No V for me...

For the first time in five years, I won't be at Weston Park in Stafford for the V Festival. And I have mixed feelings about this. On the whole, there is no one performing who I would be desperate to see but, at the same time there are plenty who I would be more than happy to check out.

I've often come across people who dismiss the V Festival, dismissing it as corporate, bland and, bizarrely, too clean. But, especially in recent years, the organisers have come up trumps with some fantastic names signed up.

This year's line-up looks pretty solid and varied. The Verve, Prodigy, Chemical Brothers, Squeeze, Lenny Kravitz, Muse, Kings Of Leon, Roots Manuva, Ian Brown, Delays, The Stranglers, Echo And The Bunnymen and Duffy. And for those not already in the know, try to check out Sia. A fantastic singer...

But, as I won't be there to enjoy any of it, here are some of my most memorable moments from V over the past few years:

*Radiohead playing on my 30th birthday in 2006. Amazing. (not that I'm dropping any hints that my birthday is around this time of the year...but it's on August 20...)
*Meeting Mani, formerly of the Stone Roses and now Primal Scream, in 2004. He is a true legend.
*Getting emotional after finally seeing The Pixies live in 2004.
*Getting emotional after finally seeing The Las live in 2005.
*Dizzee Rascal stealing the show last year
*Beck playing a typically eclectic and wonderfully bizarre set in 2006
*Meeting ex Blues, Everton and Wales midfielder Barry Horne in 2002. The look of joy and surprise on his face that someone recognised him was priceless.
*Being dragged to see The Polyphonic Spree in 2005 - and loving every second of their set
*Getting more than my fair share of free beer in the VIP area (almost every time!)

What I won't miss this year? Queues for the toilets outside the VIP area, the state of those toilets, the mud all over my clothes, the rain, trying to leave Weston Park in the car on Sunday night and the Kaiser Chiefs.

So to al those going, stay safe, have fun and I hope it doesn't rain and that Amy Winehouse shows up this year...