Fans pack free city gig as Peat & Diesel return the love to meet massive queue

Stornoway sensations Peat & Diesel braved a cold Falcon Square to treat Inverness fans to a free open-air gig on Sunday.

“I am a country boy and I don’t like the city,” go the lyrics singer and guitarist Calum ‘Boydie’ MacLeod sang in Country Boy, the song they ended their hour-long set with.

But the city liked Boydie, drummer Innes Scott and accordionist Uilly Macleod!

Over 1000 people packed out the space in front of the band’s little stage.

There, an all-ages crowd, families from kids to grandparents, sang along with the words to popular favourites such as Horo Gheallaidh, Brandy In The Airidh, Stornoway, Island and Western Isles with its perfect singalong refrain “That’s the way we do it, the way we do it in the Western Isles!”.

There was even the chance to meet a special guest who stars as himself in song Calum Dan’s Transit Van from second album Light My Byre, as Calum Dan was brought onstage to the delight of the crowd.

And after their set – which had started with accordion-player Innes coming onstage and blowing on his cold hands to get started – Peat & Diesel headed into the Eastgate Centre to meet fans, sign autographs and give selfies to a long queue who waited patiently.

A pop-up shop selling merchandise offered the chance to pick up everything from branded bobble hats and Christmas wrapping to snoods, T-shirts and the band’s signature boiler suits – for both adults and kids!

The special event, Revving Up For Christmas at the Eastgate Centre, supported local charities MFR Cash For Kids and mental health charity Mikeysline.

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