'Rambunctious' IDLES set closes festival first night

IDLES headlined the first night of the 2024 Truck Festival

Headliners IDLES have brought the first day of Truck Festival 2024 to an exciting climax.

About 25,000 revellers are taking part in the four-day event at Hill Farm, in Steventon, Oxfordshire, with gates opening at 13:00 BST on Thursday.

Acts still to take to the stage include Jamie T, Wet Leg, The Streets, The Kooks, Declan McKenna, Yard Act, Willie J Healey, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, and the now traditional annual appearance of The Oxford Symphony Orchestra.

"We can already feel that famous Truck atmosphere in the air," the festival's organisers said.

Lee Kiernan from IDLES took to surfing the crowd during an exciting headline slot

"We can’t believe it’s been a year already, but being back in the fields at Hill Farm is an amazing feeling," they said.

"This year’s Truck feels like a special one, whether it’s one of the most heavily requested headliners from fans in Jamie T finally topping the bill, or a historic first UK festival headline set from Wet Leg alongside some unmissable favourites across the weekend.

"We’ve worked year-round to make Truck 2024 one for the ages."

Joe Talbot described the crowd as their best audience in a long time

The IDLES headline slot follows last month's Other Stage performance at Glastonbury

The event will also feature Katy B, Holly Humberstone, English Teacher, The Amazons, Bob Vylan, The Pigeon Detectives, Sundara Karma, Soft Play, The Snuts, The Royston Club, SOFY, Sea Girls, PEACE, and Black Honey.

Mr Motivator will make an appearance, as will Barrioke, which features EastEnders/Barry Evans actor Shaun Williamson singing karaoke classics.

About 25,000 revellers are taking part in the four-day event at Hill Farm

Slots have also been put aside for unsigned acts, who applied via the festival's band app.

Jonny Payne, who will perform with his band on the V&V stage on Friday evening, told the BBC he was "really, really excited".

Payne, who first came to Truck in 2005 to watch headliner Biffy Clyro, added: "It's a big, big thing to play Truck Festival as an Oxford band."

Truck Festival was founded by local musicians Robin and Joe Bennett, and has taken place at Hill Farm since 1998.

Gates opened at 13:00 BST on Thursday

At the scene

Alex West - BBC Introducing

Things kicked off last night in spectacular style. Fields of bucket hats and sunglasses, conspicuous fancy dress, and great music to cap it off.

The Mysterines’ set was a highlight; they took to the stage amidst a sudden downpour as the evening got into full swing, and kept a growing crowd dancing.

As the sun peeked its way back through the clouds, and then began to set, IDLES began their anticipated main stage headline slot.

They were on great form, with frontman Joe Talbot raving his way through their rambunctious setlist, at one point sitting a lucky festivalgoer on his shoulders, before telling the crowd that this had been their best audience in a long time.

IDLES’ extensive discography meant their hour-and-15 -minute set might have left the revellers wanting more, but ultimately their thirst was quenched by a set which combined festival favourites with forthright fan engagement.