Approximately nine years ago a crowd was gathering for the first ever incarnation of V Festival. Now, almost a decade on – we’ve arrived at Staffordshire’s Weston Park for the Northern-leg of the dual-sited festival. Friday’s rain has disappeared and the skies actually seem clear. The security seem happy and even the queues don’t seem to be too ridiculous. It look’s like it’s going to be a good weekend.
Entering the arena almost an hour before the first band it seems a good idea to check out the bar – sponsored by Budweiser there doesn’t seem to be too much choice. Not a problem if, like certain writers at Room Thirteen, your drink of preference is a Bud anyway. A quick look around reveals a Sponge Bob Square Pants Restaurant and a lake – nothing too interesting back here so it’s out to the arena for the first act of the weekend.
Kasabian take to the NME stage to play through their unique style of indie as the festival kicks off. After a short break, the interesting electro-pop of Chikinki screeches through the PA in a way that, maybe, should have been played before the gates opened – sparing people from having to hear it. Thankfully that’s all over and done with as Goldie Looking Chain appear (unbilled originally) – although despite in a recent interview insisting that you should take a dressing gown to a festival, I see none of them wearing one.
The afternoon then leads us to the Music Choice stage for one of the hottest acts of the weekend. I may have just been stung in the neck by a bee – but thankfully Rooster manage to make me forget all about it. They may not be known, they may not, initially, attract a large crowd but they certainly know how to rock – leaving the performance by The Zutons which follows on the NME stage to seem somewhat watered down. The Zutons, however, do actually put out a good show and justify their meteoric rise to stardom.
One band that should have been missed off the weekend’s roster are Fountains of Wayne – famous for one rather annoying and pop-like song it is a heavens save that their set only lasts thirty five minutes before the Scissor Sisters appear on stage. Putting out their unique and catchy disco tunes – it’s no wonder that the crowd love every minute of it.
Whilst InMe might not quite be as large as the Scissor Sisters – it’s clear that they have already gained a significant following from just a short period of signed touring. As they enter to Knightrider’s theme tune – the set continues in a style that leaves the Music Choice Stage electrified.
The rest of the night sees Black Rebel Motorcycle club tear up the NME stage whilst The Pixies prove that they are still the true legends of rock on this weekend’s line-up. The Strokes may have only been playing a fifth of the time – yet their set to end Saturday’s main stage line-up is one of the best performed of the entire weekend. There’s no doubt that years from now The Strokes will still be around.
Sunday begins with even more clear skies – and a lull in the line-up until the early afternoon when we join Colour of Fire at the Music Choice Stage. If you had to pick any band this weekend to be the shining light then it would be between these guys and easyworld that play later in the night. The band certainly suit their name as you can almost feel their energy radiating from them like some rather-strange fire.
For a long time, the NME stage plays host to a collection of eclectic bands – ranging from 10,000 Things’ humorous, if not musically gifted, set to the following stunning performances by The Killers and The All American Rejects. Two very different bands – whilst The Killers have a bassist that looks like he should be in the old children’s TV show Rainbow, The All American Rejects have more guitars than there are colours in the rainbow.
Whilst these performances are taking place – Athlete take to the main stage to give everyone a well-deserved chill out session. Their music doesn’t make you want to jump, it doesn’t really captivate you but it certainly causes you to want to just lie there and soak up the festival atmosphere.
Dashboard Confessional take to the NME stage later in the evening and leave everyone needing a group hug as their tear-jerking mostly-acoustic performance seems to drag on for far more than the thirty five minutes it actually lasts.
Easyworld are a band that you must see. They’re currently promoting their second album and have reached number 27 in the charts – whilst most people have not heard of them you are making a mistake if you miss out. Easyworld are how a festival band should be – varied, exciting and full of energy. If that’s not enough then you the respect the band give the crowd is second to none – a band you must see.
Tim Booth follows Easyworld, drawing a much lager crowd – so much so that the fourth stage is packed and queues start to form outside. The night comes to a close as Muse headline the main stage with their usual bassist incapacitated – certainly a one off (or two-off in the case of V) performance.
If you wanted freebies then V was the place to be this weekend – coming home with a selection of ear plugs and cigarette lighters I’m considering a rather large eBay auction. Having witnessed several people drunk on free cider – I’m not convinced it’s the most sensible thing to do at a festival.
At each site 62,500 people attended and used over 3,500 toilet rolls (that’s 5.6% of a toilet roll per person on site). With 80 generators on site and 21 miles of fencing it goes without saying that it’s a pretty mammoth task to put on such a festival. What does next year hold? The tenth V will be sure to follow current trends and tickets are already on sale.