STARS SHINE BRIGHT AT SWANSEA’S BIGGEST WEEKEND
ED Sheeran blew crowds away by opening Radio 1’s Biggest Weekend at Singleton Park, Swansea, as tens of thousands of music fans revelled in a festival atmosphere.
The multi-million album selling singer was first on at noon yesterday at the start of a two-day musical celebration of some of pop’s biggest music acts, including Jess Glynne and Sam Smith.
And there’s even more to come today, as thousands are expected to turn out to see the likes of Taylor Swift and Florence and the Machine on stage for part two of the weekend’s entertainment.
After launching straight into Castle on the Hill, Ed told the crowd: “Hello, how’re you feeling? Thank you for turning up so early, part of me thought it might be empty!” He then went on to reveal that he last performed in the city in 2010 at Sin City and that he was “really, really, really happy to be back.”
He told Welsh fans: “My job today is to warm you up and get all your voices warmed up.”
The star – who was due to play a gig in Manchester later in the day – was followed by singer Anne-Marie, who is supporting Sheeran on his UK stadium tour, and they were hurried away via helicopter to their second show of the day.
But it was Liam Payne who had the audience in tears.
The former boyband starlet made the crowd cry with a solo rendition of his former band One Direction’s hit, History, as a video of One Direction played on the big screen in the background.
Payne also sang Familiar, Get Low and For You in front of a very appreciative crowd.
The 24-year-old, who is the partner of Cheryl Tweedy, talked with the crowd throughout his set, even complimenting them on their face paints.
Bastille, who closed the Radio 1 stage last night, told us: “We were rehearsing in the union in Cardiff and having a great time.
“We’ve gone from a bus to a studio, back into a bus and onto Swansea, but we’re in Wales while all that was
happening, driving past all the water was nice.”
The day was jam-packed with bigname artists and the crowds got off lightly with some drizzle to start the day, before the sun decided to finally show up in the afternoon.
George Ezra, Clean Bandit, Craig David and Wolf Alice all made sure there was music to suit all tastes, while the BBC Introducing Stage saw new acts like Astroid Boys and CHROMA gain new fans.
Out in the audience, fans lapped up the atmosphere. Katie Taylor-Hylands, 26, of Port Talbot, and Amy Josland, 30, of Hertfordshire, were “stressing all morning” about the queues but got into the Biggest Weekend site after just 45 minutes.
They said: “We’re here for Sam Smith, Churches, Years and Years.
“It’s an amazing thing for Wales. It will put Swansea on the map. The foot- ball certainly won’t do it any more!”
Today sees Rita Ora kick events off on the main stage. Niall Horan, Demi Lovato, Camila Cabello and Taylor Swift are all due to be on the main stage later in the day.
James Bay, Christine and the Queens and Jessie Ware are all on the Radio 1’s Other Stage today.
And up-and-coming Welsh acts Boy Azooga and Trampolene take to the BBC Introducing Stage.
For full line-up, traffic and travel and all other Biggest Weekend Swansea information, visit WalesOnline.co.uk