Day two of V97 saw Feeder kick the proceedings off. I’d seen them a couple of times before supporting other bands and they had really impressed me. They certainly were a great opening act for the festival and got the crowd really geared up for the day. In a few years time they’d be at the other end of the line-up headlining festivals around the country, but for now they were still having to wake up early and get to the stage to play to whomever else was awake.

The next band on was an Oasis covers band called No Way Sis. Now I liked a couple of the Oasis albums that were out but I had found the real thing a bit boring live and whilst the covers band were very good at what they did the music just was not doing it for me. I found them incredibly dull and boring. Thnakfully they were followed by a band I had loved for a few years but had never seen live before – Apollo 440.

Apollo 440 are a British electronic band (they also do a lot of remixes for other bands) that I had come across in 1994 when they a track called Astral America which I absolutely loved. I really enjoyed their follow-up singles and picked up their debut album “Millennium Fever” as soon as it was released in January 1995. I was super keen on finally getting to see them live and they did not disappoint. Easily one of the best bands of the festival and up there with some of the best bands I saw in 1997.

Another electronic band that I also loved followed in the form of Fluke. I had a bunch of their singles and and albums and they carried on the dance theme that Apollo 440 had started really well. Given the way the evening was going to end (with Prodigy and Daft Punk) today was certainly turning in to a dance marathon. Fluke were also fantastic and I was really pleased I got to see them live.

The next act moved us away from the dance scene back to guitar based rock – American group Veruca Salt. I didn’t know much from them before the festival but they were really good. I think this was the only time I saw them live which was a shame as they really impressed me.

Echobelly, whom I’d seen a couple of years earlier, were up next and were very good. They were followed by Placebo, who I had seen for the first time at Glastonbury in June. They were also very good, but not as good as the Glastonbury set. I went on to see them a number of times over the years and they’ve always put on a good show.

Another of the bands that I really wanted to see were next on the list. Sneaker Pimps. I’d seen them twice in 1997 already and loved them – both their album and live gigs. They did not disappoint and played a great set that got us dancing again. Sadly the next two bands dived back to the more indie Britpop side of things with Longpigs (who I had seen before) and Gene (first time) – neither of which I was keen on.

The evening was drawing on and we were back in the Dance Tent for French outfit Daft Punk. They were really good live and certainly got us in the mood for the main headliners of Sunday – Prodigy. Prodigy had also headlined Glastonbury that year – but the rain there put a bit of a dampner on things – but for V97 the sun had been out and everyone was up for dancing the rest of the night away to them in high spirits. They played a blinding set and were easily one of the best bands of the festival – and one of the best live acts of 1997 for me.