Radio 1’s Big Weekend festival review: A glorious kickstart to the summer

“I couldn’t be happier to be back in Liverpool,” beams a giddy Luvcat just moments after her triumphant homecoming at Radio 1’s Big Weekend. After packing out the Introducing Stage with her dark and romantic ballads, even after a whirlwind year, the viral star says there’s always something special about coming home. “I just adore this park, I was here every weekend growing up. I’m so proud to be back in the city on this special weekend.”

From rising talent to seasoned mainstage veterans, success stories are just about everywhere you look across this annual three day event. There’s even room for a few surprises as Ed Sheeran rewards Saturday early birds with a special guest set on the New Music Stage. Bounding on to a lively and rousing rendition of ‘Castle On The Hill’, the chart-topper delivers a hit-packed set which saw the field swiftly shut off by security. 

Even for the likes of Sheeran though, it’s clear just how much events like these still mean to him and his journey. “I’ve played Radio 1 Big Weekend five times before and I’ve never played the new music tent,” he says before performing oldies like ‘A Team’ – a song which he used to perform around the open mic circuit before being catapulted to superstardom.

The next generation of heavy-hitting talent are also out in full-force across the weekend, with a highlight coming with Myles Smith who playfully nods to the city of Liverpool by wearing a ‘I Swear I’m Not Divock Origi’ t-shirt on-stage. 

Speaking just before his set, Myles says stepping out onto the mainstage feels like a full-circle moment having performed on the Introducing Stage just last year. “It feels like a great way to chart my growth in the last year, it’s been a mad journey with all of the touring in between, I’m so grateful that it’s grown in the way it has and that people have come out to support me.”

The festival also offers up a vital opportunity for established talent to re-acquaint themselves with festival mainstages ahead of a busy summer. That’s especially true for new RS UK cover stars Wolf Alice who seize their moment brilliantly even as the Merseyside drizzle that tries to dampen the party. The band’s newer material feels like yet another brooding statement of intent, although their set standout comes with a haunting performance of their ballad ‘The Last Man on Earth’.

Festival mainstays Blossoms are also a festival victory lap moment off the back of their number 1 album ‘Gary’ last year. Bumping into the band ahead of their set, they say holding down such huge stages across their career has been down to their continued hunger. 

“We made a conscious effort with how this album was going to sound live,” says frontman Tom Ogden. “We knew we wanted it to be quite fun live and it’s proven to be that, the show feels more exciting than ever.” Drummer Joe Donovan adds: “You get to the point where you just want to push yourselves, not even creatively but also onstage. You get a bit older and you realise you’re here for everyone to have a mint time.”

There’s not a more fitting candidate to cap off a glorious Saturday than Geordie guitar hero Sam Fender. He performs like a man meant for the biggest of stages as his sprawling Americana-tinged anthems bring down the curtain on the day. As always, his human charm shines through as he laughs mid-set, “I’m not gonna lie I’m shitting my pants right here,” to great applause. “Gonna celebrate tomorra?” he then questions before a soaring rendition of ‘Will We Talk?’, acknowledging the city’s impending league title celebrations. 

It was always going to be a special kind of party when a full-fledged festival landed in Liverpool’s biggest park on the bank holiday weekend, but with such a sparkling array of talent across the stages, it was yet another triumph for a yearly institution that continues to be so vital in platforming talent of all levels. As fans off all ages filter out to Fender’s firework finale, you’d be hard pressed to think of a better way to get festival season underway. 

You can catch up on Big Weekend coverage via BBC Radio 1, BBC Sounds and BBC iPlayer. Performances and highlights will be available to watch live and in full on BBC iPlayer, BBC Sounds and at bbc.co.uk/bigweekend for 30 days. You can also find highlights on the Radio 1 YouTube channel.