Benicassim 2012 Review: New Order Remember Ian Curtis As They Close Scorching Spanish Event

Benicassim Review: New Order Remember Their Lost Frontman

Florence Welch may have had to cancel her appearance due to a vocal injury and Bat For Lashes may have pulled out after getting stuck on a bus, but the huge acts who did make it to Benicassim Music Festival in Spain more than made up for some missing faces.

The four-day event, which took place overnight - out of the way of the scorching Spanish sun - came to a close Sunday night with sets from headliners New Order and a mass dance session from David Guetta.

New Order frontman Bernard Sumner dedicated the band's set to Joy Division singer Ian Curtis, whose birthday was the same day, as excited crowds gathered for nostalgic performances of Bizarre Love Triangle and Blue Monday, before the band closed with Temptation and Joy Division's Love Will Tear Us Apart.

Sumner said: "Nobody remembers the date he was born, everybody remembers the day he died. I think that is very sad to celebrate the day Ian died. It's so much better to celebrate the day he was born!"

The festival was held in what, at first glance, seemed like a huge random car park near a dual-carriageway about half an hour's walk from the pretty Benicassim coast, but once thousands of revellers arrived, soon transformed into a festival with a buzzing holiday atmosphere, also including performances from headline acts the Stone Roses and Bob Dylan - who played a set full of classic hits.

Ian Brown of the Stone Roses at Benicassim

HuffPostUK blogger Noel Gallagher performed his a successful 100th solo gig with his band the High Flying Birds, with crowds going crazy for his renditions of Oasis hits such as Don't Look Back In Anger, the chorus of which continued to ring out from fans long after the singer had stepped off stage.

Meanwhile, Chase and Status, Crystal Castle, Katy B and Dizzee Rascal gave music lovers something to jump around to with their energetic fired-up performances, during which even wheelie bins were crowd-surfed.

WATCH: Noel Gallagher performs Don't Look Back In Anger at Benicassim...

Close

What's Hot