Does TRNSMT measure up to all it's meant to be?
By Kate Bunney
TRNSMT replaced T in the park, with many fans left feeling that the new festival is a shell of the former.
TRNSMT on paper is a success, attracting crowds bigger than the previous each year and bigger names than thought possible. However, for all the praise the festival receives, there is negative attention the festival acquires.
In 2023, there were 27 people arrested over the weekend aged between 13-46 for offences involving drugs, assault, disorder and breach of the peace. Which could make you wonder if the actual on the ground experience is all it is cracked up to be.
Scottish crowds are infamous and rightly so, there’s nowhere else in the world that brings the energy like we do. However, when genuine enthusiasm is tainted by excessive drinking and drug taking, is it as special?
DF concerts were presented with a bill from Police Scotland of more than £150,000 for the 2023 weekend. Which in comparison to other major festivals isn’t a lot but is still quite steep. It could be argued that the ones that are taking it too far are affecting the experience for the genuine music lovers.
There are differing opinions and really it depends on who you ask. The festival offers a wide range of musical talent which attracts fans of all different genres. You have the younger generations coming for their dose of pop, dance and indie music, but also hardcore fans of rock and alternative groups expecting big things.
Music is of course enjoyed by all, but with such diverse ages and interests in the audience there will inevitably be some sort of divide. Which can mar the experience for some. It is no easy task to cater for everyone, but could the festival be more enjoyable for all if it was directed towards a more like-minded crowd?
Another point of contention is the 16-year-old age limit. Groups of younger people attend the festival and there have been complaints of underage drinking and disorderly conduct within these groups.
The festival operates a zero-tolerance underage drinking policy set out very clearly in their guidelines stating anyone under the age of 18 found to be drinking or under the influence will be removed from the event, but inevitably there are young people who will slip through the cracks.
When it was announced that the beloved T In the Park would be finishing in 2016 it was hard to imagine a festival that could take its place whilst still providing the infamy of its predecessor. So, when festival runners DF Concerts proposed a 3-day non-camping festival based in Glasgow city centre, there was some scepticism that it could live up to expectations.
However, when TRNSMT launched in 2017 it was a major success with headliners such as radio head, Kasabian and Biffy Clyro taking to the stage. Apart from the cancellation of the 2020 festival during the COVID-19 pandemic, the festival has gone from strength-to-strength headlining acts such as Stereophonics, Arctic Monkeys, Paolo Nutini, the Strokes and Pulp to name a few.
It is hard to compare TRNSMT to T In the Park fully as the two festivals provide vastly different experiences. But does TRNSMT provide that same sense of magic as its former did?
There is no doubt that TRNSMT is a winner, and it will surely have many more years of success. Although there do seem to be some issues with it, the good seems to outweigh the bad enough for it to keep running.
Tickets for the 2024 festival are on sale now running from the 12th-14th July so if you have £279.80 set aside for a weekend ticket you can go and decide for yourself.