Madness prevailed at this year’s Belladrum.
But mercifully, Suggs and his bandmates brought a whole house of fun to the event and organisers and police praised revellers for their good behaviour.
Police confirmed yesterday there were very low levels of offences across the weekend with only one arrest in relation to an assault, while a number of drug seizures were also made.
Chief Inspector and event commander Brian Mackay said: “We would like to thank the 18,000 festival-goers who attended Belladrum for their co-operation and friendly approach which made this weekend a great success.
“There were low levels of crime and this did not disrupt the running of the event”.
Belladrum Estate owner Joe Gibbs added: “The event was a tremendous success. All of the feedback we have had from people has been incredibly positive and we are already starting work on next year.
“We also want to thank the police for having a strong presence to help ensure safety and comfort for our customers.
“There are always problems and things that need to be improved, and, for us, it’s to do with the layout of the event. We would like to find a new area for quiet camping because it’s too close to the stage for when it’s running late at night.
“The traffic measures this year also seem to have worked. We did not even have a queue up to the junction with the Beauly to Inverness road, and that usually happens every year.
“So I am really pleased that lots of people came early and listened to our advice, because it made a huge difference”.
Despite Saturday’s heavy downpours, music fans remained in good fettle throughout the final day of the festival.
Belladrum has taken pride in its reputation as a family-friendly festival and Saturday night headliners Madness perfectly embodied that ethos.
A huge crowd, spanning several generations, gathered at the Garden Stage to watch the popular band perform a veritable jukebox of hits.
A rapturous welcome was also reserved for endearingly geeky cult favourites Public Service Broadcasting.
They performed their set at the aptly named Hothouse Stage. But that didn’t deter two enthusiastic fans from dressing up in Apollo space suits in tribute to the band’s space-themed songs.
In the afternoon, crowds regularly sought shelter from the rain, with the Black Isle Brewery tent proving a popular gathering spot.
Many found themselves listening to a variety of artists, such as Eric Linton and his band, who captivated the audience with his blues and reggae repertoire.
People also flocked to smaller venues such as the Hootenanny Potting Shed, where upbeat rock and country group, Dropkick, were among the many bands who delighted the crowds.
Perhaps the most rousing performance came from pipe rockers The Dangleberries, whose lively renditions of modern classics, including The Killers’ Human and Snow Patrol’s Light Up, had a crowd of hundreds at the Bella Bar Stage singing and dancing in joyous accompaniment.
David Brook, who had travelled from Dewsbury in Yorkshire to attend his third Belladrum festival, was among those soaking up the atmosphere.
He said: “Every time I’ve been here, it’s been a fantastic family atmosphere and I’ve never once seen any grief. I just love everything about it.
“We went to see the Kaiser Chiefs at York Races recently and lead singer Ricky Wilson mentioned he had been playing Belladrum almost a year ago to the day, so that’s how popular it is becoming with the bands as well”.
