonald is a founding member, percussionist and primary songwriter with Runrig and he says the whole band are busy preparing for the weekend shows.
He said: “We’ve had a lot of rehearsals this week and next — and a lot of the logistical things are being put in place just now, so the site is coming together.
“We’re really looking forward to the shows. We want it to be a real celebration, but no doubt it will be emotional.”