V Festival
V Festival, often referred to as V Fest or simply V, was an annual music festival held in the United Kingdom during the third weekend in August. The "V" represented the Virgin Group, with the event being sponsored by Virgin Media.
The event was held at two parks simultaneously which shared the same bill; artists performed at one location on Saturday and then swapped on Sunday. The sites were located at Hylands Park in Chelmsford and Weston Park in South Staffordshire. In 2017, the final year of this format, the capacity of each site was 90,000.
Richard Branson announced on 30 October 2017 that V Festival would be discontinued but that a new festival would replace it. In 2018, a new festival called "Rize" was held in on the same weekend as the "V Festival" but only at Hylands Park. However, on 5 August 2020, it was announced that the "V Festival" was to return to Hylands Park, without an audience, later that month.
It was originally televised by Channel 4 from 1997 to 2013, predominantly on its sister channel 4Music, with the exception of the 2003 event with ITV in charge. It was then televised by MTV from 2014 to 2015, and the 2016 edition of the festival was televised by Channel 5. ITV returned to televising the V Festival upon its return in 2020, with coverage hosted by Joel Dommett and Maya Jama.
History
The idea for V came in 1996 when Pulp's front man Jarvis Cocker said that he would love to play two outdoor venues in two days. Pulp's promoters got together and came up with the idea of putting the gig into Victoria Park Warrington and Hylands Park Chelmsford giving fans in both the North and South a chance to see the band. Then came the idea of adding more bands to the bill, putting on a second stage and letting people camp for the weekend. In the end Victoria Park was just too small for three stages and camping. So in August 1996 there was one day of artists in Victoria Park and two days at Hylands Park with camping. The northern leg of V97 was switched to Temple Newsam, Leeds to provide room for camping and three stages. In 1999 the Northern leg of the festival was moved to Weston Park in Staffordshire, and has remained there since.Previously it had been held at Temple Newsam in Leeds, before being replaced by Carling's Leeds Festival. Originally, the festival took the name of the current year, with the first festival being named "V96". Since 2003 it has been known as simply the V Festival. Its weekend format, low queuing times and professional organisation have given it a loyal audience. The festival sold out in record time in 2006.
Melanie C, Dido, and N.E.R.D. have all performed at the festival, and both Razorlight and Faithless performed in 2006. V showcases a mix of British and international musicians, from up-and-coming bands such as Coldplay in 2000 and the Kaiser Chiefs in 2003 and 2008, and glam rockers El Presidente in 2005, to veteran crooner Tony Christie. Girls Aloud also performed at the 2006 show, and received rave reviews for their performance. V97 was the first V Festival to be webcast. This was audio-only, and had about 30,000 unique listeners.
Festivals and line-ups by year
V96
The first V festival took place on Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 August 1996, and had two stages and one tent.- V stage: Pulp, Paul Weller, Supergrass, The Charlatans, Cast, Lightning Seeds, Gary Numan, Shed Seven, Stereolab, Incognito, Jonathan Richman, The Mike Flowers Pops, Longpigs, Edge Park
- 2nd Stage: Elastica, Sleeper, Heavy Stereo, Menswear, Fluffy, The Cardigans, Super Furry Animals, The Wannadies, Denim, Kula Shaker, Gorky's Zygotic Mynci, Space, Tiger, Pusherman, Orbital
- Dance Arena: Tricky, The Aloof, Morcheeba, Lamb, Mad Professor, Alan Hale & Helen Welch, Delta
V97
- V Stage: Blur, The Prodigy, Kula Shaker, Beck, Dodgy, Foo Fighters, Reef, Placebo, Pavement, Fluke, Teenage Fanclub, Apollo 440, The Supernaturals, Echobelly, Linoleum
- NME Stage: Ash, The Bluetones, Mansun, Gene, The Divine Comedy, Longpigs, Monaco, Echo & the Bunnymen, Symposium, Geneva, Silver Sun, Veruca Salt, Embrace, Hurricane#1, AC Acoustics, Stereophonics, The Driven, Radish
- Virgin High Energy Tent: The Chemical Brothers, Daft Punk, Dreadzone, Propellerheads, Death in Vegas, Sneaker Pimps, GusGus, Lionrock, Jimi Tenor, Olive, Finley Quaye, Bentley Rhythm Ace, Carl Cox, Trademark
V98
- V Stage: The Verve, The Charlatans, The Seahorses, Texas, Green Day, Robbie Williams, The Lightning Seeds, Space, Iggy Pop, James, Chumbawamba, Stereophonics, Marion, Feeder, Whale, Rialto, Young Offenders, Headswim
- NME Stage: Underworld, Fun Lovin' Criminals, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Ian Brown, Catatonia, PJ Harvey, Saint Etienne, Morcheeba, Lo Fidelity Allstars, Republica, Gomez, The Dandy Warhols, The Montrose Avenue, theaudience, Midget, One Lady Owner, Superstar, The Smiles
- Dance Tent: James Brown, All Saints, Roni Size, K-Gee, Björn Again, Cornershop, Roachford, 67y, Karen Ramirez, Faithless, Regular Fries, DJ Norman Jay, Tin Star, Lionrock, Dean Thatcher, Moloko, Boom Boom Satellites, Disque Blu, Cuba
V99
- V Stage: Manic Street Preachers, Suede, The Beautiful South, Stereophonics, Placebo, Supergrass, Happy Mondays, Cast, The Levellers, Gomez, Faithless, The Cardigans, Eagle-Eye Cherry, Afro Celt Sound System, The Saw Doctors, Melanie C
- NME Stage: James Brown, Massive Attack, Super Furry Animals, Mercury Rev, Shed Seven, DJ Shadow, Travis, Gay Dad, dEUS, Red Snapper, A, Death in Vegas, Dot Allison, Eve 6, Liz Horman, YY29, Medal, One Lady Owner
- JJB Arena Stage: Orbital, Finley Quaye, lan brown Lamb, Rae & Christian, Freestylers, Sneaker Pimps, The Egg, Groove Armada, Mishka, Richie Hawtin, Luke Slater, Regular Fries, Technique, ManCHILD, Archive
- Reebox Arena: Paul Oakenfold, DJ Sneak, Dave Ralph, Derek Carter, Dope Smugglaz, Justin Robertson, Aphrodite, Dave Angel, Jumping Jack Frost, Andy Weatherall, Layo, Mr. C, Matthew B
V2000
- Richard Ashcroft goes solo and Travis unveil their cover of Britney Spears' "...Baby One More Time" which they had already played at Glastonbury Festival in June 2000.
