The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Thousands have a scream as city rejoices
Slessor Gardens hosts musical party featuring acts including Primal Scream and Be Charlotte as city celebrates the opening of the V&A
The city of Dundee came together last night to celebrate the opening of the V&A.
Around 10,000 culture lovers partied the night away with Primal Scream and local lass Be Charlotte under the dazzling light show of award-winning artist Jim Lambie, specially commissioned for the opening.
Despite an afternoon downpour, the heavens stayed closed for the most part, allowing everyone to remain focused on the spectacle in front of them.
This afternoon will see another 10,000 arts, music and dance fanatics descend on the city’s newest cultural venue, while the doors to Kengo Kuma’s masterpiece are opened to the public for the very first time.
Danny Wilson frontman Gary Clark will headline the second day this evening, while Same Jeans singer Kyle Falconer will get the party started in the afternoon, playing a mix of View favourites and crowd-pleasers from his recently released solo record.
The city and its newest cultural centre were broadcast live to the nation, meaning the hundreds of thousands who missed out on tickets were still able to join in.
Fife’s own Edith Bowman presented the entire concert, which was transmitted on BBC 2 and will be available to watch again for the next week on the corporation’s catch-up service, the BBC iplayer.
Lewis Capaldi was one of the first ever unsigned artists to reach 25 million streams on the music website Spotify and played a carefully managed set to open proceedings.
Be Charlotte might not yet be a household name, but she played one of the biggest shows of her career at Slessor Gardens to an enthusiastic audience.
The proud former Morgan Academy pupil spoke of her delight at being able to perform at the opening of such an auspicious building and seemed truly delighted to be playing in her home town on such a large scale.
Charlotte will perform again this afternoon, with another pop-filled set alongside fellow Dundee artists Andrew Wasylyk, St Martiins, Kashmir Crows, and SHHE.
Headliners Primal Scream led the ecstatic crowd through their hit-filled set.
Led by the talismanic Bobby Gillespie, they band performed classics from the Mercury Award winning album Screamadelica and more – including Come Together, Movin’ On Up and Loaded.
Their performance was followed by a Jim Lambie-produced light show worthy of Kengo Kuma’s masterpiece.
What he showed us was the building is a blank canvas, ours to do with as we see fit.
If it is to change our fortunes, it really has to involve every single one of the 150,000 of us who call this most beautiful corner of the country home.
In a live television broadcast, Dundeeborn actor Brian Cox described the museum as “overwhelmingly beautiful”.
He said: “They call Dundee the City of Discovery, but I’ve always thought of it as the city of survival because it’s a tough old town.
“The people of Dundee have been not well treated over the years. Dundee has had its problems, but its never been the people.
“They are amazing folk, and that’s why I always come back.
“And when you see this (the V&A), it’s like the representation of the inner Dundonian, and that’s what I think is so incredible about it.”
Courier editor-in-chief Richard Neville said: “What strikes me is that every time you see a bit more of the building, and a bit more of the waterfront changing, you can see the energy levels here rising.
“If something like this can create such enthusiasm and a sense of pride, then that can be a real driver for the city.”
This afternoon’s festival is unticketed and will be free to enter.