Radio 1's Big Weekend

BBC Radio 1's Big Weekend

Location(s)	United Kingdom (touring)
Years active	2003 - present
Founded by	BBC Radio 1
Date(s)	Varies
Genre	Popular Music Rock Music Various
Website	bbc.co.uk/radio1/bigweekend

BBC Radio 1's Big Weekend (previously known as One Big Weekend, and for 2012 as Radio 1's Hackney Weekend) is a music festival run by BBC Radio 1. It is held once a year, in a different location within the United Kingdom each time. It is the biggest free ticketed music event in Europe and always includes a host of new artists.

The festival is a spin-off of Radio 1's 'One Big Sunday', where every Sunday during July and August, a different town would host the roadshow, usually next to a beach or in a large park. These were also free, but non-ticketed. A show in Falkirk in 1999 attracted in excess of 500,000 people, ten times the expected amount. People eventually had to be turned away.

Both the 'One Big Sunday' and 'One Big Weekend' events are successors to the Radio 1 Roadshow which toured the country during every summer from 1973 until the 1990s.

Originally a 'One Big Weekend' would run twice a year. The Saturday was dedicated to dance music and the Sunday to bands. But since 2005, the dance day has been replaced by a second day of bands. In 2005, the dance music took place on a second stage on the Saturday only and in 2006 it took place off site at a club on the Saturday night.

The Big Weekend will be replaced by a larger festival in 2012, named 'Radio 1's Hackney Weekend', with a crowd capacity of 100,000. The event is to take place over the weekend of 23–24 June 2012 in Hackney, Central London.

Venues

Venue	Date	Website
Heaton Park, Manchester, England	3–4 May 2003	bbc.co.uk/radio1/onebigweekend/2003/manchester
Cardiff, Wales	13–14 September 2003	bbc.co.uk/radio1/onebigweekend/2003/cardiff
Derry, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland	24–25 April 2004	bbc.co.uk/radio1/onebigweekend/2004
Perry Park, Birmingham, England	18–19 September 2004	bbc.co.uk/radio1/onebigweekend/birmingham
Herrington Country Park, Sunderland, England	7–8 May 2005	bbc.co.uk/radio1/bigweekend05/
Camperdown Park, Dundee, Scotland	13–14 May 2006	bbc.co.uk/radio1/bigweekend06
Moor Park, Preston, Lancashire, England	19–20 May 2007	bbc.co.uk/radio1/bigweekend/2007
Mote Park, Maidstone, Kent, England	10–11 May 2008	bbc.co.uk/radio1/bigweekend/2008
Lydiard Park, Swindon, Wiltshire, England	9–10 May 2009	bbc.co.uk/radio1/bigweekend/2009
Faenol Estate, Bangor, Gwynedd, Wales	22–23 May 2010	bbc.co.uk/radio1/bigweekend/2010
Carlisle Airport, Carlisle, Cumbria, England	14–15 May 2011	bbc.co.uk/radio1/bigweekend/2011
Hackney Marshes, Hackney, London, England	23–24 June 2012	bbc.co.uk/radio1/events/hackneyweekend2012/

Tickets

Tickets are free and are obtained through a lottery. From 2006, people wishing to go, register on the BBC website and pairs of tickets are then randomly allocated and given out. However, in order to make the event more accessible to those who live locally, the majority (95%) of the tickets are given to people who live near the location. For the 2006 event in Dundee, less than half were given to local residents, and allegations were made of postal workers stealing tickets. Despite the tickets being free, some people often attempt to sell them on eBay. Some tickets are also given away as prizes via various competitions held on Radio 1 in the weeks running up to the event.

2012

The 2012 Big Weekend will be replaced by a special event in Hackney to coincide with the 2012 Olympics. Leona Lewis and Plan B have already been confirmed for the festival.

2011

The announcement of Radio 1's Big Weekend was declared on Radio 1 with Scott Mills on 30 March 2011, with the show being broadcast from Trinity school Carlisle. Over 750,000 people applied for tickets to the event.

20,000 pairs of tickets were available for the two day event with the usual fair allocation policy applying. It was announced those living in Carlisle, Cumbria, the Scottish Borders and the North East of England would receive priority.

However, competitions to win VIP tickets were run on various Radio 1 shows in the weeks leading up to the Big Weekend.

