Music fans were all smiles at Belladrum yesterday as they soaked up a second day of festival fun.
Many people made the most of the sun in beers gardens as they eagerly awaited their favourite bands in what was an eclectic Friday line-up.
And it was a case of “Top of the Cops” at the festival on Thursday night as two officers took to the stage to join in with a live performance by Celtic rock band Rhythm N Reel.
PC Neil Rathbone played the bagpipes and PC Norman Campbell was on guitar alongside the band in the Black Isle Brewery tent.
Festival organiser and Belladrum Estate owner Joe Gibbs said: “Neil and Norman were chatting to the guys from Rhythm N Reel and the police constables said they played pipes and guitar. Next thing we knew the were giving it laldy together on stage. The music was arresting. One of the tunes they played was ‘the panda’ apparently. Seems a great choice for the guys in panda cars”.
Yesterday at Belladrum it was clear that the Thursday crowds had been bolstered by many more Friday morning arrivals.
Hundreds of people – mainly families – could be seen gathered in a circle around a performance ring where stunt-biker Danny MacAskill, along with some of his friends, wowed crowds with a host of daredevil stunts.
Stewart Gilliland, of Inshes in Inverness, was watching the stunts and is at the festival for the first time with his wife and daughter. He said: “These guys are off their heads. The kids are loving it. My mates wanted to come and we’ve come with our families. My 11-year-old daughter is already saying she wants to come again and again. It’s a festival which is quite different to others, as you get kids of five years old up to folk in their 60s.”
Nearby, a large number of teenagers and twenty-somethings danced away to the progressive house beats at Mother’s Ruin, as swathes of people headed down to see The Lafontaines on the Garden Stage.
Evanton man Johnny Johnson was among them. He said: “I have only ever missed one year of Belladrum. It’s a really good festival and there is lots to do for the family. It has everything.
“I am looking forward to seeing Bombskare this evening – a wee bit of ska never goes wrong. The main stage here today and tomorrow is really good, with Skippinish, and Super Furry Animals playing as well.”
