The crowd masses in front of the main stage. (Picture by Andrew Le Poidevin)

JERSEY LIVE repeated the previous year’s sell-out success by drawing a capacity crowd of 20,000 over a two-day event which saw 100 acts perform across six stages.

And unlike last year, long queuing times were reduced by a new entry system that speeded up access. This improvement, along with a new layout, was a big plus for the festival and set the mood for a good weekend, mostly devoid of rain until the last moment.

Making my way into the Royal Jersey Showground early on Saturday, English singer-songwriter Benjamin Francis Leftwich was already on the main stage. His laid-back folk/indie songs seemed like a gentle way to start proceedings, with his vocals and acoustics echoing across the showground.

The site was steadily filling and this could have been because of one-man-band sensation Ed Sheeran, put early on the bill. It saw many young festivalgoers cramming towards the front of the main stage, shouting his name.

The young artist really needs to be seen to be believed.

Deploying a loop pedal and just an acoustic guitar, he produces some catchy tunes and has a great voice. Ed appeared with a band for the first three songs, then played solo and wowed the crowd, doing that fast rapping thing so beloved of younger listeners. He was a festival highlight for me.

Taking a look around the site and the new layout meant there was no slope down to the main stage as it had been repositioned to the right of its usual place on even ground.

This meant the Sobe stage, which had a host of Jersey acts, was relocated and stuck between the new addition of a small fairground and the food tents and felt a bit tucked away.

This didn’t make me want to hang around too long – there’s only so much I can take of the sound of screaming, giddy teenagers being swung around on illuminated contraptions, coupled with the waft of reheated hot dogs, while straining to hear the bands on the small stage.

But I did catch the excellent Tracys, who I believe had only been together for six weeks in their current line-up.

The Pirate Tease Stage, which was raising money for Jersey Headway, was like a festival in itself, with many people donning eye patches and hats and speaking broad piratese.

Guernsey’s very own Last of the Light Brigade performed on the stage on the Saturday and did us proud.

Further on from the Tease Stage was a chill-out zone which, rather amusingly, offered massages, yoga and cupcakes. That’s my kind of zone.

The Dance Tent had Radio 1’s Zane Lowe and Annie Mac as well as club legends Mr Oizo, Danny Bird and Sasha. It was rammed with kids every time I visited as the music pumped from within.

Back at the main stage and Mercury Prize-nominated Katy B (right) was putting her hands in the air a lot and getting the crowd to sing along.

She has some great songs but they do tend to blend into each other – or maybe that’s just an age thing – ‘hmm, that’s got a good beat’.

Following her were American rockers Cage the Elephant. I wasn’t familiar with the group’s material but their Stooges-like groove worked well despite not being able to hear the singer very well.

Still, their song There Ain’t No Rest For The Wicked has been going round in my head for the past few days.

Up next were The Streets. Probably best known for Dry Your Eyes, the band was a great addition to the line-up.

Frontman Mike Skinner was most entertaining, downing several bottles of the local cider on stage and interacting with the audience well.

It’s a shame that he’s quitting the music business to become an actor.

The song that broke them into the mainstream, Fit But You Know It, had the crowd jumping along. Skinner kept ad-libbing It Must Be Love throughout the set as a nod to headliners Madness, who followed.

Suggs from Madness.

Thousands crowded the main area to catch sight of the nutty boys, who ran through a set that included most of their hits.

It would be fair to say that many in the audience were, like myself, around at the time when Madness was gracing the singles chart at its height.

You kind of know what to expect from them, and they didn’t disappoint.

Suggs held the crowd in the palm of his hand, at one point getting them to sing along to an a capella version of The Beatles’ Help, when keyboard player’s Mike Barson’s organ broke.

They rallied and played a three-song encore.

The crowd were still shouting for more when the announcement came over the PA to leave the site in an orderly manner.

Day one over.

*

Day two and, for me, a better line-up.

Ska legends The Beat sounded brilliant on the main stage, even tighter than when they appeared in Guernsey last year for the 80s Hot Machine gig at Beau Sejour.

I paid a quick visit to the Hospitality Stage to see Jersey’s Little Big Band.

The 10-piece blues-swing-jazz group won a Jersey battle of bands contest this year and it was easy to see why: they were simply awesome and ended with a high-octane version of Proud Mary.

Back to the main stage for The Rapture, a New York band that combines simple dance beats with angular guitar stylings – a kind of Gang of Four for the 21st century.

Their current single How Deep is Your Love was a highlight and saw singer Luke Jenner leap into the throng for a bit of crowd surfing.

Next up were Feeder (right). Veterans of the UK festival stages, the band has had so many hits since the mid-90s, yet it’s easy to forget it.

It was entertaining to see people look at each other when a familiar Feeder tune began and mouth the words: ‘Oh … they did that one.’

By the time Indie duo The Ting Tings were on the main stage the rain had started but it didn’t deter the large crowd, with some even fashioning rainwear from bin bags.

The anticipation was palpable as the stage was set for headliners Plan B. A human beatboxer got the crowd warmed up, then introduced them on stage.

(Picture by Jon Guegan)

Ben Drew, aka Plan B (left), brought his group on and announced it would be the last time they would play the LP The Defamation of Strickland Banks live.

Their set was stunning and ended in some crowd surfing, and with them leaping on each other, not before getting the crowd to split down the middle and slam into each other.

As they say, It’s great when a plan comes together.