Thank you for the music! As Inverness welcomes a variety of acts including Andrea Bocelli, Duran Duran, Skipinnish and Texas over the weekend

Music was in the air at the weekend in Inverness with a number of major gigs across the city helping to kick off the summer.

With rock, trad, pop and classical options there really was something for everyone even if the weather was not always kind.

There were claims of organisational chaos around the first of the weekend’s big gigs too, as tenor Andrea Bocelli and special guest, Scottish violinist Nicola Benedetti, sought to entertain at Inverness Caledonian Stadium.

Things appeared to run more smoothly the following night at the same venue, however, when Duran Duran, supported by Jack Savoretti, took to the stage.

Also on Saturday, across the city, Skipinnish, together with Big Country and a number of other support acts, were on stage under the big top at Bught Park.

Scottish veterans Texas then rounded off a tuneful weekend on Sunday, also at the city park.

Speaking ahead of the events Inverness hotelier Tony Story was among hospitality providers who talked of the boon for the city, with both his Kingsmills and Ness Bank hotels seeing an upsurge in bookings.

He added: “The fact that somebody like Andrea Bocelli is coming to Inverness is a really great thing for the city.”

However, following that concert, a number of readers contacted the Courier to complain about the organisation around it.

Complaints ranged from a delay in the performance start time, issues with shuttle buses and long queues to get into the venue, though there were also a number of posts on Inverness Caledonian Thistle FC’s Facebook page from people saying how much they had enjoyed the event.

For organisers of the Bught Park events, LCC Live, director Claire Kidger said they had welcomed more than 10,000 enthusiastic music fans over Saturday and Sunday.