Saturday

The Verve

When the Happy Monday's reunited for last year's V Festival it was a one-off that went down a storm. But to anyone who saw Richard Ashcroft back with The Verve this weekend, it was as if he had never been away.

Note-perfect and in high spirits, the crowd needed no encouragement to sing along with him.

Scouting For Girls

With the weather going downhill rapidly on the Saturday, Roy Stride's sheer energy helped to keep 4Music's stage afloat beneath threatening storm clouds.

With fellow band members having fun with the crowd too, they soon had fans shouting back their lyrics at them.

Sons Of Albion

With only minutes to go before the gig began, it was a mad dash for those wishing to make it to the farthest extremes of the site to try to find the elusive Sessions tent.

Had they done so, however, they would have detected hints of both daddy Robert's solo material and Led Zeppelin's influences in the Sons Of Albion's sound.

This band's music would have been better on an outdoor stage where the guitars and Logan's soaring Plant vocals could have travelled.

Sunday

Muse

Matt Bellamy, pictured below, has to be one of the most talented musicians and showmen in the British music industry today.

The light show, complete with lasers scanning the skies, revolving satellite dishes, video footage, and pyrotechnics, was a spectacular nod towards the kind of performances that used to be given by bands like Queen and Pink Floyd. But had there only been one candle lighting the stage, the band's musical abilities alone would have still mesmerised the crowd.

Stereophonics

With his trademark brown leather jacket on and aviator shades, Kelly Jones couldn't be mistaken for anyone else as he strode out onto the stage.

He and his bandmates delivered a slick set. Among the pick and mix back catalogue of songs last night were Mr Writer, Have A Nice Day, and Pick A Part That's New.

Alanis Morissette

Mostly taken from her hit album of the 1990s Jagged Little Pill, Canadian singer Alanis Morissette appeared as much in awe of the fact so many people could still remember the words to her songs as the crowds at V themselves.

But they were so enthusiastic with songs such as You Oughta Know, Hand In My Pocket, All I Really Want, and Ironic, that at times she held out the microphone and let the audience sing for her.