Look back at Sunderland's last Big Weekend in 2005

A picture taken from the stage of a crowd of people singing and dancing with arms in the air. Several are wearing red and white-striped Sunderland shirts, in one corner there is a couple kissing. A man at the front with short ginger hair is blowing a whistle, there are two young women with blonde hair cheering next to him and many people are clutching plastic drink glasses and bottles.

BBC Radio 1's Big Weekend was last in Sunderland in May 2005

Duncan Leatherdale
North East and Cumbria

It seems like only yesterday but it really was 20 years - 20 years! - ago that BBC Radio 1 last took over Sunderland.

For those of us there at the Big Weekend in Herrington Park in 2005, it was two days of music and mud headlined by the Foo Fighters and Black Eyed Peas (with memorable performances from local lads Maximo Park and The Futureheads).

Tickets were free but well sought after, many people having to queue overnight to get them from a box office in the city centre.

As many start looking forward to the Big Weekend's Sunderland return next year, here are some pictures of that wonderful wet Wearside weekend from the BBC archive.

Taylor Hawkins, who has long blond hair and a beard, plays drums while Dave Grohl, dressed all in black with black hair and a beard, plays guitar facing him

Foo Fighters headlined the Saturday, with singer Dave Grohl and the band's late drummer Taylor Hawkins energising the crowd

A crowd of young people cheer and dance with arms in the air in an enormous blue marquee. Several are clutching yellow disposable cameras.

In the days before smartphones, gig goers had to make do with disposable cameras

Gwen Stefani sings as a group of dancers in white and brown cheerleader outfits danced behind her. Gwen has long blond hair and is wearing boots, brown trousers and a blue, white and gold jacket

There was No Doubt the Sunderland crowd enjoyed Gwen Stefani's show on the Sunday

A large crowd of people inside a giant blue marquee watches and applauds as DJ Chris Moyles, who had short dark hair and is wearing blue jeans and a green jacket, addresses them.

Chris Moyles was among the BBC Radio 1 DJs who addressed the Sunderland crowd

A group of women look at the stage and sing along.

About 30 acts performed across two stages in 2005

Dave Grohl sings into a microphone while playing a guitar. He has shoulder length thick black hair and a beard and is wearing a black hoody.

Foo Fighters lead singer Dave Grohl performed despite being ill, defying doctors' orders

Several young women run into a field after being let through a security gate behind which a crowd is gathered. A man in black is gesturing at them to slow down.

The two-day festival was held in Herrington Park

Gwen Stefani sings, she has long blonde hair and is wearing a white, blue and gold jacket.

Hollaback Girl was Gwen Stefani's big hit at the time

KT Tunstall sings while playing guitar. She has long brown hair and is wearing a brown leather jacket.

KT Tunstall suddenly saw the crowd on the Saturday

A crowd of people wearing waterproof ponchos and holding umbrellas stand in a queue in a field. On a hilltop beyond them is the Penshaw Monument, a memorial made of large stone columns.

Rain failed to dampen spirits

Two pictures side by side, On the left is Fergie from the Black Eyed Peas, who has long brown hair tied in corn rows and holding a microphone aloft. On the right is Ricky Wilson jumping in the air with his legs tucked up beneath him while clutching a microphone stand. He is wearing a white shirt and orange tie with dark trousers.

The Black Eyed Peas found the love from a jubilant crowd while the Kaiser Chiefs' predicted riot failed to materialise

Charlotte Cooper from The Subways plays a bass guitar. She has shoulder length blonde and brown hair.

Oh Yeah, The Subways were there as well

Natalie Imbruglia sings into a microphone. She has long brown hair and a pink light behind her.

The crowd was certainly not Torn on its opinion of Natalie Imbruglia's terrific performance

A woman in a red corset dances on a stage.

Basement Jaxx and their singers knew where their heads were at on 8 May 2005

Sam Endicott of the Bravery does a partial splits as he plays a black bass guitar. He is dressed mainly in black and his a black quiff.

Was it An Honest Mistake or did The Bravery mean to play in Sunderland in 2005 (of course they did!)

A large crowd of people inside a giant blue marquee looks at a stage, with Radio's Big Weekend branding around it.

The festival was held inside giant blue marquees

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