Line-Up

Saturday 14 May

Main Stage	In New Music We Trust Stage	BBC Introducing Stage	Outdoor Stage
Foo Fighters	Swedish House Mafia	Friends Electric	Zane Lowe
The Black Eyed Peas	Friendly Fires	Aaron Delahunty	Jaymo and Andy George
Tinie Tempah	Nero	Rizzle Kicks	Judge Jules
Chase & Status	Panic! at the Disco	Yaaks	Pete Tong
Nicole Scherzinger	Everything Everything	Luke Bingham	Riva Starr
Plan B	Cage The Elephant	Fiona Clayton	Pete Tong vs Vernon Kay
Ellie Goulding	The Joy Formidable	Saturday Night Gym Club	Rob da Bank
Jessie J	Wretch 32	Baron Van Alias	MistaJam
Arctic Monkeys		Birds vs Planes	Annie Mac vs. Grimmy
			Target
			Cameo
			Westwood

Sunday 15 May

Main Stage	In New Music We Trust Stage	BBC Introducing Stage	Outdoor Stage
Lady Gaga	The Strokes	MOPP	Skream and Benga
My Chemical Romance	Magnetic Man	MyElectrik	Annie Mac
Taio Cruz	Noah & The Whale	Masters in France	Toddla T
The Script	Devlin	DJ Vimto Vs Jah Digga	Fabio and Grooverider
Katy B	Two Door Cinema Club	Linc	Kutski
Professor Green	The Vaccines	Polarsets	Kissy Sell Out
Olly Murs	Yasmin	Among Brothers	Calvin Harris
The Wombats	Pulled Apart By Horses	Let's Buy Happiness	Westwood vs. Moyles
Bruno Mars		Colt 45	Jaguar Skills
			Zane vs. Fearne
			Dev
			DJ Semtex
			Westwood (plus Wiz Khalifa PA)

TV & radio coverage

Radio 1's Big Weekend 2011 was streamed live on the Radio 1 website. The headliners of each day (Foo Fighters and Lady Gaga on Saturday and Sunday respectively) were broadcast live on BBC Three and BBC HD. The Big Weekend was also broadcast live on BBC Radio 1. Highlights of the event were also broadcast on BBC Three and BBC HD during the week following the Big Weekend.

2010

On 24 February 2010, it was announced on The Chris Moyles Show that the 10th Big Weekend would take place on the Faenol Estate near Bangor, Wales on Saturday, 22 May and Sunday, 23 May 2010. Pixie Lott also performed on the show and was announced as the first act on the bill and Lostprophets was announced while they were on tour. Jaguar Skills announced on his website that he would be playing at the event, but he was not on the announced line-up listing. On the morning of 26 April 2010, the full main stage and INMWT stage listings were announced during the Fearne Cotton Show (which was hosted by Annie Mac, as Cotton was on vacation).

20,000 pairs of free tickets were made available to the public for each day of the weekend. Applicants were able to register for tickets to the event on the Radio 1 website from 26 April 2010 until 3 May 2010.

Line-Up

Saturday 22 May

Main Stage	In New Music We Trust Stage	BBC Introducing Stage	Outdoor Stage
Florence & The Machine	Faithless	Frankie & The Heartstrings	Westwood + Kelly Rowland
Dizzee Rascal	MGMT	The Joy Formidable	Target & Cameo + Roll Deep
Alicia Keys	Ellie Goulding	What Would Jesus Drive?	Ras & Seani B + Chiddy Bang & Skepta
Lostprophets	Tinie Tempah	Menis	MistaJam + Professor Green, Blame & Wiley
Cheryl Cole	Bombay Bicycle Club	I Am Austin	Pete Tong vs Vernon Kay
Chipmunk	Hadouken!	The Wonder Villains	Faithless DJs
30 Seconds To Mars	Stornoway	Alan Pownall	Zane Lowe
Justin Bieber	Example	Y Promatics	Rob da Bank
Scouting For Girls		Pegasus Bridge	Toddla T & Alex Metric
			Annie Mac

Sunday 23 May

Main Stage	In New Music We Trust Stage	BBC Introducing Stage	Outdoor Stage
Pendulum	Vampire Weekend	Beatbullyz	Westwood + Scorcher
Rihanna	You Me At Six	Envy	Semtex & Robbo Ranx
Biffy Clyro	Sub Focus	Tempa T	Bailey & Fabio
Ke$ha	Plan B	UTE	Rampage & MistaJam + Devlin & McLean
JLS	Marina & The Diamonds	My Tiger My Timing	Chris Moyles vs Westwood
Paramore	Crystal Castles	Pete Lawrie	Tiesto
Jason Derulo	Kids In Glass Houses	We Are Animal	Judge Jules
Paolo Nutini	Delphic	Django Django	Jaymo & Andy George
Pixie Lott		Yr Ods	Kissy
			Huw Stephens

