Pop stars bring party to life >videos
CHART-topping pop acts, cutting-edge indie bands and the very best in local talent entertained thousands of revellers in Hull this weekend.
An eclectic mixture of musical sounds, enticing smells from food stalls and a riot of colour created by pop performers and fans alike brought a buzz to the city centre, as everyone was swept up in festival fever.
-
Music lovers queued from the early hours to see acts such as Florence and the Machine and Pixie Lott
The three-day Freedom Festival 2009 spectacular saw performances by the likes of Pixie Lott, Peter Andre and Florence and the Machines.
Eager fans began queuing from the early hours to secure prime spots at stages in Queens Gardens – which was renamed Freedom Gardens for the weekend – and Hull Marina.
Elle Morgan, 13, from Bridlington, said she was excited her favourite pop acts were visiting the city.
She said: "I was really looking forward to seeing Pixie Lott and all the other stars and the day was just amazing.
"I think it's brilliant that we can go and see famous people near to where we live, because we don't normally get the chance to see anyone like that around here."
The free music, arts and dance festival, now in its second year, celebrates freedom and the work of former Hull MP and anti-slave trade campaigner William Wilberforce.
Queens Gardens was full of sound and colour on Saturday as people crowded in to see their favourite artists and soak up the atmosphere.
Afternoon festival-goers were entertained with the Love Music Hate Racism event.
The crowds waited patiently as headline acts Chipmunk and the King Blues were delayed getting to the show, but the wait didn't dampen spirits.
Saturday afternoon at Hull Marina was truly pop-tastic, with the likes of Alesha Dixon, Mutya Buena and Booty Luv performing past and present chart hits.
Basshunter's set went down a storm with the boisterous audience, who bounced up and down perfectly in synch with the Swedish dance act, and tubby Britain's Got Talent's favourites Stavros Flatley performed their inimitable dance to rapturous applause.
But the most deafening screams were reserved for the afternoon's headline act.
Chants of "Peter, Peter, Peter" greeted singer, reality TV star and tabloid favourite Peter Andre as he majestically made his way along the river towards the stage, signing autographs as he went.
As the evening set in, crowds flocked to Queens Gardens from the marina to see X-Factor finalists JLS and popular girl band The Saturdays.
Screams and cries of delight could be heard across the city centre as the groups each performed a set for the gathered crowds.
Those seeking a more mellow atmosphere headed to the Hull Marina boatshed for some jazz, where Jamaican-born diva Ruby Turner was among the star guests.
Now in its second year, the Freedom Festival is a lasting legacy of Hull's Wilberforce 2007 celebrations of the bicentenary of the abolition of slavery.
Freedom 2009 cost £432,000 to stage, but organisers hope the city will have made more than £1m from hosting the event.
Freedom is funded by Hull City Council, Visit Hull and East Yorkshire tourism organisation and Yorkshire Forward, the regional development agency.
* See today's Mail for a full report on the Clipper and Freedom Festival events in words and pictures, including:
How the Clipper crews had an emotional farewell with their families.
What the pop stars made of Hull.
Images of how Hull was rocked around the clock by performers.
Pictures of the city's skies when £28,000-worth of fireworks exploded.
11 Comments
View all
by Dan, Hull
Thursday, September 17 2009, 1:49PM
“To Mark, what the hell would you know about who arranged it????? viking did two sessions on two stages, there was an enormous amount of other activities involved!!!!!!! Look at who funded the festival, then hand out credit!!!!! The council, yorkshire forward and visit hull and east yorkshire, they paid viking, the radio station were providing a service, should we be praising the burger sellers for providing good burgers? No!!! get real!”
by Gerbilpower, Hull
Tuesday, September 15 2009, 11:15PM
“I went into queens gardens on saturday....lasted 2 mins as JLS was on so went to watch the clipper stage..less busy but 10 times better....next visit to queens gardens was sunday and florance and the machine....amazing! such a shame that the fickle pop groupies stayed away. Florance deserved 10 times the ordiance a load of wannabe xfactor idiots got. Real music....real yorkshire not fake music idoit east yorkshire familys watching fake music. Personally the i live in the confindance that JLS will be no more in a couple of years yet florance will live in for the next 10 as talant lasts a life time....karioke lasts 5 minutes!... to the those who may plan freedom 2010...more real music less fake music please...thanks,”
by danni, hull
Tuesday, September 15 2009, 2:45PM
“omg at the begginging that is my bottle that marvin caught !!!”
by S & S & Kids, Hull.Yorkshire
Monday, September 14 2009, 10:33PM
“Met Peter and Katie and family in Cyprus last year they was so friendley both down to earth. nice to see him again he crap with a BBQ came and lent some coal from us ended up with a invite for tea
stayed at the villa near to there home in cyprus shame they split was so loverley
Recomend the viller to anyone take a look on google map co- ords 34.826425,33.553265 peter home is 34.825298,33.551677”
by Mark, Hull
Monday, September 14 2009, 12:39PM
“I find it staggering, yet not surprising the Hull Daily Mail have failed to mention the fact that it was Viking FM that brought the majority of the artists, and certainly the most high profile ones to the Festival! And that they hosted the whole 2 days!”
by Phil, Hull
Monday, September 14 2009, 11:36AM
“At last Hull has been given some street cred.. and quite rightly so. Extremely well organised, and was a great atmosphere. Spent Sat afternoon in Queens Gardens, watched the bands and enjoyed a few beers in the sunshine... then returned Sunday, then walked to Marina.... a fantastic weekend and cant wait for next year..... I think something like thsi should be staged thoughout the summer.... and use the festival as the climax to it all. Well done Hull City Council and to all the organisers.”
by Debbie, Hull
Monday, September 14 2009, 11:05AM
“What a fabulous weekend!
Three generations of my family loved every minute of it - and the weather on Saturday made it even better! We particularly enjoyed the carnival atmosphere, the fire light shows down the side streets and the fabulous local bands on the 'Sesh' stage - Saturday night - particularly the 'Papershakers'. Roll on next year!!!!!!!”
by Well done Hull, a better city for it.
Monday, September 14 2009, 9:46AM
“Quote from Peter Andre on twitter 'I really loved hull. Loads of love from everyone .J was the star once again.He Even signed autographs. P was making diva demands.Thnx hull'”
by Gail, Leicesterhire
Monday, September 14 2009, 8:19AM
“What a fantastic time we had at Freedom Festival!! Hull ROCKED!!! My sister lives in Hull and asked us to come up.Her Neice,Nephews and there friends came too,we loved it and are still buzzing.THANK YOU to everyone involved and who was there,you showed us how to smile again after a tragic 14month and bought our family back together.Next year i'll be bringing bus load!!! We will be regular visitors to your amazing City.”
by Gail Summerfield, Leicestershire
Monday, September 14 2009, 7:57AM
“What a fantastic time we had at Freedom Festival,Hull ROCKED!!! My sister lives in Hull so her Neice,Nephews and there friends came,next year i'm bringing minibus full.We are still buzzin and will NEVER forget the brilliant time we had.Thank you everyone involved in bringing our family together after a tragic past 18 months.We WILL be regular visitors to your amazing City.”