- V Stage: Travis, Richard Ashcroft, Macy Gray, Paul Weller, Ocean Colour Scene, James, All Saints, Cypress Hill, Morcheeba, Barenaked Ladies, Semisonic, Brand New Heavies, The Bootleg Beatles, Björn Again, Andreas Johnson, Toploader
- MTV Stage: Supergrass, Moby, Mansun, Beth Orton, Bloodhound Gang, Joe Strummer, Saint Etienne, Feeder, Dum Dums, The Dandy Warhols, Soulwax, Coldplay, Hefner, SX 10, Big Leaves, The Webb Brothers, Pacifica
- JJB Puma Arena: Underworld, Leftfield, The Flaming Lips, Death in Vegas, Moloko, Groove Armada, Bentley Rhythm Ace, Kelis, M. J. Cole, Horace Andy, Jamelia, Day One, ManCHILD, LSK, Emilíana Torrini, Hybrid, Dara
- Shockwaves Club Tent: Pete Bromley, Sander Kleinenberg, Guy Ornadel, Sasha, Seb Fontaine, Hybrid, Junkie XL, Lee Burridge, Dean Wilson, Craig Richards
V2001
- V Stage: Texas, Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Charlatans, Foo Fighters, Coldplay, David Gray, Faithless, Placebo, Embrace, Neil Finn, Nelly Furtado, Idlewild, The Spooks, Powderfinger, Jimmy Barnes, Witness
- WTV Stage:, Muse, Toploader, JJ72, The Divine Comedy, Shed Seven, Doves, Wheatus, Public Image Limited, Starsailor, Ben Folds, Nina Persson, Spearhead, Webb Brothers, Phoenix, Turin Brakes, Snow Patrol, Ed Harcourt, Ben's Symphonic Orchestra, Lifehouse, Santa's Boyfriend
- JJB Puma Arena: Kylie Minogue, Ian Brown, The Avalanches, Grandaddy, Mos Def, Tricky, Alabama 3, Sparklehorse, Zero 7, Rae and Christian, Atomic Kitten, Red Snapper, Hooverphonic, Alfie, Big Dog, The Bush The Tree And Me, Relish
- Slinky Dance Tent: Daniel Bailey, Andy Passman, Garry White, Scott Nuskool, Matt Cassar, Marc Vedo, Dave Lea, John Dale
V2002
- V Stage: Stereophonics, The Chemical Brothers, Alanis Morissette, Primal Scream, Nickelback, Gomez, Supergrass, Starsailor, Elvis Costello, Counting Crows, The Bluetones, Kosheen, Mull Historical Society, Beverley Knight, Ed Harcourt, Rhianna
- NME Stage: Basement Jaxx, Manic Street Preachers, Ian Brown, Doves, The Beta Band, Idlewild, Sigur Rós, Elbow, My Vitriol, The Coral, Halo, The Donnas, Athlete, Seafood, The Burn, Phantom Planet, The Leaves, Crescent, Longview
- JJB Puma Stage: Badly Drawn Boy, Groove Armada, Turin Brakes, Soft Cell, Paul Heaton, Lamb, Stereo MCs, Röyksopp, McAlmont and Butler, Sugababes, Gemma Hayes, Custom, Damien Rice, Ashton Lane, Kid Galahad, Venus Hum, Montana High Rise, Rachel Mari Kimber
- Strongbow Golden Dance Arena: Stanton Warriors, David Holmes, Adam Freeland, Unkle, Plump DJs, DJ Touché, Ali B, Medicine, Dean Wilson, Pete Bromley, James Camm, Sounds, Freestylers, Tayo, Complete Communion, Dean Wilson
V2003
- V Stage: Coldplay, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Foo Fighters, David Gray, Ash, Queens of the Stone Age, The Hives, PJ Harvey, The Cardigans, Morcheeba, Reel Big Fish, Inspiral Carpets, Echo & the Bunnymen, Skin, Eisley, Tom McRae
- NME Stage: Feeder, Underworld, Turin Brakes, The Coral, Killing Joke, Tim Burgess, Athlete, Evan Dando, Damien Rice, The Distillers, The Bees, Shack, The Basement, Spearhead, Martin Grech, Haven, The Futureheads, The Stands, Rachel Mari Kimber, The Zutons Super Furry Animals
- JJB Puma Arena: Lemon Jelly, Kosheen, Moloko, Asian Dub Foundation, Goldfrapp, Appleton, David Holmes, Mint Royale, Misteeq, Dirty Vegas, I Am Kloot, Gus Gus, Slovo, Jamie Cullum, Uncut, Amy Winehouse, The Rainband, Just Jack, Bell X-1, Speedway, Mankato
- Strongbow Golden Dance Arena: Jon Carter, Jacques Lu Cont, Way Out West, Junior Sanchez, Freq Nasty, West London Deep, Freestylers, Themroc, Barry Ashworth, Will White, Tayo