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North-west Sutherland pupils were beyond excited yesterday to be treated to an exclusive, free concert by a well known Highland band.
Peat and Diesel travelled to Kinlochbervie specially to perform for pupils in the North West Sutherland Schools Campus, which includes Kinlochbervie High School and Kinlochbervie, Scourie and Durness primaries and nurseries.
The students were kept in the dark about the performance until the very last moment when they were led from the school to Kinlochbervie Village Hall where the event was held.
Band members Calum MacLeod (Boydie), Innes Scott and Uilly Macleod decided to go to north-west Sutherland in person after hearing how “sad and disappointed” pupils had been after a planned trip to Glasgow to hear the band in January had to be cancelled.
Head teacher Graeme Smart explained: “We had arranged for a group of pupils from north-west Sutherland schools to travel to Glasgow on the evening of January 19 – they were to attend the concert the following day.
“Unfortunately the weather at that time of year was particularly bad and we could not travel because of snow and ice on the roads. Naturally the pupils were very disappointed.”
Kinlochbervie Primary School primary five to seven pupils then wrote to the band to tell them how “sad and disappointed” they had been miss the Glasgow event, and to extend an invitation to the band to come to Kinlochbervie.
Primary seven pupil Kayla-Jaid told the band in her letter: “Kinlochbervie is a beautiful small village with lots of greenery. We enjoy your music but sadly due to the weather the trip to the concert was cancelled and everyone was very sad and disappointed so we were wondering if you could maybe come down to Kinlochbervie and come to the school?”
And Lachlan, also in primary seven, wrote: “I am your biggest fan. I am a crofter and a hunter. I hope you can come and play at our school because we missed the Glasgow concert.”
Max, in primary six, said: “As you can imagine living up in the remote Highlands, most of my friends are Peat and Diesel fans.”
Mr Smart continued: “Astonishingly we got a reply from the band’s management to say they had been very moved by the letters and that the band would like to come and play in Kinlochbervie for all the pupils in north-west Sutherland schools.”
The primary five to seven class whose letters so touched the band were the first to be taken across to the hall.
Pet and Diesel, who hail from Stornoway and who play a mix of folk, punk and rock, performed for over an hour and treated pupils to some of their best known songs.
“It was a brilliant performance,” said Mr Smart. “The whole event was described by one primary five pupil as the ‘best day ever!’
“The band stayed after the concert to pose for photographs, sign autographs and chat to pupils and staff before packing up to head off to the slightly larger Barrowlands venue on Saturday where they will play to a larger, but certainly not more excited audience.”
