Radio 1 Big Weekend 2008

United Kingdom | by Cat McGovern | 12 May 2008

Today is no exception and Mote Park is littered with fans soaking up the rays and raising their glass to the BBC license fee, as well a variety of top performers. 

Starting the day off are the immensely popular Vampire Weekend, who are playing on the ‘In New Music We Trust’ stage. These four boys from NYC look positively beaming and are clearly excited to be here, as clearly reflected in their bouncy enthusiasm. Their chirpy and playful music definitely goes down a treat with the swaying fans all huddled together at the front of the stage, their modest 30 minutes set including favourites including 'Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa', 'One (Blake’s Got a New Face)' and the brilliant 'APunk'.

Darting over to the Main Stage we catch the last 10 minutes of The Hoosiers' set, and it looks like there’s a huge fancy dress party on stage. Skeletons, Spiderman, Alphonso Sharland on drums dressed as a fish and singer Irwin Sparkes' marching band jacket make for fun viewing. A booming version of Billy Idol’s 'We Didn’t Start The Fire' pulls the older revellers in, before Bananaman, Superman and the Flash join the rest of the clan on stage for 'Goodbye Mr A', which has all the kiddies in the crowd giggling and cheering.

Feeling quite smothered by happy children and Mum’s and Dad’s we head out to the Outdoor Stage to see how the much hyped DJ set by Chris Moyles and Judge Jules will go down with the ravers. The answer: Absolutely Terrible. It’s 3.30pm and there are already wide-eyed looks of disbelief in the crowd. In what can only be presumed as an egocentric radio charade (when will anyone at the BBC ever tell Moyles he isn't funny?) the term 'DJing' becomes very loose with Moyles coming across worse than an embarrassing dad, full of cringy comments and constant stopping. Suddenly that license fee seems very expensive again and we leg it to the Introducing Stage.

Taking cover from the painful sounds outside we settle and realise that this isn’t a tent, it’s a wooden circular haven of bliss. With little wooden booths with tables, a circular wooden floor and the typical bolshy girls strutting their fly dance moves to anyone who cares, this place is pure class. But wait, the music in here is well hectic. DJ Jaguar Skillz mixes the sickest mash-ups we’ve heard since 2ManyDJs. Why he is confined to this tiny arena while Moyles gets to rape the minds of thousands is unbelievable.

After a quick Burrito break, which is surprisingly tasty for festie food, we plod to go see those Oxford chappies Foals. Thrashing around the stage with vast energy and immense rock riffs, they sound like a much better version of Bloc Party. They own the stage and their audience are utterly mesmerised. The set builds with every song with highlights including 'French Open' and 'Red Sox Pugie'. Singer Yannis Philippakis announces that 'Two Steps, Twice' is the first song they ever wrote and although it is slower than their other songs initially, it ascends into heavy beats which have the crowd baying for more as they are forced off stage by security after going past their alloted time.

After such a mind-blowing set We Are Scientists never manage to get near to the heights of Foals. Even Zane Lowe walks out of the tent after two songs, so we duly follow to see Duffy in time to hear her number one single 'Mercy'. There’s no denying this Welsh lassie has a booming set of lungs on her and is definitely more interesting than We Are Scientists.

Time for another booze trip and we have been especially cunning by picking up all empty beer cups as when you give them back you get 10p. We quite proudly have over 60 in our tower and go and collect our pennies and fill up on more sub-standard beer. 

Seeing Kelly Osborne and Chris Moyles snogging for a few seconds on big screens outside the Main Stage makes us feel queesy enough to sack off Scouting For Girls, who would possibly turn our stomach even more. Sadly the next act are even worse. You’d think The Fratellis would put some effort into their set, seeing as they're on before Madonna and have the chance to win over some new fans. Alas, no. Instead they're stale and not one person in the audience of thousands looks remotely interested. They get a bit of reaction with ‘Whistle for the Choir' and 'Chelsea Dagger' but everyone in here is waiting for Madonna.

A cunning marketing ploy has been pulled here by old Madge. Not many people have been hugely interested in her new album ‘Hard Candy’ so why not showcase your album at a free music event which will draw 1000’s of people just to say they’ve seen Madonna. The old girl is a clever woman and can still play media whenever she chooses.

She appears sitting on a throne with a black cane in hand as she breaks into 'Candy Shop'. Her entourage of backing dancers mimic her every move and Queen Madonna bounds around the stage with ease. She is handed a black acoustic guitar and she strums to 'Miles Away'. Everyone in the audience is going absolutely nuts, seemingly not quite believing they're actually watching Madonna and, honestly, neither can I. Confidently going through her set she does a different mix of ‘4 Minutes’ which has her gyrating against big screens of Trousersnake. Even though, the single went to number 1, it's only on this stage that it seems truly special.

She begins to do a cover of '(I can’t get no) Satisfaction' before trailing off to perform an electric guitar laden version of 'Hung Up', which gets everyone in the tent shouting back the lyrics at her. Showing off her perfected dance moves for 'Give It To Me', the crowd goes crazy bopping to her addictive, techno tunes. 'Music' completes a stunning, if not short, set as the hordes hail taxis to their nearest HMV. Job done.