Got V tickets? Listen to these tracks before you go Here at Weekend Towers we’re sorting out our ‘driving to V Festival’ mixtape. Though it’s only a quick trip up the road, we wanted to familiarise ourselves with the best songs of the best acts so we could sing along when the time Let the music play comes. Come hell and high water There’s been some brilliant collaborations between the billed artists over time – Stereophonics and Tom Justine Trickett Download 2015 Jones and Ellie Goulding and Calvin Harris to name a few – so we’ve got our fingers crossed for surprise cameos. In the mean time, we’re getting to know the artists a bit better by enjoying their top hits. Here are six of the best by six of the best, so load up your music player and get listening. You might have to drive the long way round to fit it all in – and keep us dry though . KASABIAN Club Foot (Kasabian, 2004) Going to a festival? Confused over what to Fire (West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum, 2009) Underdog (West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum, 2009) take with you? Never fear, Weekend is here Shoot The Runner (Empire, 2006) hen you’re standing in front of year, all in the name of research. And rock‘n’roll, of Days Are Forgotten course. (Velociraptor!, 2004) a band you love at a festival, For the four days we lived in Derbyshire fields, we the rain and mud is incidental. Goodbye Kiss W saw it all. Sunburn and relentless heat on the Thursday (Velociraptor!, 2004) But when it comes to getting warm followed by rain storms to inspire Met Office weather and dry before bed, with nothing but warnings on Saturday. As a result, the remainder of the CALVIN HARRIS weekend was caked in more mud than you can squelch Feel So Close (18 Months, a bit of polyester to separate you from your wellies at, everything we took with us was wet and, 2012) the elements, you might need all the with the sun hiding behind black clouds, the temperature I Need Your Love (Ellie Goulding’s album help you can get. felt much colder than we’d expected. Halcyon, 2012) They say that the key to success is preparation, and If you’re bedding down at a festival, or just going on a Summer (Motion, 2014) with V Festival just eight weeks away, now is a good British staycation, things can get in-tent-se if you’re not Outside (Motion, 2014) time to start gearing up for the fun. ready to roll. So here’s our festival guide, including best Bounce (18 Months, 2012) That’s where we come in. Earlier this month, buys and top tips. For those about to rock, we salute you. Thinking About You (18 Months, 2012) Weekend took a trip to one of the first festivals of the By Kirsty Bosley SAM SMITH Lay Me Down (In The Lonely Hour, 2014) Stay With Me (In The Lonely Hour, 2014) It’s easy to fall HOME COMFORTS And you’re nearly there – Pitch perfect – finding a good spot to put up your tent before nightfall is essential. Picture: Richard Johnson, Download 2015 l Front cover image by Danny North, Download 2015 I’m Not The Only One (In The Lonely carrying your stuff might be Hour, 2014) There are loads of things you into the pop-up a pain but is well worth it Money On My Mind (In The Lonely can scrimp on when it comes Hour, 2014) to camping, but a comfy place tent trap KEEP IT CLEAN Latch (In The Lonely Hour, 2014) to sleep is not one of them. the weather is cool. If you pump IT’S WHAT’S ON THE INSIDE THAT COUNTS Like I Can (In The Lonely Hour, 2014) There’ll be a lot to carry, but Four nights in a tent, in a field of tens it up in the warm sun, it’s likely to of thousands of revellers, can be great you’ll regret not taking it when WHAT A CARRY-ON The great outdoors can really test your shrink and shrivel during the nippy fun. But it can also be a mucky, muddy STEREOPHONICS you’re freezing and damp. It’s mettle, so staying at your peak fitness needs evenings. And when you’re lying Trekking with your gear is often the most minefield of bacteria and BO. Sorry Maybe Tomorrow (You Gotta Go There to be a priority. easy to fall into the pop-up tent on the chilly ground in the early daunting part of a camping trip. It’s all well and about that. To Come Back, 2003) Being poorly in a tent is really not an option trap for ease and convenience, hours, the last thing you’ll want to good planning to take half the supermarket with There are a few ways to ensure you Have A Nice Day (Just