A COUNTRY music band from the East End of Glasgow has won a competition to support Scottish music legends Wet Wet Wet at their 25th anniversary concert.
Claire McArthur, 27, and Paul Bain, 32, better known as Raintown, beat four other groups to the coveted support slot in a public vote organised by Real Radio.
Raintown secured poll position thanks to their loyal fan base which has grown from local shows, including at The Evening Times' Glasgow Community Champion Awards in 2008, to huge multinational events.
The gig, at Glasgow Green on July 20, will be the biggest to date for the group who describe their sound as contemporary country in a similar vein to US favourites Lady Antebellum. Claire said: "To be playing in front of 25,000 people, especially our hometown, is just fantastic."
But Raintown are no strangers to outdoor shows with two record-breaking performances in Nashville, Tennessee behind them.
Last year saw the band become the first UK act to appear at the world's largest country music festival, CMA Fest, and this year became the first band in the history of the event to be asked to play in successive years.
For the band, a couple on-stage and off, playing to a big crowd is not the major draw – for Paul in particular, the gig is a chance to share a stage with musical heroes.
He said: "Anyone who knows anything about me knows how much I love the Wets and it's something of a dream to be up there supporting these guys.
"It's pretty monumental for me."
Wets drummer Tommy Cunningham is pleased to have Raintown onboard and is happy the Clydebank band could help support some emerging Scottish talent.
He said: "This happened to us way back at the start when we were lucky enough to be Lionel Richie's support."
chris.taylor@heraldandtimes.co.uk