The best summer festival line up?

By Sinead Garvan
Newsbeat entertainment reporter at T in the Park

Franz Ferdinand prepare to play the main stage at T in the Park

The gates are open and thousands of music fans are on site at this year's T in the Park.

Kings of Leon, The Killers, Blur and Snow Patrol headline over the weekend prompting some people to argue the Scottish festival has bagged the best line up of the summer.

Kerry from Blairgowrie agrees: "Kings of Leon, Lady Gaga. Just everyone, we can't wait."

Faye and Sophie from Middlesbrough have never been before but are impressed: "It definitely is the best line up of all of them. The Killers and Kings of Leon."

I think it's one of the best festivals in the world but for us it is our home crowd. Alex Kapranos from Franz Ferdinand on T in the Park

The line up may be wowing the crowds but the bands are just as excited about playing for them.

Here's Paul from Franz Ferdinand: "The fans in Scotland are world famous, they're absolutely amazing.

"They are the best, people just forget themselves and make you forget yourself as well."

It's a bit of a homecoming for the Scottish lads who've played three times before.

Newsbeat caught up with the boys before they took to the main stage on Friday night ahead of the much anticipated headliners the Kings of Leon.

Frontman Alex Kapranos explained why he loves it at Balado so much

He said: "I think it's one of the best festivals in the world but for us it is our home crowd.

"We wouldn't be who we were as band if it wasn't for the kind of support we have from all the people who come to T in the Park."

Opening act

The crowds start arriving from Thursday to get the best spot to pitch their tent, soak up the atmosphere and crack open a few cans.

However, that means it's a long wait for the music to begin on the Friday evening.

James Morrison opened the main stage on Friday afternoon

So no pressure on James Morrison, who opened the main stage and essentially the whole festival: "I'm a bit nervous about being first on but, you know, you just get on with it."

"I'm going to open with a song called the Only Night, which is pretty up.

"I think they'll need something to wake them up because they're probably all drunk and have been asleep all day."

James exercised his vocal chords on Edith's show on Friday afternoon with a little acoustic set inside the Radio 1 truck.

He also said he'd taken the edge off his nerves by supporting one of the biggest tours in the UK.

"I've warmed up with shows with Take That and over 60,000 people," he said.

"So I'm warmed up for the festival thing. It's a festival so people are a bit more relaxed about it anyway.

"If you're not their favourite then someone else will play and they'll be sweet anyway."

Sister festival

Once the bands have played there's not much time to hang around and watch anyone else.

Everyone who plays at Balado has to get themselves over to T in the Park's sister festival Oxegen in Dublin.

Maximo Park were on after James Morrison on the main stage

Paul from Maximo Park said: "We're flying as there are no buses left because of all these pesky bands that have booked them for the whole summer.

"We'll make the most of Scotland though. Irn-Bru tonight so we have orange teeth and tuck into an Aberdeen angus burger. Sorry vegetarians."

Around the campsites the same bands get mentioned when they're asked who's looking forward to what.

If Newsbeat's quick survey is anything to go by, Kings of Leon and The Killers are the ones everyone is most excited about.

However, if Glastonbury and their recent Hyde Park gigs are anything to go by, it could once again be Blur who steal the show.