The County Ground in Swindon came alive this weekend with two back-to-back music festivals that brought the noise, the nostalgia, and the crowd in equal measure.
Friday night saw the return of Clubland Live Swindon, a pulsating night of dance classics that filled the stadium with glow sticks, bucket hats, and a whole lot of bouncing. From the first beat, the energy was relentless – and the lineup delivered exactly what it promised: a nostalgic journey through clubland’s golden years.
Local favourite Craig Knight kicked things off, warming the crowd nicely before DJ Ironik dropped hits like Stay With Me and Tiny Dancer, getting arms in the air from the off. Platnum followed with their smooth garage vocals on Love Shy, setting the tone for the night ahead.
Flip N Fill ft Karen Parry brought the tempo up a notch with Shooting Star and Discoland, before Tinchy Stryder took the stage with swagger and confidence, launching into Number 1 and Never Leave You.
Ultrabeat kept the energy high with their bounce anthems Pretty Green Eyes and Feelin’ Fine, before Whigfield took us all back to Saturday Night, proving some tunes never age.
As the night rolled on, the crowd erupted for DJ Sammy, who delivered hands-in-the-air renditions of Heaven and The Boys of Summer. That energy carried straight into the feel-good madness of the Vengaboys, whose party classics like Boom, Boom, Boom, Boom!! had everyone dancing like it was 1999.
Then came the moment many had been waiting for – Ian Van Dahl, headlining the night and closing proceedings with a powerful set that included the unforgettable Castles in the Sky. Her set capped off a night of pure euphoria and a reminder that Swindon knows how to party.
Saturday brought a complete shift in tone, with the Could Be Real Tribute Festival showcasing some of the UK’s best tribute acts – a celebration of iconic British music across the decades.
Opening with the theatrical flair of The Bowie Experience, the crowd was treated to a faithful homage to one of music’s most influential artists. Blurb followed, nailing the essence of Britpop with tracks that felt like a time machine back to the ‘90s.
Laura Jayne Butler, performing as Amy Winehouse, was joined on stage by Amy’s real-life mum, Janis Winehouse
From there, Joel Coombes as Elton John delivered the spectacle you’d expect, complete with piano flourishes and flamboyant flair. Then came Kazabian, blasting through their set with Kasabian’s signature swagger, followed by The Oasis Experience, which turned the County Ground into a singalong of Wonderwall and Don’t Look Back in Anger.
Stereotonics didn’t miss a beat, expertly recreating the gritty sound of Stereophonics, before the night was brought to a close in sensational fashion by Pure Queen, whose Freddie Mercury impersonator had the entire crowd clapping, stomping, and singing along to the band’s greatest hits.
Though Saturday didn’t pull in quite the same numbers – likely down to competing events and a bout of typically British weather – it still held its own, with solid crowd support throughout the day.
Final shout-out to MC Wotsee, who knew the man had so many talents. A top job all round!
Huge credit to Swindon Town FC and the team behind the events – two nights, two styles, and one unforgettable weekend that left Swindon dancing and singing, if this weekend was a test run for more large-scale music events in Swindon, then the town just passed with flying colours.
