Arctic Monkeys played the exit music as T in the Park left Balado in 2014

Arctic Monkeys provided the final soundtrack when T in the Park signed off from Kinross a decade ago.

It was the festival that put a disused Perthshire airfield on the map.

T in the Park was forced to move away from the site at Balado in 2014 when a potentially dangerous oil pipeline sparked health and safety fears.

The event would move to Strathallan Castle in 2015.

And what better way to bow out than with a headline set from Britain’s biggest band?

Formed in 2002, Arctic Monkeys shot to fame with their first two singles, I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor and When The Sun Goes Down.

They were the band everyone wanted.

T in the Park 2014 line up starred Scottish favourites

There was a real homegrown flavour about the final line up with Biffy Clyro and Calvin Harris announced as
headliners alongside Arctic Monkeys.

They would be joined from July 11-13 by some of the biggest names in music.

Ellie Goulding, Franz Ferdinand, George Ezra, James, Manic Street Preachers, Paolo Nutini, Ed Sheeran, Tinie Tempah and Pharrell Williams were among them.

Weekend tickets went on sale in February 2014.

The mad scramble included the traditional queue outside Groucho’s in Nethergate.

Festival director Geoff Ellis said they never wanted to leave Kinross.

“It will be sad saying bye-bye to Balado,” he said.

“It has been a fantastic home.

“We have a fantastic relationship with local businesses, local landowners and it will be a tearful farewell on Sunday after the Arctic Monkeys have finished.

“We’ll make sure Balado gets the spectacular send-off it deserves.”

T in the Park was a rite of passage for any self-respecting young Scot.

And with the Friday being extended to a full-day for the first time, plus a later finishing time of 1am, the last T at Balado was the party to end all parties.

Biffy Clyro got the party started on Friday

Blue skies and sunshine welcomed tens of thousands of revellers for the first day.

Temperatures reached 22 degrees with highlights including festival favourites Manic Street Preachers and cult heroes Pixies at King Tut’s Wah Wah Tent.

Also wowing the crowds were Ellie Goulding, Haim and Imagine Dragons.

Ed Sheeran was well on the road to becoming a global superstar when he appeared on the main stage with nothing but a guitar and a loop pedal.

He said: “This is Friday night in Scotland before Biffy.

“I don’t think you can get a more rowdy crowd than that.”

He performed songs from new album X alongside earlier tracks like Lego House.

Sheeran called on fans to light up the sky with their mobile phones during The A Team.

Biffy Clyro headlined the main stage 15 years after their first appearance as an unsigned band, which singer Simon Neil described as “an honour”.

Proceedings opened with Different People, That Golden Rule and The Captain.

Arms were raised high and swinging side-to-side.

The band sounded brilliant.

Set highlights included Biblical, Many of Horror, Black Chandelier and Bubbles.

The inevitable encore rendition of Mountains was complete with fireworks and flames.

It was a career high for the band.

Fresh Prince swapped Bel-Air for Balado

T in the Park wouldn’t be the same without a few drops of rain.

A typically Scottish summer’s day brought mud and ponchos and wellies on Saturday.

George Ezra, The Human League, We Are Scientists, Embrace and Ben Howard were among the big names inside King Tut’s Wah Wah Tent.

Elbow headlined the Radio 1 Stage following performances earlier in the day from Clean Bandit, John Newman, The Charlatans and The 1975.

James and Twin Atlantic had performed on the main stage before Pharrell Williams arrived in trademark big hat and delivered urban pop perfection.

The set inevitably ended with the catchy chorus of Happy.

Paolo Nutini was up next with a full brass band.

Paisley’s answer to Al Green performed songs from Caustic Love and wore the emotion of every note on his face during tracks like Coming Up Easy.

Last Request had everyone united in full voice.

Dumfries-born superstar DJ Calvin Harris brought the night to a finish.

American actor and musician Will Smith swapped Bel-Air for Balado and took to the stage to introduce him.

Harris then thrilled the 85,000 crowd with a stunning spectacle of sight and sound.

Smith returned at the end of the set for Summer.

“I brought Will Smith here so I could see a real Scottish reaction,” said Harris.

“I want to see you jump up and down for Will Smith.”

The only thing missing was Smith entertaining the crowd with one of his own classics like Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It, Men in Black, Miami or Wild Wild West.

Nevertheless it was an iconic T in the Park moment.

Modfather Paul Weller was at his very best

Sunday brought the end of an era.

The line-up was huge and eclectic.

There was Passenger, Franz Ferdinand and Example at King Tut’s Wah Wah Tent and Inspiral Carpets, Tinie Tempah and Disclosure at the Radio 1 Stage.

Maybe you caught Jess Glynne or Catfish and the Bottlemen at the T-Break Stage?

And the sun came out again.

Ricky Wilson was sprinting across the main stage and starting Mexican waves during a performance by the Kaiser Chiefs that went down a storm.

Bastille got the entire crowd jumping around in the sunshine and the audience screamed every lyric back when they finished with Pompeii.

Paul Weller performed solo career gems such as You Do Something To Me alongside Start by The Jam and My Ever Changing Moods from The Style Council.

Daylight turned to moonlight and Weller was at his best.

Jake Bugg was second from last and arrived on the main stage at 7.45pm.

He played catchy anthems like Broken, Lightning Bolt, Two Fingers and Trouble Town.

Monkey magic to bring it home

Then it was left to headliners Arctic Monkeys to round off 18 years in Kinross.

Lead singer Alex Turner told the crowd: “This is the last time we are going to do this at this location, so let’s do it.”

They did.

They started with Do I Wanna Know?

I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor brought mosh pits and lots of jumping.

Why’d You Only Call Me When You’re High?

It was another highlight.

R U Mine? was the last tune any band would play at Balado.

It brought one last mosh pit.

Then it was over.

The last word went to the man who created T in the Park.

“Our audience has also been outstanding
and we can’t thank them enough for making the last 18 years at Balado so special,” said Mr Ellis.

“They are the heart and soul of T in the Park and they always will be.”