Aberdeen’s biggest rock concerts went off with a bang at the city’s Exhibition and Conference Centre – dry ice, fireworks and a superb lights show made Saturday and Sunday’s concerts crackers.
The prospect of seeing one of Scotland’s top bands prompted four youngsters from Bridge of Don to camp outside the centre on Friday night.
Centre staff provided the young fans with the use of toilet facilities and brought them cups of tea to keep them warm through the night.
Three of the group enjoyed the concert so much they were first in the queue for last night’s concert as well.
Organisers and promoters were delighted with the reaction of the 6,500 fans to the sell-out Wet Wet Wet gigs.
A spokesman for the AECC said yesterday: “The atmosphere was excellent. The public turnout, the band’s performance and the level of production were superb – and the band enjoyed it.
“But the people were the most important thing. It was great to have a production of that quality come to Aberdeen after all this time – they deserved it.”
Security arrangements for the centre’s first major pop concert were being taken care of by a professional company. One steward was allocated for every 100 people in the audience, with security personnel in constant radio contact.
“Our security team were very professional and highly organised. Just below the stage they coped very efficiently with the crowd. First-aid staff were on hand to cope with the usual cases of fainting and dehydration, but at the end of the night everybody was happy.”
Hundreds of cars packed the car park beside the concert hall. Some drivers experienced difficulty at the end of the concert when they attempted to leave.
A spokesman for the AECC said: “Some bits of fine tuning will be needed to improve the dispersal procedures in the car park and we will be allocating a couple of stewards to redirect the traffic.
“But we managed to clear the centre completely within an hour. The drop-off and pick-up point was also a success, allowing kids to be picked up by their parents later on.”
Now other top Scottish bands are showing an interest in the AECC and music business sources are believed to be looking to the venue as an established part of the tour circuit.
“You are only as good as your last show, but we couldn’t have asked for anything better for our first major concert.”
TOP OF THE POPS
Pop fans in the north-east voted Wet Wet Wet’s first major concert in Aberdeen at the Exhibition and Conference Centre top of the pops.
The sell-out concert on Saturday attracted 6,500 people – a far cry from the 16 who turned up to see the Wets five years ago.
Lynne Duncan, (21), Bridge of Don, said: “It was brilliant. It’s the first time I have seen them and it’s good they have come to Aberdeen. We need more bands here.”
Lead vocalist Marti Pellow and the stage effects impressed Kim Leslie (10) from Mastrick. She said: “I liked the firecrackers going off. Marti Pellow was the best part.”
Debbie Binnie (17), Mastrick, enjoyed seeing the Wets live. She said: “They are like they are on the albums, but even better. The band knew they had the crowd with them and the stage effects were brilliant.
“We had a bit of trouble getting tickets. We were lucky they managed to get another batch in.”
Banchory girls Linda Ewen (14) and Karen Atkin (16) have different musical tastes, but they both enjoyed the concert.
“Marti Pellow has a real nice smile,” Linda said. Karen added: “It was good, but the House of Love and the Happy Mondays are better.”
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Copyright: Aberdeen Journals