'Cos I seem to have left an important part of my brain Somewhere, somewhere in a field in Hampshire" so sang Jarvis Cocker a few years ago on Pulp's Sorted For E's & Wizz. The line sums up the first festival of 2003, HOMELANDS which took place last weekend. ABLE2UK brings you the bits you may have missed if you were hallucinating somewhere...

Mike Skinner is a funny old geezer, the lead singer of THE STREETS thought it would be absolutely hilarious if the crowd shouted 'fuck' as soon Radio One started their live broadcast to the nation and they did! Any old foggie who switched off would had missed 80 minutes of Mike's unique style of music and all the hits. Those lucky to be present were treated to some ingenious videos on the screens accompanying the numbers. The best being following Skinner around Picadilly Circus and Leicester Square looking like a complete waster. Throughout his act Mike was teasing the crowd that he would stagedive into the auditorium and eventually kept his promise by ending his act jumping into the front row and being surfed towards the back, where he made his exit.

GROOVE ARMADA ended the day of live acts, which had previously seen Kosheen, De La Soul, Junior Senior. Covering all their hits the band made the festival goers electric and by 11.30pm we wanted more. However, that was the final live act and with another six hours to go our only gripe about the festival is that there could had been more PA's throughout the night. By midnight the tent was being dismantled and the outside Radio One stage followed suite. The DJ's which played after midnight were virtually unknown, Umek, Cajmere, anyone?

Although on the other side of the midnight hour the names were there, Chemical Brothers, Paul Oakenfold, Sasha, Roger Sanchez etc. and with quality beats blaring out from 6 arenas you were spoilt for choice during the daytime and even if you stopped for a drink the Barcadi Bar and the Strongbow tent had even more DJ sets.

Those fortunate to blag themselves into the guest arena were treated to a seventh arena positioned in the VIP bar. There was also a caravan which was home to a Radio One competition winner on Sara Cox's breakfast show.

The weather was kind except for a downpour at the start and HOMELANDS once again lived up to everyone's expectations, especially for one guy in Arena 2 who managed to climb the tent pole three times behind every security's back. Some people never grow up, do they?

UPDATE: Homelands 2004 will take place in May, we will bring you more details soon, so you can stock up your pills!