Live Lounge Tent

Diana Vickers

Ellie Goulding

Lostprophets

Joe McElderry

Florence and the Machine

Example

Biffy Clyro

Taio Cruz

Kate Nash

2009

The 2009 event was held in Swindon. Britney Spears had been approached about playing at the show in May, reported The Sun, but was not confirmed.^{[citation needed]}

Line-Up

Saturday 9 May

Main Stage	In New Music We Trust Stage	Outdoor Stage
Snow Patrol	Basement Jaxx	Annie Mac
Kasabian	Jack Peñate	Nerm and D-Code
Dizzee Rascal	Doves	Kutski
The Script	Friendly Fires	Pete Tong vs Vernon Kay
Calvin Harris	Deadmau5	2ManyDJs
Chris Moyles	Florence and the Machine	Zane Lowe
The Wombats	The King Blues	Rob da Bank
Daniel Merriweather	Fightstar	Tim Westwood
The Saturdays

Sunday 10 May

Main Stage	In New Music We Trust Stage	Outdoor Stage
The Prodigy	The Enemy	Judge Jules
Lily Allen	Maxïmo Park	Jaymo and Andy George
Ne-Yo	Gossip	Kissy Sell Out
Franz Ferdinand	Enter Shikari	Chase & Status (DJ set)
Akon	Tinchy Stryder	David Guetta featuring Kelly Rowland
Scouting for Girls	Chase & Status	Chris Moyles vs Tim Westwood
Alesha Dixon	Ladyhawke	Fabio & Grooverider
N-Dubz	White Lies	1Xtra - MistaJam featuring Wiley, Skepta, Bashy, Chipmunk and Doneao
	Little Man Tate	Trevor Nelson and Jaguar Skills

2008

In 2008, the festival was held over the weekend of Saturday 10 May and Sunday 11 May, at Mote Park in Maidstone, which can hold up to 20,000 people. 85% of tickets went to people living in Kent, 10% went to those living in areas bordering Kent, including parts of Sussex, Surrey, Essex and London, and the other 5% were handed to others living across the United Kingdom. Concern was raised after a large number of locals commented that even those living within the close vicinity of the park did not receive tickets, with some in the Medway towns winning multiple times.

Line-Up

The full line-up (except for Paramore) was announced on BBC Radio 1 on Monday 21 April 2008.

Saturday 10 May

Main Stage	In New Music We Trust Stage	Outdoor Stage	BBC Introducing Stage
Madonna	Editors	Fatboy Slim	White Lies
Usher	The Futureheads	Chris Moyles vs Judge Jules	James Yuill
The Fratellis	We Are Scientists	Zane Lowe vs Scott Mills	Magistrates
Scouting For Girls	Foals	Steve Angello & Sebastian Ingrosso	AG Dolla
Duffy	Vampire Weekend	Count & Sinden	Fighting With Wire
The Feeling	Paramore	Dave Spoon	Natty
Robyn	The Ting Tings	Annie Mac	It Hugs Back
The Hoosiers		Nic Fanciulli	Folk Face
		Eddie Halliwell	Jaguar Skills
		Kissy Sell Out

Sunday 11 May

Main Stage	In New Music We Trust Stage	Outdoor Stage	BBC Introducing Stage
The Kooks	The Raconteurs	Zane Lowe	Golden Silvers
The Enemy	The Zutons	Pendulum (DJ Set)	Twisted Wheel
Nelly (ft. Kelly Rowland)	The Wombats	Justice (DJ Set)	Ebony Bones
Goldfrapp	Hot Chip	Vernon Kay vs Pete Tong	Outl4w
The Pigeon Detectives	Gallows	Dave Pearce	Chipmunk
Newton Faulkner	Pendulum	Basshunter	Kate Goes
OneRepublic	Justice	Rob Da Bank	Tom Williams & The Boat
Adele	Black Kids	Kutski	Wing
		MistaJam
		Wiley
		H "Two" O ft. Platnum
		Jodie Aysha
		Cameo vs DJ Q

The national newspapers had also reported that Justin Timberlake could be a special guest - performing with Madonna. Although this later turned out to be untrue. Pendulum were hailed as one of the festivals' best acts, outshining even Madonna and packing the INMWT tent.

• On the main stage on 10 May 2008, Paul Schrader, Chris Carmack and Rachel McAdams appeared whilst doing promotional work for Tarzan.

