The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Music fans roll back the years as Rewind begins
FESTIVAL: Revellers flock to Scone Palace for ’80s extravaganza
One of Perth’s biggest weekends of the year has begun as 30,000 music fans begin rolling back the years for Rewind.
The ’80s music festival in the grounds of Scone Place has established itself as a major draw attracting people from all over Scotland and beyond.
“We didn’t think that Rewind Scotland could get bigger and better, but I think this year it will be,” said Meg Jenkins of the organisers.
Perth and the surroundings will be a riot of colour and sound for the next two days as people hit the streets in retro fashions.
Artists who defined the decade, including Rick Astley, Adam Ant and Tony Hadley, will take to the stage from today.
Music fans heading to Scone Palace for this year’s Rewind ’80s festival began arriving in the early hours the day before a note was played.
“People were queuing at 4.30am, they are more enthusiastic than ever,” Meg Jenkins of Rewind said yesterday.
Although the car park did not open until midday fans were prepared to wait patiently to capture prime camping sites.
Although the festival proper does not start until today, thousands of the 30,000 revellers decided to arrive the night before with traffic stretching back miles from the Scone site in all directions throughout the day.
Various diversions had been laid on for the early birds, including a disco in a big top, fairground rides and street entertainment.
The music is the main draw of course and today’s line up includes Tony Hadley of Spandau Ballet fame and The Beat though the running times will not be announced until each morning.
Tomorrow ABC and Midge Ure are among the big names while local musicians will get the opportunity to play at various bars on the site.
Rewind organiser David Heartfield launched the festival in England in 2009 with close friend and T’Pau singer Carole Decker.
The show, which came to Scone Palace five years ago, has gone international with a successful launch in South Africa and other regular UK festivals at Henley-on-Thames and in Cheshire.
Rewind Scotland, and in particular its venue down by the Tay across from Perth, is now a well-established event.
“The location is really important to us,” said Mr Heartfield.
“They (the crowds) want to spend their time in a new place and this is such a beautiful area to be in.” “There’s more of everything now. “More acts on stage, more things to see and do.
“The audience are the real stars of the show.”
To mark the passing of two of the era’s biggest names, Blitz DJ Rusty Egan will be putting together a tribute to Bowie and Prince on the main stage before the last act tonight.