Inverness Ironworks: Lights to go out on a 'beacon of live music'

Pete Docherty's Babyshambles have been one of Ironworks' big name performers

Calvin Harris, Primal Scream, Biffy Clyro and Babyshambles are among the big names to have graced its stage, but this weekend - after 15 years in business - Inverness' Ironworks puts on its final shows.

"We're viewing it as the death of a venue," said Sam McTrusty, frontman of Twin Atlantic, who headlined a celebration of the Ironworks on Friday night.

"It's been a beacon of live music for a lot of the youth of the Highlands. I am gutted for everyone up there."

Ironworks is the only purpose-built entertainment venue of its kind in Inverness, with stage lights and sound systems, a production office, dressing rooms and capacity for 1,000 people standing.

But the site's owners have planning permission to redevelop the Academy Street plot. Ironworks is to be demolished to make way for a £30m hotel.

Two final sold-out shows mark the venue's last days.

Twin Atlantic are preparing for their 13th appearance at Ironworks

Glasgow alternative rockers Twin Atlantic were headlining on Friday, followed by Highland-based indie folk band Elephant Sessions on Saturday.

Both acts have close links to Ironworks, with Twin Atlantic making their 13th appearance.

The countdown to this final weekend had already seen a series of sold-out gigs, including performances by Skye's folk/electronica band Niteworks and Highland folk/rock band Torridon.

Before Twin Atlantic's gig, Sam said: "I want to give it a proper send off.

"I've said up there a few times I'm going to rip the roof off the place. I think I might actually mean it this time seeing it's going to be torn down.

"We're going to rock its foundations one last time."

Arrested Development have been among international acts to play at the Ironworks

Enter Shikari light up the stage

Twin Atlantic's relationship with the Ironworks goes back to 2008 when they were drafted in at the last minute as the support act for Biffy Clyro.

Scottish rock giants Biffy had put out an appeal after a band from England failed to make the trip north.

Sam said: "We ended up being the first band to jump at the opportunity.

"When we got there Biffy's manager says: 'You guys cool to play for 45 minutes?'

"We weren't cool to play 45 minutes - we had never done that before. We'd only been a band for about six months at this point."

Sam added: "I remember the lights going down the first time we played the Ironworks. No-one had ever heard of us, no-one had any right to be excited that we walking on stage, but we got a reception as if we were the headline band.

"As much as I am sure they were buzzing for Biffy, that little moment basically sparked a career in music for us."

Elephant Sessions will headline Saturday night's show

Euan Smillie, of Elephant Sessions, said that as a teenager he saw bands like Bloc Party and The Wombats at Ironworks.

"I really didn't think growing up playing the fiddle I would get to play venues like this," he said.

"We've had a lot of support from the Ironworks. The Ironworks was putting us on long before we really deserved to be on there."

The band's Alasdair Taylor said playing the last show would be bittersweet.

"Ironworks has been a huge, huge factor in our band's life and my career as a musician," he said.

Alasdair added: "We're absolutely honoured to be doing the last night - it's history, the final night ever. But it's going to be tinged. Playing that last track is going to be really sad.

"I have been going to the Ironworks for half my life and I've seen so many great bands and acts there over the years."

The lights go up at the end of Niteworks' sold-out gig in December

Ironworks is to be demolished

Photographer Paul Campbell, who has captured many of the nights of action on Ironworks' stage over the last 15 years, said its demise would be felt widely.

He said: "The end of the Ironworks is not just about the loss of the building, it's the loss of jobs that go with it.

"For many of the crew and staff it was regular work. With the loss of the venue it means there will be less live music gigs for crew to work on in the area."

Paul added: "Over the years the Ironworks has seen some big names on its stage as well as giving a platform to young and upcoming local bands.

"The creative industries and the arts are being hit hard just now, not just from the pandemic but from funding cuts in general.

"With these cuts comes further job losses for a much wider community."

Director Caroline Campbell said Ironworks had been a huge success and a focus for the Highland music scene.

And she said there remained hopes it could return in some way.

"What that might look like and where that might be? That's the big question," she added.

'It felt like the floor and walls were shaking'

Ironworks' penultimate night was a raucous affair.

Warm-up act, Motherwell band LaFontaines, got the crowd going with their hip-hop, rap, rock tunes.

Headliners Twin Atlantic had chosen a theme for their set - a funeral to a much-loved friend.

An order of service was handed out at the door and candles - fake, not real - were glowing on the stage.

The band walked out in black suits and ties and blasted through an hour-and-a-half long set.

They ended with the hit Heart and Soul - and it felt like the floor and walls were shaking from the sound and the vibrations from the bouncing crowd.

On Saturday, Ironworks' final night, it falls to the Highlands' Elephant Sessions to bring the house down.