When the Radio 1 website covered last year's Big Weekend event in Preston, they were hamstrung by the fact that 14 of the 30 acts didn't grant clearance for their sets to be shown online afterwards, including most of the biggest names. This year, all 32 of the acts that appeared in Maidstone last weekend have allowed their sets to be streamed in high quality at bbc.co.uk/radio1/bigweekend for seven days. So you can still check out such treats as Madonna playing guitar badly; the increasingly hairy Zutons reclaiming Valerie from Amy Winehouse; Nelly coaxing three teenage girls onstage to sing along to a song they clearly don't know; the Black Kids looking as thrilled as the audience they're royally entertaining; and the mighty Justice getting an afternoon crowd bouncing with their dancetastic knob-twiddling. But be quick, because it'll all start to disappear from tomorrow.
Last week, free music site Last.fm made its first foray into original content, with the launch of Last.fm Presents (last.fm/presents), a new series of video interviews with artists including Moby, Santogold, Neon Neon and Spoon. The short chats aim to discover what inspired these acts to make music, rather than have them wax lyrical about their latest product. It's a laudable notion, but it falls a little flat as you quickly remember that most musicians are much more interesting when playing music than they are when talking about it (the exception being Neon Neon's Gruff Rhys, who'd sound fascinating reading a phone book). Further video content ideas are expected from Last.fm soon. But, for now, the site's terrific core business - allowing you to stream millions of tracks for free and receive recommendations based on your current listening habits - remains its main attraction.
Although it's the kind of high-fashion company that sells T-shirts for £70, Diesel has long been involved in the scuzzy world of indie music. Its Diesel:U:Music campaign began life in 2000 as an unsigned bands competition and has since morphed into a slightly clunky website (dum.diesel.com) where new acts can upload their tracks to gain exposure. Now, for the month of May, they've taken things a step further with the launch of Diesel:U:Music Radio, which is broadcasting from the indie hotbed that is New Cross's Amersham Arms. South-east London residents can hear it on 87.7FM, while the rest of us can listen online. It's a pleasingly amateurish affair, positioned somewhere between a pirate and a student station, with mics turned too low and records frequently skipping. But with guest DJs including Late of the Pier, Kieran Hebden, Noah and the Whale, Mystery Jets and Erol Alkan spinning their favourite tunes, the music is certainly worth tuning in for.
