From Loch Lomond to Loch Ness

Mar 30 2012 by Marc Mclean, Lennox Herald (main ed)

A FESTIVAL-MAD Vale man is making it his mission to take a bunch of party-goers from Loch Lomond to Loch Ness once again.

Chris Hannan, from Old Bonhill, has been organising a bus trip to RockNess for people in the area since 2008.

With just 10 weeks to go until RockNess 2012, the 28-year-old has already got the wheels in motion for this year’s bus trip to the festival site at Dores, just beyond Inverness.

The coach is booked and will leave from Balloch on Friday, June 8, for the three-day festival which boasts Biffy Clyro, Mumford and Sons and Deadmau5 as its headline acts.

Chris said: “I missed the first two RockNess festivals, including the famous Daft Punk one in 2007, but since I made my debut the following year I’ve been hooked.

“I’ve been to festivals all across Europe but RockNess definitely tops the lot. It’s a bit more dance music orientated than other festivals and there is such a great vibe up there in the Highlands. Everybody is just up for a massive party the whole weekend.

“Last year was phenomenal and the show Chemical Brothers put on at the main stage was probably the best set I’ve seen.

“I always organise a bus because the journey up north is always a brilliant laugh as well.”

Those on the Balloch bus won’t enjoy the same luxury as the guys and gals who travelled last year.

A last minute problem with their coach saw the festival-goers being allocated a fancy replacement that had previously been used as a tour bus by music stars such as Paolo Nutini and The Killers.

Chris said: “We couldn’t believe it. It had leather seats and tables, as well as a wee kitchen and toilet on board.

“It would be brilliant if we had that kind of special treatment every year, but we’d still have an amazing weekend no matter how we got there.”

RockNess won the NME Awards’ best small festival gong for the second consecutive year in 2011 and line-up of the year at the UK Festival Awards in 2010.

Almost 50 music acts have been announced so far but organisers say there is much more to come.

It was also revealed last week that loved-up revellers will once again get the chance to exchange vows thanks to the return of the festival’s Big Love Inflatable Church.

Back by popular demand, the church will be on site for the entire weekend, with one actual real wedding already confirmed between Glasgow couple Eilidh Jones and Steven Brockett.

Whilst taking a stroll on Dores beach, Steven romantically proposed. Now the wedding plans are well and truly under way and bells will be a ringing come June.

Fans who would like to get ‘married’ at RockNess but maybe aren’t quite ready for the full official version like Eilidh and Steven, can still declare their devotion by booking into the inflatable church when they arrive on site at the festival.

For a small fee, payable upon booking and on a first come, first served basis, lovebirds can declare their devotion in front of Reverend Duncan Pritchard and will be issued with a Big Love Wedding Certificate.

For further information and details of how to buy tickets, visit the www.rockness.co.uk