An Inverness music blogger has received an award after beginning his website as a hobby.
Inverness Gigs took home the Best Use of Digital Media Award at the Highland and Islands Press Ball and Media Awards.
Chris Lemon, a lecturer by day, spends his evenings attending gigs and working on the website, receiving over 120,000 page views per year.
Mr Lemon said: “I am literally speechless. I’m also tone deaf, so I don’t know why I am sitting here with this award. But seriously, I love the music scene, and there was a huge gap in the market for something like this. When I started, it was easy to speak my thoughts and take pictures, but now it is something local people look up to and depend on. It has taken over my life, but I love every minutes of it.
“We offer more news, reviews and previews than any other outlet. I had to upgrade by website, my server, and now have an army of contributors and photographers.”
As part of his coverage, Mr Lemon has interviewed a host of musical celebrities, including KT Tunstall, Cerys Matthews, Wet Wet Wet and The Darkness, as well as attending a number of music festivals including Belladrum, XpoNorth and Loopallu.
He added “This award acknowledges our role in the music scene in the Highlands and will help us develop the brand further.”
