The former manager of one of Scotland’s most successful rock groups has slammed the lack of music venues in Aberdeen and called for an annual festival to put the city back on the map.
Music legend Bruce Findlay, who managed Simple Minds from 1978 to 1990, also called for a ‘music Tsar’ to help build up Aberdeen’s music scene.
He made the comments in response to the demolition of Union Street’s Capitol Theatre, which once played host to the likes of the Rolling Stones and the Who.
He said: “Losing the Capitol is a tragedy – it’s about time Aberdeen ran an annual festival of the arts.
“The Capitol could have been a hub for that.
“Aberdeen is a very wealthy city and the Scottish Government loves making great claims about its wealth and the fact it is the oil capital.
“A festival tsar, like the one they have in Edinburgh, would help get this off the ground.”
The city is already home to the Aberdeen and North East of Scotland Music Festival, the Big Beach Ball and the dance event Gig in the Gardens.
But Mr Findlay said the city had suffered from the loss of venues and events such as the creative industries festival Go North.
He said: “Part of the problem is Aberdeen is a vibrant city, but it’s miles away from everywhere. It’s a bit like Newcastle in that sense.
“But Newcastle said, if we can’t get to the mountain we will bring it here and now it has music events all the time at the O2 Academy.”
Tom Simmonds, who has been at the helm of Aberdeen record label Fat Hippy Records since 2002, agreed the city needs a joined-up approach to music.
Mr Simmonds, known locally as Captain Tom, said: “I’ve been saying for a long time that the music scene is as good in Aberdeen as it is anywhere in the world in terms of the quality of bands.
“Having said that there has always been a lack of structure in bringing it all together.
“It would be great to have something like the Edinburgh Fringe Festival but we would need the right people in place to set it up – it all ends up back at the council’s feet.”