Radio 1's Big Weekend 2008

[Pip Madeley]

If anyone lives near Kent and fancies a weekend of free music...

Big Weekend 2008

Radio 1's announced that this year's Big Weekend is taking place at Mote Park in Maidstone on 10 and 11 May 2008.

Scouting For Girls, who recently hit Number One with their self-titled debut album, have been unveiled as the first act confirmed for the bill. It's also been announced that a fourth stage will be added this year - the BBC Introducing Stage - which will feature the best new and emerging UK talent selected from new music shows across the BBC.

Hosted by Radio 1's roster of DJs, Radio 1's Big Weekend is the eighth of its kind hosted by the station and the UK's biggest free ticketed music festival. The event will be broadcast on Radio 1 with more performances available to download at www.bbc.co.uk/radio1 and many full live performances available to watch on demand and via the red button on TV. The site can hold 20,000 people per day and Radio 1 will be making sure the majority of free tickets go to residents of Maidstone and the surrounding Kent area.

To ensure a fair distribution of tickets in the region, Radio 1 will ask listeners to register their details and then select by random based on postcode. Over the coming months, listeners can keep listening to Radio 1 and logging on to www.bbc.co.uk/radio1 for the full line-up, details on how to register for free tickets and to get answers to frequently asked questions.

Last year's Big Weekend was held in Preston and saw live performances from the likes of the Scissor Sisters, Kaiser Chiefs, Kasabian, Mark Ronson, Mika and Stereophonics.

Who remembers the old Radio One Roadshows? Did anyone ever go? Any interesting anecdotes?

[Pip Madeley]

Well this was a popular thread wasn't it? Well, we might get two boys who shall remain nameless interested in it now:

Madonna is to headline the main stage at Radio 1's Big Weekend in Maidstone, in Kent. The international superstar, who went to number one in the UK singles chart with 4 Minutes on Sunday, will play the two-day event on Saturday 10 May.

30,000 fans are expected at Mote Park to enjoy more than 50 other bands and solo artists on 10 and 11 May. Other acts taking part include The Fratellis, Robyn, Duffy, Scouting For Girls, The Feeling and The Hoosiers. Other acts appearing on the main stage over the weekend include Nelly, Adele and Newton Faulkner, Goldfrapp, The Enemy, Pigeon Detectives and One Republic. Throughout the weekend, all the main Radio 1 DJs will be broadcasting live from the event.

As well as introducing bands on stage they will be interacting with listeners online and on-site. Listeners can register for tickets for one week from 8am on 21 April until 10am on 28 April.

[Milky Tears]

It's a popular poptastic thread, Pip.

[WhiteCrow]

Well this was a popular thread wasn't it? Well, we might get two boys who shall remain nameless interested in it now:

Some of us are too old for Radio 1 Pip. I listen to some of the Presenters - they're not called DJs any more are they, and when they phone prank random members of the public, I just want them strung up by their short and curlies ...

[Pip Madeley]

Too old for Radio 1? Even I'm too old for Radio 1...