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Peat & Diesel race to Belladrum to replace Sam Ryder

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Peat and Diesel on a ferryImage source, Belladrum Festival
Image caption,

Peat and Diesel on the ferry to the mainland on their way to Belladrum

Popular Hebridean band Peat & Diesel made a headline appearance at Belladrum after making a dash from Stornoway with just 12 hours' notice.

The three-man-band replaced Eurovision star Sam Ryder after he pulled out of the festival due to illness.

It took a ferry journey and a lift from a friend to get them from the isle of Lewis to Beauly, near Inverness, in time to headline the Hot House Stage.

Their Thursday night set was greeted with a vibrant crowd.

Image source, Belladrum Festival

The three-day Highland festival is one of Scotland's largest with this year hosting some big names including Van Morrison, Emeli Sandé and The Fratellis.

Eurovision runner-up Sam Ryder had meant to be the headline act on one of the stages but his illness led to a call for Peat & Diesel.

The band is a three-piece with fisherman Boydie MacLeod on guitar and vocals, electrician Innes Scott on accordion and delivery driver Uilly Macleod playing drums.

Before forming the band they would meet up at one of their homes in Stornoway on a Saturday night to play tunes.

Their songs telling funny stories of life in the Western Isles were hit with local audiences, and their videos on social media quickly racked up tens of thousands of views, exposing the band to an even wider audience, and Scotland's music industry.

The band had roughly 12 hours' notice to sort themselves out and get a ferry from the Western Isles to the mainland, where they received a lift from a friend who drove them to the festival for their 21:45 performance.

Image source, Belladrum Festival
Image caption,

The band tweeted photos of their journey to the festival

Belladrum Festival took to social media to tell fans of the bands journey saying: "It took 1 ferry, a lift from a pal, 12 hours, 25 cups of tea and plenty of beers ... but they are here! Ladies and Gentlemen, please welcome to the Hot House Stage - the legends @peatanddiesel. It's time to party the way they do it in the Western Isles."

More acts still to play the festival include The Fratellis, Tide Lines, Callum Beattie, Neon Waltz and Ash.

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