V Festival

Mud wrestling, commercial overload, over-priced fast food, diverse acts, persistent downpours and the not-so-sweet smell of portaloos... it can only be the annual return of the V Festival at Weston Park in Staffordshire.

Saturday

Mexican duo Rodrigo y Gabriela and their acoustic guitars wowed the crowds with a fast, rhythmic performance which showcased their amazing talent. Raw excitement and ceaseless energy; they were nothing short of jaw-dropping.

New York-based producer Mark Ronson teamed-up with friends including Daniel Merriweather and Alex Greenwald to play the cover versions which comprise his brilliant second album. Scottish three-piece The Fratellis were largely underwhelming but finished on a high with their hit single Chelsea Dagger.

Headliners Kasabian and The Killers bid farewell to their second albums Empire and Sam’s Town by playing their last big British gigs of the year.

Leicester’s finest were pulsating from opening track Shoot the Runner all the way through to the mighty LSF, concluding their storming set by uniting the tens of thousands in front of them for a colossal sing-along.

Their V Stage successors were equally tremendous and the Las Vegas rockers experienced no Glastonbury-esque sound problems. Waistcoated singer Brandon Flowers whipped the crowd into a frenzy before returning with his band for a thrilling encore which climaxed with Hot Fuss anthem All These Things That I’ve Done.

Sunday

Just Jack opened Sunday’s proceedings with an enjoyable set before Editors, who formed at Staffordshire University, justified their critical acclaim with a stunning performance as rain lashed down relentlessly to turn sodden grass into lovable sludge.

Rap superstar Kanye West made a predictable late entrance but soon had the crowd in the palm of his hand. However, the bass was so loud it drowned West’s beautiful string septet who played as his backing band. Jesus Walks, Gold Digger, Touch the Sky and current chart success Stronger received huge roars.

They may have been dubbed Britain’s most hated band by Manic Street Preachers bassist Nicky Wire, but Snow Patrol were surprisingly excellent. With a set combining the highlights of recent albums Final Straw and Eyes Open, the Grammy-nominated five-piece even found a moment to apologise for the miserable weather which they jokingly took responsibility for.

After playing a secret acoustic show under the name ‘606’ earlier in the day, legendary awesome foursome the Foo Fighters demonstrated why so many regard them as the best band on the planet.

Rock god Dave Grohl was immense and the Foos frontman even invited his mum on-stage midway through their set. "When I say I owe it all to somebody, it has got to be this woman" explained Nirvana drummer Grohl.

They mixed past triumphs with new material taken from their sixth album to Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace to breathtaking effect before ending with the inspiring All My Life, sending fans absolutely wild.

Ben Lowe