Enough Education To when you’ve paid in excess of £200 for a but when you find yourself do is start using the foot pump. you to save money, but when you’ve walked for don’t live in no-shower squalor during Perform, 2001) festival ticket. With fast food the staple diet covered in dripping, cold To keep extra warm, we took half an hour with half a dozen tins of beans on the festival season. With the right kit, Graffiti On The Train (Graffiti On The Train, 2013) (and a few beers likely) you need to ensure condensation, you’ll wish you’d a little Ikea Polarvide blanket your back, you begin to wish you were back at you could even look as fresh as a you’re on your game if you’re going to last the Dakota (Language. Sex. Sex. Violence. Other?, 2005) along with us, as it was only £3 home. The only solution to this is simple: you daisy on the fourth day. Dry shampoo spent an extra couple of quid on course. We packed paracetamol, ibuprofen, Local Boy In The Photograph (Word Gets Around, something more robust. and kept us snug. To need wheels. is a must for most, and Lee Stafford’s make a cup of tea, anti-histamines, antacids, and poorly tum 1997) We were surprised to discover that Trucks and carts are handy – but often mini products are backpack friendly. we invested in a mini tablets, just in case. ORS hydration tablets from Handbags And Gladrags (Just Enough Education Aldi has their finger on the pulse when expensive – ways to transport your goodies. If There’s a Hold Tight hairspray, dry Trangia from Millets Boots (£4.99) helped keep us feeling good To Perform, 2001) it comes to camping gear. Their five- you’re going with the whole family, it may be an shampoo and a mini dehumidifier to which burns meths in the sunshine and we took our multivitamin man tent is £79.99 and has unavoidable expenditure, but one that will serve keep your barnet in good nick for £2.19 for heat. It was every day, just to be on TOM JONES plenty of room for your stuff you for years to come. We found a cheap and each. They smell great too. Fish has only £28 and the safe side. We used the on- It’s Not Unusual (Along Came Jones, 1965) (and your friends!). effective alternative for the individual though, and handy, mini hair products for men came in handy site water taps for drinking water, Sex Bomb (Reload, 1999) Be careful when if you can put your street cred on the back burner, at Boots, with tiny pots of defining for Pot Noodles The colour of mud – but filled up our BRITA Fill&Go choosing a sleeping bag. we think it’s a genius idea. We popped to the wax, texturising clay and Delilah (Delilah, 1968) too. With any bottles (£15 each from Tesco) Check the temperature market and invested £10 in one of those pull along texturising cream just £2.99 Giles Smith, Download 2015 What’s New Pussycat (Tom Jones: The outdoor cooking, to make sure it was fresh. A indicator on the side shopping trollies usually reserved for nannas. each. If the sun is frazzling Golden Hits, 1966) make sure you squeeze of Robinson’s Squash’d to make sure it’s fit for With a selection of designs available, from black your locks, keep it protected Put your hands up – Green Green Grass Of Home (Last burn away from (£2.49) made it even better, purpose. Even if it’s with pink lips to khaki green, leopard print to all with OGX Kukui hydrating Man Standing Live, 2007) your tent as there’s and encouraged us to stay well Derek Bremner, Download 2015 super sunny in the day, black, it was the most valuable find of our trip. Big oil from Asda (£6.99) – dry Castile Liquid Soap (£1.99 for 59ml from a risk of monoxide watered. Mama Told Me (featuring Stereophonics, lack of cloud cover can wheels meant it zipped over bobbly terrain with shampoo will do wonders for Selfridges). We mention this above all Reload, 1999) poisoning. We took leave you with a chill ease and the showerproof fabric and your roots, but your ends may others, as it has 18 uses in one. It’s a cool, camouflage x This five-man tent at night. We took the weatherproof drawstring closure on be frizzy and unruly. delicately scented with peppermint, PALOMA FAITH portable phone Coleman Walk About sleeping has all the room top meant all our bits and bobs were Forget festival fashion; the and can be used to wash your hair and charger for £10.99 from PNY Only Love Can Hurt Like This (A Perfect bag from Halfords (£35) as it was the you need.