‘No Scotland No Party’ was the chant as revellers danced and sang in their droves at the first day of TRNSMT 2022. From 11 am, queues could be seen winding their way around the two entrances to Glasgow Green as saltires waved and fans wearing booty shorts and bucket hats screamed in anticipation.
Inside Glasgow Green, the Bootleg Beatles kicked off the music on stage as the determined sun tried to make its way through the clouds. The grey skies threatened a shower early afternoon but the general temperature was described as ‘clammy’ in some places and ‘windy’ in others.
The ever-changing Glasgow weather didn’t dampen anyone's spirits as they enjoyed the sounds of artists like Ella Henderson in her cobalt blue trouser suit belting out her hits in the early afternoon. She asked: “Who is ready for a rave” as the crowd lapped up every beat.
She lost an earring during the performance but remained unphased. Meantime out front, food stalls were overloaded with pizzas, noodles, tortillas, wraps, churros and homegrown fayre from the Big Eat.
The salt and chilli dishes and fudge sellers joined the countless bars and espresso vans out in the main stage area, with even alcoholic ice lollies a speciality in the VIP area - alongside the posh toilets. As artists made their way backstage, some with shampoo in hand so they could enjoy a much-needed shower, all eyes were searching for Paisley’s own Paolo Nutini.
Paolo who was expected on-site around 6pm for his big performance just after 9pm and just after Sam Fender’s spot at 7:15pm was making his Scots return after an eight-year hiatus and the crowd bristled in anticipation. Fellow hitmaker Sam, who is Paolo’s friend and has been pictured backstage with him at various events, was expected to join him for a guest appearance.
Nile Rogers is also set to get the crowd chanting with songs like Chic’s Le Freak and In between the acts the crowd showed they were up for some seventies vibes as they danced along to ABBA’s Dancing Queen. Callum Beattie roamed around backstage wearing a T-shirt saying ‘This is Not Callum Beattie’ before doing a meet and greet with competition-winning fans while Kitti, fresh from the King Tuts stage drank some non-alcoholic beer and caught up with fellow Scot Brooke Combe.
Tom Grennan arrived on site at TRNSMT festival with a torn ankle ligament but it didn’t stop him from performing.
The singer has had the injury for a while but has tried to keep up his fitness routine which saw him in the gym the night ahead of his Glasgow date.
Tom, who still managed to hop around backstage, was asked to play a game of keepie uppies by Capital Radio backstage, but had to take some time out from the activity as soon as the ball was produced because he was sore.
He was in great spirits backstage but had to take a back seat from the football antics after getting the injury at Soccer Aid when Manchester United legend Patrice Evra 'clamped' him.
The Man of the Match award winner wowed the TRNSMT crowd with his performance and even got people chanting ‘Here We F***ing Go.’
There might have been traffic issues, and the threat of Covid was never far away but 50,000 revellers filled up the festival for day one of what is set to be a belter of a weekend.
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