2007

On Saturday 19 May and Sunday 20 May, Radio 1's Big Weekend was held in Moor Park in Preston.

For the first time in the history of the event, all tickets had barcodes and were scanned on arrival at the park. The barcodes contained information such as name and address of the winner of the tickets. Having the barcodes meant that Radio 1 could cancel lost or stolen tickets and issue new ones to those affected. In an effort to stop people buying tickets from eBay or through other mediums, the public was told they would be asked to prove their home address if their tickets were thought to be suspect. However, the BBC decided to scrap this idea on the day as they thought it would cause angry scenes if people were to be turned away.

At the close of entry on 8 May 2007, over 450,000 people registered for a chance to get tickets for the 2007 festival. On Tuesday 8 May on The Chris Moyles Show, Chris announced that a further 5,000 tickets will be available taking the total for both days being 35,000.

Tickets were also given away in a alternate reality game online using Radio 1 fan forums. The situation surrounded a man called Paul Denchfield who was supposedly sacked from the station. Throughout the run up to the event 'Frozen Indigo Angel' would appear in various places online and on-air, with it being the player's mission to hunt down tickets.

The line up was as follows:

Line-up

Saturday 19 May

Main Stage	In New Music We Trust Stage	Outdoor Arena
Scissor Sisters	Groove Armada	Westwood
Razorlight	Gossip	MistaJam
Kasabian	LCD Soundsystem	Seamus Haji
The Fratellis	CSS	Meck
The Fray	Biffy Clyro	Groove Armada (DJ Set)
Natasha Bedingfield	Cold War Kids	Judge Jules
The Twang	The Pigeon Detectives	Tim Deluxe vs The Audio Bullys
Jamie T		Simian Mobile Disco
		Annie Mac

Sunday 20 May

Main Stage	In New Music We Trust Stage	Outdoor Arena
Kaiser Chiefs	Bloc Party	Bobby & Nihal
Stereophonics	Maxïmo Park	Rob Da Bank
Mika	Klaxons	Zane Lowe & Mark Ronson
The View	Dizzee Rascal	Klaxons (DJ Set)
Rihanna	Get Cape Wear Cape Fly	Pete Tong & Vernon Kay
Mark Ronson	The Enemy	David Guetta
Just Jack	CSS	Trophy Twins
Calvin Harris	M.I.A	Fergie
		Tylor Leigh
		Dave Pearce

2006

In 2006, the Big Weekend was held in Camperdown Park, Dundee on the 13 and 14 May 2006 and featured artists which included:

Line-up

Saturday 13 May

Main Stage	In New Music We Trust Stage
Paolo Nutini	The Fratellis
Corinne Bailey Rae	Mystery Jets
Gnarls Barkley	Boy Kill Boy
Orson	Dirty Pretty Things
Razorlight	Bloc Party
Muse	Primal Scream
The Streets
Snow Patrol
Mylo

Sunday 14 May

Main Stage	In New Music We Trust Stage
The Feeling	The View
The Ordinary Boys	Hot Chip
Sugababes	We Are Scientists
Feeder	Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Editors	The Kooks
Pink	The Zutons
Keane
Franz Ferdinand (Surprise Guests)

Many of the BBC Radio 1 DJ's including Pete Tong, Tim Westwood and Chris Moyles attended too, and held a number of competitions so that people could win tickets. In addition, Radio 1 also created a virtual festival experience in the virtual reality application Second Life. Avatars on the BBC Radio 1 islands could watch the event on live screens while the audience could see their virtual counterparts on massive stage side screens at the real event in Dundee. The event was hailed as the first ever festival with a professional line-up to take place in a virtual universe.

2005

In 2005, the Big Weekend was held at Penshaw Monument in Herrington Country Park, Sunderland on the 7 and 8 May 2005 and featured artists which included:

Line-up

Saturday 7 May

Main Stage	Second Stage
Foo Fighters	Mauro Picotto
Kasabian	Pete Tong
Natalie Imbruglia	Judge Jules
Chemical Brothers	Fergie
Battle	Shapeshifters
KT Tunstall
Rooster

Sunday 8 May

Main Stage	Second Stage
The Black Eyed Peas	The Futureheads
Gwen Stefani	Maximo Park
Kaiser Chiefs	Interpol
Feeder	The Magic Numbers
Basement Jaxx	The Subways
Jamiroquai	Do Me Bad Things
The Bravery
Lemar

External links

• Official website