It was the biggest music event that Dundee has ever seen.
The Radio 1 Big Weekend – set to return to the city in May 2023 – brought 30,000 music fans to Camperdown Park to watch more than 30 acts on May 13 and 14 2006.
Dundonians heard the announcement about the location from aboard the RRS Discovery during Colin Murray and Edith Bowman’s Radio 1 show.
Fifer Edith nagged her bosses into coming to Scotland and 60% of the 30,000 tickets would go to people in Dundee and the surrounding area.
So who would be on the bill at Camperdown Park?
The “secret” line-up would be revealed on the Chris Moyles breakfast show on April 24 where the station would also provide details of how to apply for tickets.
Radio 1 Big Weekend line-up?
A full list of the bands apparently booked then appeared online a fortnight before that official announcement including the apparent running order for the two-day festival.
Muse, Snow Patrol, Razorlight, Keane, Sugababes and Pink were among the headline acts alongside the likes of Primal Scream, The Streets, Gnarls Barkley and Bloc Party.
Even Dundee’s own teenage sensations The View were on the list being circulated.
Radio 1 could have put Iraqi information minister Comical Ali to shame when they insisted that none of those bands were confirmed and these were simply rumours!
“Until we make our announcement on the Chris Moyles show on Monday, April 24, nothing is 100% confirmed,” a spokesman for Radio 1 said.
The “eagerly-awaited” announcement by DJ Chris Moyles sparked an almighty scramble with up to half a million people applying for 33,000 tickets.
Announcing the bands, he said: “We go to a part of the UK where no one ever goes, and I mean that with respect.
“We went to Derry and Sunderland and Birmingham, all those places, and they go down a storm.
“Corinne Bailey Rae, one of the most talked-about artists in the UK, Gnarls Barkley, is coming, the awesome Orson, the brilliant Razorlight, the amazing live band Muse and the fantastic Snow Patrol are all on the main stage on Saturday.
“On Sunday, one of my favourite bands, The Feeling, are playing, Preston and the Ordinary Boys, Sugababes, another brilliant live band Feeder, Editors, Pink and Keane, who are back with a brand-new album.
“It’s all free as well. We want the majority of people going to be from Dundee because that’s where it’s happening, so it’s only fair.
Dundee ticket boost
“I’m gonna get a little area backstage with my chair and my beer and sandwiches and I’m gonna do nothing – just watch the bands.
“It’s going to be big!”
The final choices for the Camperdown Park event included The View who were signed on the evening of the announcement by 1965 label boss James Endeacott.
Some 60% of the tickets would go to people in Dundee and the surrounding area.
The organisers said: “If you are selected you will receive your tickets through the post by Tuesday May 9. You will not hear anything until then.
“You will only hear from us if you have been selected. If you don’t receive anything by that day you have not been successful – sorry!”
Lord Provost John Letford called on the whole city to enjoy the experience of national attention that would focus on Dundee through the Radio 1 Big Weekend.
He said: “This is a huge event that brings the real stars of music to our city.
“Work has been ongoing to build a superb arena in our beautiful Camperdown Park and I am sure everyone who attends will be really impressed by the location.
“The Big Weekend is also a huge boost to our very vibrant local music scene and I am sure that there will be a legacy of this event that will encourage even more people to become involved in local music.”
McIntyres Hairdressing in Dundee set up a salon at Camperdown Park and almost all the artists performing over the two days popped in at some point.
The staff in total did over 50 haircuts including Preston from the Ordinary Boys who were no strangers to Dundee having played the Westport Bar in 2004.
Tickets were a huge talking point with only 15,000 available each day and two Dundee posties were reported to have been suspended for stealing briefs.
But Radio 1 DJs Chris Moyles and Vernon Kay made light of the situation by singing the theme tune to Postman Pat as they opened the main stage on the Saturday.
Artists performing in the tents included Corinne Bailey Rae, Razorlight, New Muse, The Streets and Primal Scream.
But the band everyone was looking forward to was headline act Snow Patrol.
They didn’t disappoint, raising the roof of the main stage as they brought the evening to a dramatic climax.
Riding on the success of their latest album Eyes Open, lead singer Gary Lightbody told the crowd how pleased they were to be back in the city that gave birth to Snow Patrol.
Although largely Northern Irish, the band formed while studying at university in Dundee.
They delighted the crowd with old favourites such as Chocolate, Spitting Games and Run from their last album Final Straw.
As the curtain came down on the massive free party at Camperdown Park, DJs, civic leaders and event organisers all spoke of an unprecedented atmosphere in the arena.
That was supported by figures from the police, which revealed just one minor arrest inside the festival site over the whole weekend.
Camperdown was on the verge of becoming the first site to host the event twice in May 2020 before it was cancelled as a result of the pandemic.
Thankfully it will be returning in May 2023.
For those lucky enough to win a pair of tickets in the ballot, or rich enough to pick them up on eBay, enjoy the occasion.
See you down the front!
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