Happy Mondays, Razorlight, Ting Tings play V Festival Chelmsford Happy Mondays Tickets

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Photo: Andy Willsher/NME

V Festival 2009 kicked off in Chelmsford yesterday (August 22), with The Killers playing a headline slot.

Other highlights included sets from Lily Allen and Calvin Harris, while Amy Winehouse made surprise appearances with The Specials and Pete Doherty.

Elsewhere Razorlight played the V Stage before The Killers. In a change from his favoured festival outfit of white jeans and no shirt, frontman Johnny Borrell was wearing a black jacket, black jeans and scarf, despite the heat.

The four-piece – including new drummer David Sullivan Kaplan – played an hour-long show of material from throughout their career, including massive hits 'America' and 'Golden Touch', as well as 'North London Trash' and 'Wire To Wire' from last year's 'Slipway Fires' album.

Earlier on people ran towards the Virgin Mobile Union tent to hear VV Brown sing a cover of Kings Of Leon's 'Use Somebody' during her afternoon performance. Her set also included 'Game Over' and 'L.O.V.E'.

The Ting Tings played a colourful set on the 4Music Stage, backed by a brass section sporting neon bobbed wigs, played songs from their 2008 album 'We Started Nothing' including 'We Walk' and Number One single 'That's Not My Name'.

Over in the Arena tent Happy Mondays played an evening show without their dancer Bez. Frontman Shaun Ryder announced that Bez had quit the band, plus explained that his own young cousin was on drum duties for the show. The band played fan favourites including 'Step On' and 'God's Cop' during the show.

Earlier in the afternoon on the 4Music Stage Noisettes created a singalong with their hit 'Don't Upset The Rhythm (Go Baby Go)'.

NME.COM will be coming live from both the V Festival sites this weekend (August 22-23). Stay tuned to NME.COM/festivals/v-festival for news reports, blogs, video interviews and photos from the event. Plus get next Wednesday's (August 26) issue of NME for the ultimate V Festival review.

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