One Big Weekend 2004

United Kingdom | by Robin Hosgood | 19 September 2004

Staging an end of summer party that combines dance DJs and bands, Radio 1 has been doing this for years. That is, putting on huge free live events in the name of promotion. We're not complaining!

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Dave Lee Travis was there at the start with the 'Roadshow', and in late 90s it was the One Big Sundays that pulled the crowds in. For the past two years however, on the face of it, the BBC have decided to take a leaf out of the Festival Handbook, and bring their very own 2-day Festival to the UK population. One Big Weekend is the end result. And you know what the best thing is? The fact that tickets cost the same as spending 24 hours failing to buy a ticket for Glastonbury and having to watch it on TV instead - absolutely bugger all.

Perry Barr is probably the last place you would think of setting a festival (I should know, having never even heard of the place until it was announced Radio 1 were to hold this event in Birmingham). Perry Park however (next door to Alexandra Stadium) is a perfectly acceptable location for a rave-up (Dance Day) and a party-up (Bands Day) but unless you know Birmingham inside-out, getting there (and especially getting home) prove a bit of a nightmare.

Upon arrival, sometime after 2pm on Saturday (after panicking about the slightly miserable weather), it is a relief to find that both stages are in large tented areas, with a fairly reasonable 'chill-out space' in-between both areas. The 'legal highs' stalls are back for another round of providing clueless punters that if they buy their products, they will have a 'massive' time, but thankful in the knowledge that they probably wont be needed to be taken to hospital if they try them.

Back also are the usual standard Festival Food(tm) stalls with their highly overpriced Boring-Burger-In-A-Bun, extremely small plates of noodles, and handfuls of chips. You wont get much change from a fiver (or in some cases, a tenner) from these stalls. There is one stall however that seems to have been taken a fancy to by the crowd, and that's the inflatable objects stall, especially in particular the inflatable furniture. Why these were never available at any other festival, we've no idea. At the very least, now you don't need to watch the bands (and hear the DJs) from the comfort of your armchair or sofa at home, you can now (in a sense) bring the sofa or armchair to the festival and enjoy it that way! Genius!

Time to go check out some of the DJs...