With all the rain that’s been around the Gold Coast lately it was bound to be a bit soggy under foot but that was an understatement the other day at the annual V Festival at the Avica Resort; a field of slimy mud greeted the massive crowd of music lovers.

Brought to you by entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson, V Festival brought together a diverse range of popular local and international music acts including American rockers Smashing Pumpkins, Queens Of The Stone Age, Duran Duran, The Presets, Cut Copy, The Jesus & Mary Chain and Modest Mouse, to name a few.

Happy festival goers didn’t let the muddy grounds deter the trekking between This Stage, That Stage and the Other Stage; although there was lots of stumbling and sliding as thongs became bogged in the soggy earth.

A less muddier venue on the grounds was the Virgin Mobile Tent – a doof tent with a stable, dry dancefloor, bright lights and smoke machines; a place where punters could let their hair down to the heavy beats of Europe’s Munk and the Bang Gang Deejay party set.

Cut Copy, Melbourne’s indie dance experts proved popular with the crowd, displaying their 80’s new wave genre mixed into their pop hooks and elaborate dance beats. Their familiar tunes Hearts On Fire and Lights And Music had everyone singing along – Cut Copy ecstatic that their new album ‘Ghost Colours’ has reached #1 on the ARIA charts.

Meanwhile on the Other Stage the crowd goes crazy for the Presets who deliver a set of old favourites with new tunes added including crowd-pleaser My People. A rocking preview to the Pumpkins set was Queens Of The Stone Age, led by frontman Josh Homme, who presented tracks that combined tormented vocals, fierce drumming and continuous intense chords. A blistering set had the fans engrossed – songs included Little Sister, In My Head, Go With The Flow and Feel Good Hit Of The Summer.

After 30 years fronting Duran Duran, Simon Le Bon proved that he still has the great staying power and presence on stage – Duran Duran’s string of hits over the years have truly stood the test of time. Le Bon and his band mates still display their 80’s stage moves which added to their appeal; fans loved their songs Rio, Planet Earth, Save A Prayer and the sing-along favourite Girls On Film.

Most definitely, the drawcard of the Festival was U.S. rockers the Smashing Pumpkins, whose appearance in Australian is the first since last visiting before their breakup in 2000. Amidst zealous roars and thunderous applause, their set began with Today – frontman Billy Corgan still displayed his strange personality. The Pumpkins continued their set with Tonight, Tonight, 1979 and an impressive Bullet With Butterfly Wings. Overall, their set mixed recent material from the comeback album ‘Zeitgeist’ – Corgan along with drummer Jimmy Chamberlin, fed off each other and elevated the atmosphere with intense pounding rhythms. After an entertaining set, the Pumpkins ended the night with an encore of Porcelina Of The Vast Oceans.

What a way to end another successful V Festival – here’s looking forward to the next one!