V Festival

The trouble with the V festival is that the line up is fantastic, but because there are only so many hours on the day, lots of the bands you want to see are on at the same time.

It results in some interesting discussions, and some big compromises - and there's always that fear that you might have missed out on a bands best ever gig because you're a couple of hundred feet away watching someone else.

I fear that may have happened to me, as I've since read reviews that the Charlatans played an amazing set in the newly expanded JJB tent, whilst I was getting soaked watching a great show by the Kings of Leon.

It's tough at times being a festival goer! The whole even was a soggy affair, which meant hanging around for half an hour whilst Amy Winehouse decided whether or not to appear didn't go down too well with the crowd. There were boos when she got on stage, although her band and backing singers did their best to keep the crowd entertained.

An anxious looking Winehouse

They were fantastic actually, and it was almost ruined when a very anxious looking Winehouse took to the stage. After forgetting the words to Back to Black, she did start to warm up a bit, with a gorgeous version of Cupid....

We couldn't hang around to find out what happened though, we had to race through mud to see Hot Chip, who were excellent.

The night finished for us with a set by the Chemical Brothers who played the most amazing light and sound show. We couldn't help feeling we were missing out though on the Verve, who it was rumoured might not be touring for much longer, and Kaiser Chiefs on the Channel 4 stage.

True to form, a text from my friend half way through Chemical Brothers: Kaisers R amazing. Humph!

Helen Thomas

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Paul Tomkinson's review

Well a long time coming since V07. V08 sold out quicker than you can say V Festival, it was great to be there to see some excellent bands and soak up the great atmosphere of V at Weston. This year being protected by the famous Gurkha Regiment, those boys get everywhere.

And with a line up over the weekend to suit most music fans, there was plenty to keep your head spinning, thinking of which bands to see and where the heck to go next so you could see as much as possible.

But when the choice was made it was off to join the rest of over 90,000 others on each of the days who braved the weather which on Saturday morning started off fine and dry with blue skies but..... as the August summer didn't let us down the clouds rolled in with a vengeance and so did the rain, by Sunday there was a sea of thick brown mud, Glastonbury fans would have felt right at home.

Saturday...

The day began with the Stranglers, followed by the Squeeze a bit of a blast from the past nice to hear some of their well known tracks again...Girls Aloud followed with a dance routine for any line dancer to be proud of.

The awesome Lenny Kravitz rocked the crowd, still full of energy...then to Amy Winehouse - more famous now for her knocks by the press about some of her other leisure activities.

She eventually made it to the stage 30min late, to heckles from the crowd...forgetting her lines, breaking down in tears and leaving the stage at one point. But saying that, she did manage to stay to the end of her set pleasing most of her die hard fans.

4Music stage

First to see here was OneRepublic, not heard these before and they didn't disappoint. Scouting For Girls were up next and were really good too.

I then managed to catch some of the Zutons, then followed by the mighty Kaiser Chiefs which I thought were going to be a little mediocre but Ricky was his true self, running up and down making full use of the stage at one point clambering down to join some excited fans in the crowd.

The excellent Kings of Leon, the American foursome were as good as ever.... looking forward to hearing their new album. Drawing the night to a close on the V Stage was the return of the Verve - nice to see them back again.

Sunday...

Today armed with wellies, full waterproofs, looking across to see everybody caked in mud from head to toe 'nice' I thought, can't wait, but only the wellies were needed as Sunday was surprisingly good.

Duffy was my first trip out into the mud bath to 4Music... she had gathered a good crowd of people to watch her (not my type of music really), reminded me of a young Dolly Parton. Not that I really remember her.

Maximo Park was the next stop....lead singer was suited with bowler hat. The Scripts then made a surprise showing for a couple of tracks before the Kooks performed...then staying on to see the Stereophonics, a fav of mine, and still having the awesome power even without Stuart Cable on the drums, superb.

The Lost Prophets, the boys from Wales gave the V a more rocked up feel and a bit of a change for them from when I last saw them perform at Download at Donnington in June.

A visit to the JJB Arena to see Estelle, a very talented lady...then to draw the weekend to an end it was a choice between 2 of my favourite bands, Muse or the Prodigy.

Having seen them both before, the choice was difficult but the Prodigy it was! And for me, they were the highlight of the whole festival, with more energy on stage than stampeding bulls. It was an amazing finish to another great weekend you must agree...

Paul Tomkinson

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2008 line-up

MUSE • THE VERVE • KINGS OF LEON • STEREOPHONICS • THE PRODIGY • KAISER CHIEFS • AMY WINEHOUSE • THE KOOKS • THE PIGEON DETECTIVES • THE ZUTONS • LENNY KRAVITZ • MAXIMO PARK • IAN BROWN • THE CHEMICAL BROTHERS • NEWTON FAULKNER • THE VIEW • LOSTPROPHETS • THE FEELING • THE HOOSIERS • REVEREND AND THE MAKERS • THE CHARLATANS • THE POGUES • SCOUTING FOR GIRLS • DUFFY • GIRLS ALOUD • ALANIS MORISSETTE • AMY MACDONALD • ONE REPUBLIC • JAMIE T • HOT CHIP • THE FUTUREHEADS • SQUEEZE • THE COURTEENERS • THE HOLD STEADY • TRAVIS • THE TWANG • MICHAEL FRANTI AND SPEARHEAD • THE STRANGLERS • SUGABABES • CALVIN HARRIS • RICHARD HAWLEY • GUILLEMOTS • SHED SEVEN • DELAYS • ESTELLE • ROBYN • AIR TRAFFIC • THE RIFLES • DAVID JORDAN • SAM SPARRO • SIA • ECHO & THE BUNNEYMEN • THE SCRIPT • ALPHABEAT • THE YOUNG KNIVES • SIOUXSIE • WILL YOUNG • PRESENTS • GABRIELLA CILMI • THE LONG BLONDES • TOM BAXTER • ROOTS MANOVA • DRIVE-BY TRUCKERS • ROYWORLD • TAIO CRUZ • THE DYKEENIES • GOLDIE LOOKIN CHAIN • CARBON/SILICON • LEON JEAN MARIE • PAUL HEATON • JACK MCMANUS • INFADELS • SUGARUSH BEAT COMPANY • BRYN CHRISTOPHER • ATTIC LIGHTS • TOKYO POLICE CLUB • BETH ROWLEY • NOAH AND THE WHALE • THE LIKE • TEAM WATERPOLO • RUNAWAY SONS • SAM BEETON • ONE ESKIMO • LOST BOYS • THE MIDWAY STATE • JULIAN VELARD • THE NEW YORK FUND • GARY GO • THE DODOS • IGLU AND HARTLEY • DAS POP • SPARKADIA • THE RUSHES • ANIMAL KINGDOM • THE TROUBADORS • ARNO CARSTENS • THE HAZEY JANES • SONS OF ALBION