Christian O’Connell’s guide to the V Festival

NOW I might not wear skinny jeans and plimsolls but that’s the joy of radio and I’ve seen, drank and partied my way through enough V Festivals to make me something of an expert so let’s begin.

The Virgin Mobile V Festival equates to 80,000 people singing along to more than 50 top bands for a weekend of absolute madness and if none of them tickle your fancy I’d put money on it that you collect your pension at the post office every Monday.

Actually the last time I ended up saying something like that was when I bet fellow Virgin Radio DJ Suggs that I could drink him under the table just before the Virgin Mobile V Festival in 2007. As the whiskey measures increased so did the stakes and let’s just say it all ended with his Rolls Royce at the bottom of a swimming pool in the Virgin Radio VIP area.

This year I’ll be broadcasting the Virgin Radio Breakfast Show live from Hylands Park on Friday which gives me even more time to create some mischief and I’m on a mission to blag my way onto the V stage so I can have very own my air-guitar rockstar moment.

WIN: Two tickets to this year's V Festival

The V Festival main stage has played host to some absolute legends including Coldplay, Pulp and the Red Hot Chilli Peppers and this year it’s the turn of headliners Muse and The Verve.

Get there early if you want to be at the front and be prepared for some serious moshing but wherever you’re standing, that moment when Richard Ashcroft sings Bitter Sweet Symphony will no doubt be one to remember.

Kaiser Chiefs are headlining the 4Music stage at the same time so it’s a tough call but the joy of V Festival is that you really are spoilt for choice.

Welsh stunner Duffy will be making her V Festival debut next Saturday and look out for the newly wed Mr and Mrs Wayne Rooney who have requested stage side seats for their favourite band the Stereophonics.

There’s always plenty of celeb-spotting to be done and backstage I’ve been privy to some weird, wonderful and downright debaucherous scenes. With a free bar serving an endless supply of cocktails from the Hard Rock Café – and lots of beautiful people drinking them – things are always going to get a bit messy.

Some celebs like Amy MacDonald however shun the VIP treatment and camp out in the crowd like everyone else. As she would testify, it’s the best way to get a real festival experience and meet like-minded people who appreciate good music.

Provided you’ve packed wellies, waterproofs and wet wipes good times are guaranteed because if there’s one thing us Brits know how to do, it’s how to party.

Tune in to Christian O’Connell on Virgin Radio Live from the V Festival 1-3pm Saturday & Sunday.