Latest news with #GeoffEllis
BBC News
14-07-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
TRNSMT arrest total falls to 19 after 'exceptional' festival
Nine people were arrested and charged on the final day of the TRNSMT music festival in Glasgow, taking the total over the three days to 19. Police said the alleged offences included sexual assault, assault, culpable and reckless behaviour, hate crime, possession of weapons and police the figure was significantly down on last year when 40 arrests were festival director Geoff Ellis praised fans and said this year's event, held in sweltering temperatures on Glasgow Green, had been one of the best so far. "While the weather has certainly been one of our star bookings, it's the fans who have truly made the weekend so special - a passionate, welcoming mix of ages, united in their love of live music and creating an atmosphere that has been nothing short of exceptional," he said. TRNSMT is Scotland's biggest music festival with a capacity of 50,000 on each of the three days. With Scotland basking in its hottest weather in two years, fans appeared to have heeded warnings about staying hydrated and protecting themselves from the sun."Glasgow Green has provided a perfect setting once again, with the natural shade under the trees offering fans the opportunity to take respite from the sunshine and enjoy the surroundings at their own pace," said Ellis. A ferris wheel was evacuated on Saturday evening after a generator caught fire but there were no injuries and the festival passed off without any major incidents. Singer Rick Witter from Indie veterans Shed Seven told the BBC he believes festival crowds are more polite now than in the past."You're less likely to just see hordes of drunken men, which you used to get it. But I quite like that," he said as the band prepared to perform at the King Tut's stage. Snow Patrol topped the bill as the festival closed on Sunday evening, after Biffy Clyro and 50 Cent headlined on the previous two days. Other acts included The Script, Fontaines DC, Jade, Gracie Adams and Irish rap band Kneepcap were originally due to perform but were axed from the bill after police raised concerns about Ellis, who is head of organisers DF Concerts, said the weekend had delivered some "outstanding moments". "Biffy Clyro gave a phenomenal headline performance, Fontaines DC drew a huge and energetic crowd, and Underworld brought an electrifying, club-like energy to the Smirnoff presents King Tut's Stage on Saturday night, following a fantastic set from Jake Bugg."It's also been a pleasure to showcase emerging talent: Nell Mescal, Alessi Rose, and Nieve Ella all gave impressive performances and are certainly names to watch for the future."I'm incredibly proud of what the entire team has accomplished this year, and I'd like to thank every artist and fan for contributing to such a memorable festival."TRNSMT was first held on Glasgow Green in 2017 after it was announced that the T in the Park festival, also organised by DF Concerts, was being discontinued. Since then it has been held annually except in 2020 when it was unable to go ahead due to the Covid pandemic.
The Courier
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Courier
Courier Business Conference to feature legendary T in the Park promoter
Geoff Ellis, the man behind major Scottish music festivals T in the Park and TRNSMT, will be the keynote speaker at this year's Courier Business Conference. The chief executive of DF Concerts will reflect on more than 40 years in the music business, during which time he has dealt with everyone from Oasis to Beyonce. DF Concerts is also behind the Summer Sessions concerts which brought Noel Gallagher and Stereophonics to Slessor Gardens in Dundee in 2022. This year's Courier Business Conference 2025, held in partnership with Henderson Loggie, will have the theme of powering Scotland's creative economy. This year's event brings together pioneers of gaming, music, fashion, design, media, and digital innovation to explore the future of one of Scotland's fastest-growing sectors. Last year's conference at the new Innovation Hub at Michelin Scotland Innovation Parc, looked at the plans and potential impact of the Eden Project coming to Dundee. This year we are also holding the conference in one of the city's newest spaces – the £9m virtual production studio at Water's Edge at City Quay. The studio is able to create hyper-realistic digital film sets on a giant digital screen and use cutting-edge techniques such as motion capture, made popular in films like Avatar. Dundee games entrepreneur and Water's Edge owner Chris van der Kuyl, will give an overview of the new technology and explain why it will draw businesses to the city as well as benefiting local companies. As the co-owner of 4J Studios, which helped make Minecraft a global phenomenon, he will also give his views on the games and tech sector. The conference, which runs from 8.15am to 2pm, will feature a panel discussion from representatives of the creative sector before Mr Ellis' keynote speech. The Courier editor David Clegg will chair a panel discussion featuring local businesses on 'monetising creativity in Scotland'. He said: 'Scotland's creative industries are among the most exciting and dynamic parts of our economy – and Tayside, Fife and Stirling is right at the heart of that story. 'This year's Courier Business Conference will shine a light on the talent, innovation and entrepreneurial spirit driving growth in music, film, games, marketing and beyond. 'I'm particularly looking forward to hearing from Geoff Ellis, whose career reflects just how powerful creative vision can be when paired with business acumen.' David Smith, managing partner at Henderson Loggie, said: 'As sponsors of the Courier Business Conference, we're proud to support a platform that's spotlighting the creative industries shaping Courier Country. 'The conference is great event for business leaders to connect and hear from the creative minds driving change in our region. 'It's an exciting time for our local economy, and we're looking forward to being part of the conversation.' Tickets for the conference are available at
