#titp2016

T in The Park // Strathallan Castle // 10.07.16

Thursday 7 July … the day before T Even at this stage, everything still doesn’t seem real – that it’s confirmed and that I really am playing T in the Park! One final day of rehearsals left with the band and I’d had my DJ ‘320’ fly up from London a few days back, all of us preparing for the big day in plenty of time. When we reached the Berkeley 2 Studios in Glasgow - the UK’s largest rehearsal studio – at midday the rooms were already non-stop busy….Right next door to my studio was none other than Beyoncé’s opening act ‘Ingrid’- B was performing at Hampden Park that night. And in the studio one up were ‘Twin Atlantic’ rehearsing for their appearance on T in the Park’s main stage. Everything was just insane! Hours fly by, eventually it was 6m and rehearsals all sweet – all of us feeling confident for the huge gig on Friday! Wait, Friday? Friday equalled tomorrow! Time for the moment to shake hands, wish all ourselves luck and head home to catch some rest. (Okay, not quite – I went to go for a quick trim and Turkish hot towel shave….come on, had to look fresh!) Friday 8 July….The Day Woke up 9a.m. Major butterflies – but that was absolutely nothing more than a perfect confirmation of my mind and body telling me I was more than ready to get onstage! My friend Sam was collecting me and 320 from Scotstoun and still early morning making our way to pick up Zee, one of my closest friends, from Ibrox. Left Glasgow around 12pm. And the morning went on. By then we were in the car having pep talks, vibing to some music, driving closer towards the T in the Park site ahead. Tunes banging, jokes flying. Majorly full of excitement! Sam was driving, we all had to keep it cool, follow directions and try and find the place where we could collect our artists’ passes. Which we found in the middle of nowhere. And after we’d found it and got them and were strapped up to play at Scotland’s biggest music festival…that’s when it really felt real! Once we arrived at the Artists’ car park, we all got organised and decided to get right in the mix, explore the site, see what’s going on – and as an artist, it was even more of an astonishing atmosphere…. Sam and Lee live-streaming, keeping people updated, keeping people ‘next’ to us. We headed to find the T Break tent where I’d be performing 10pm! I got to meet my artist liaison and the sound engineer to plan for later that night. And then back outside, a few beers weren’t going to do any harm (and they were complimentary and surely it would be rude to refuse a few cold beverages…). Banging weather, suns oot taps off and all that jazz! The day was passing quicker and quicker. I’d already spent some time at the Radio 1 stage doing an interview and some freestyling. Everything was such a strange experience, thoughtful, chilling out in the Artists’ Village, the Stone Roses, WSTRN and so many others just kicking about before they were performing later. 6p.m. arrives. Four hours ‘til stage time. Can’t even explain how many emotions going through me! We’re all smiling, playing pranks backstage of the T Break tent, but for the most part chilling out. Sam worked out we’d walked nearly 8 miles since arriving at T! Phones needed charging up too! Social media had been battered with updates on the experience so far! More time passing by… 8p.m. and my band were running a little late. Two hours before performance. Everyone had been told to be (BACKSTAGE) NO LATER than two hours before. I won’t lie. I was sweating!! Next thing I know I’m in the back of my bus heading to collect them. I’m asked if I mind if we can pick up and drop off another band at the Artists’ village on the way…of course no problem! They jumped in and I asked how they were doing and as soon as I heard their American accents, my curiosity was tickled and I asked where they were from. New York, they said, and one of them from Leicester. Of course from then on there was nothing else to talk about apart from Leicester winning the Premier League! And they were talking about how they’d all got wrecked on that day when they won it! They asked what time I was performing and then wished me luck, jumped out, and there I was ready to collect the band so we could head back to T Break stage. The driver turned round and asked me if I knew who they were? No, I said. It turns out The Fun Loving Criminals had asked me for a lift and we’d sat and had a banter about Leicester City football club! Total respect for them. No egos. No attitudes. Just talking about football. 9.30pm (heart rate + 1000bpm). All good though. I was composed! Everything becomes a bit of a blur as I circle with the band and my friends to say thanks for being part of such an amazing experience and my journey so far. 9.59pm Creativity. Artistry. Music. Words. They are why I write. They are the important things. They are why I am here. I stood at the bottom of the ramp before walking on stage and straight and into ‘Champion’. Smashed the set! Smashed the stage! I gave it everything I had to give. Serious energies! A crowd clapping, cheering, jumping. 10.30pm I walked backstage afterwards feeling so so hype! I just got to play Scotland’s biggest music festival. Dreamed about this for years! Time for the next step!!

The 1975 at T in the Park 2016 (X)

People love a good shoulder dance eh? I always feel a bit for the person underneath. @tintheparkofficial #titp2016 #photoftheday #concertphotography #gigphotography #livemusic @stoneroses_photography (at T in the Park)

Pre-mud #ScoobyDoo #TheMysteryGang #TITP2016 #TheMysteryoftheStolenATM (at T in the Park)