Scotland’s biggest festival is now comfortably Britain’s second biggest. U2 aside, the biggest stars who graced Glastonbury - Coldplay, Beyonce, the reformed Pulp, Tinie Tempah - are present and correct at Balado this weekend.
As Mrs Carter is on just before Coldplay, it’s not inconceivable Chris Martin will help her out on Halo.
The Eavis shindig in the south west has its charms, but T in the Park has eight stages including the T Break Stage which highlights nothing but new acts and, much more important, a ceilidh tent.
There is certainly more wheat than chaff but if you’re sifting, these ten acts may be worth catching:
Big Country (Main Stage, Friday)
Even with Mike Peters of The Alarm singing instead of the late, lamented Stuart Adamson, the band featuring the man Smash Hits magazine called “Mark Unpronounceablename” are still likely to evoke fist-pumping from fans (mainly men) of a certain age. Besides, plaid shirts never really went out of fashion.
Arctic Monkeys (Main Stage, Friday)
The first two albums made them the most talked about British band since Oasis. The third album, produced in America by Josh Homme, took them to a grumpier place but the fourth album, Suck It And See, has returned them to a place where the drummer Matt Helders may be allowed to hang out with Diddy. And live, nobody will be able to moan about the underwhelming cover art.
![The Arctic Monkeys' album 'Suck it and see']( "The Arctic Monkeys' album 'Suck it and see'")
2 Many DJs (King Tuts Wah Wah Tent, Friday)
The kings of the mash up meshed the Beatles and Kraftwerk (below), The Stooges and Salt’N’Pepa, Daft Punk with Michael Jackson and no doubt a tent in Kinross and fun.
Patrick Wolf (Radio 1/NME Stage, Saturday)
The multi-instrumentalist from south London has operated on the fringes of the mainstream for a while now, although the third single House from his fifth album has wandered into the glare of the Radio 2 playlist, but way more interesting than that was seeing him playing on stage at Hop Farm last Saturday with the legendary Patti Smith.
Hudson Mohawke (Slam Tent, Saturday)
At a certain time in every festival, you need to escape to a place where all that is required of you is to drop your head to some heavy hip hop beats. Late Saturday afternoon during Hudson Mohawke’s set may be that time, and The Slam Tent may be that place.
Primal Scream play Screamadelica (King Tuts Wah Wah Tent, Saturday)
Nostalgic for classic albums from your youth? Don’t Fight It, Feel It.
Blondie (Main Stage, Sunday)
Hanging On The Telephone. One Way Or Another. Call Me. The Tide Is High. Atomic. Why wouldn’t you want to see them?
Metronomy (Red Bull Stage, Sunday)
One of the more interesting bands attempting to meld electronica with rock. If you’re not sure where they are, they’re the ones on stage with lights on their chests.
Eels (Red Bull Stage, Sunday)
You may like Eels because the frontman is descended from the father of quantum theory. Or because they do tunes like Novocaine for the Soul.
Foo Fighters (Main Stage, Sunday)
Their singer was in Nirvana. Prince covers their songs. They have two drummers in the band. If they were a stick of rock, they would have “rock” written through them. Most punters outside the Noise Abatement Society should enjoy their set.
2 Many DJs (King Tuts Wah Wah Tent, Friday)
The kings of the mash up meshed the Beatles and Kraftwerk (below), The Stooges and Salt’N’Pepa, Daft Punk with Michael Jackson and no doubt a tent in Kinross and fun.
Patrick Wolf (Radio 1/NME Stage, Saturday)
The multi-instrumentalist from south London has operated on the fringes of the mainstream for a while now, although the third single House from his fifth album has wandered into the glare of the Radio 2 playlist, but way more interesting than that was seeing him playing on stage at Hop Farm last Saturday with the legendary Patti Smith.
Hudson Mohawke (Slam Tent, Saturday)
At a certain time in every festival, you need to escape to a place where all that is required of you is to drop your head to some heavy hip hop beats. Late Saturday afternoon during Hudson Mohawke’s set may be that time, and The Slam Tent may be that place.
Primal Scream play Screamadelica (King Tuts Wah Wah Tent, Saturday)
Nostalgic for classic albums from your youth? Don’t Fight It, Feel It.
Blondie (Main Stage, Sunday)
Hanging On The Telephone. One Way Or Another. Call Me. The Tide Is High. Atomic. Why wouldn’t you want to see them?
Metronomy (Red Bull Stage, Sunday)
One of the more interesting bands attempting to meld electronica with rock. If you’re not sure where they are, they’re the ones on stage with lights on their chests.
Eels (Red Bull Stage, Sunday)
You may like Eels because the frontman is descended from the father of quantum theory. Or because they do tunes like Novocaine for the Soul.
Foo Fighters (Main Stage, Sunday)
Their singer was in Nirvana. Prince covers their songs. They have two drummers in the band. If they were a stick of rock, they would have “rock” written through them. Most punters outside the Noise Abatement Society should enjoy their set.
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