T in the Park ready for action

By Sinead Garvan
Newsbeat entertainment reporter at T in the Park

The festival season's heading north this weekend for T in the Park. Scotland's biggest music event kicks off Friday evening and sees massive headliners Kings of Leon, The Killers and Blur all playing over the weekend.

Festival-goers arrive at Balado ahead of T in the Park

85,000 people are expected on site between now and Sunday. Thousands have already pitched their tents and enjoyed their first night there.

If they're wise they'll have brought their wellies, plenty of sun cream, a hoodie but also some shorts. The weather looks set to be a complete mixture of sun, rain, cloud and wind.

However, before all the music begins, Friday is all about fancy dress.

We're expecting everything from giant beer cans to Amy Winehouses to the odd token pair of fairy wings. Organisers will be on the prowl all day looking for a winner.

James Morrison is the first man on the main stage this year. He'll be followed by Maximo Park, who are no strangers to the festival.

T in the Park's amazing. Audiences in this part of the world know how to do it properly Guy Garvey

Frontman Paul told us he loves the Scottish crowd: "It's true they are amazing, really passionate about music.

"People are dancing around and the noise that they make is unbelievable. I think, T in the Park, it's one of those festivals where I've got nothing but good memories really."

He's not the only one excited about a return to Balado. Elbow, who've had one of the most successful years of their career, play the main stage on Sunday.

Warm up time

Guy Garvey is a big fan: "T in the Park's amazing. Audiences in this part of the world know how to do it properly, they really do.

"It sometimes takes English crowds a bit of time to warm up but Scots don't have a problem with it, they hit the ground running."

Blur will follow up gigs at Glastonbury and Hyde Park

Snow Patrol also play Sunday night. They made their T in the Park debut 10 years ago.

The One Big Weekend headliners will be warming up the main stage for the Britpop comeback kings Blur.

They played the first ever T in the Park, headlining the King Tut's Wah Wah Tent.

If their comeback gigs so far are anything to go by, fans will be ending their weekend on a huge high.

Other highlights expected over the weekend include Lady Gaga - hopefully showing a little less flesh than at Glastonbury.

Pendulum, Lily Allen, White Lies and The Ting Tings are also on the line up.

Swearing ban

Festival veteran Nicky Wire from the Manic Street Preachers chose T in the Park as one of the band's few performances this year: "It's kind of quite an exclusive summer for us, we don't want people to get sick of us.

"We haven't played there for nearly 10 years. We got banned for swearing!"

For the first time ever BBC Introducing have a stage. Radio 1's Huw Stephens and Vic Galloway will be introducing some of the best new bands from across the UK.

There'll be plenty of coverage from T in the Park over the weekend on Radio 1 on air and online as well as on BBC Three and the red button.

Edith Bowman's show will come live from the festival site on Friday from 1pm.