V Festival 2017: Madness wow with hits a-plenty
They may have been in the business for more than 40 years, but ska icons Madness showed they're still up there with the greatest performers when they played the main stage at V.
Frontman Suggs looked every bit the part as he stepped out on to the stage in black shades and a long black jacket - black hat in tow.
Performing before a black set drop with Madness spelled out in sparkling writing, the band sounded incredible from start to end - kicking off their mid-afternoon set with 1980 hit Embarrassment.
Sax player Lee Thompson was a true highlight; his playing being absolutely faultless throughout. The star even donned a red pez hat for part of the set.
Fans sat on each other's shoulders to see the legends, as they graced the audience with songs such as The Prince, Mumbo Jumbo and Mr Apples.
Suggs then treated crowds to a tremendous rendition of My Girl's Mad At Me; starting the hit off slowly before launching into the upbeat number, making fans go wild as the trademark ska beat hit.
"Nice to see you, to see you nice," said Suggs, as a nod to the late Bruce Forsyth.
"It's incredible that we're all still alive I tell you that.
"Well I was very sorry to hear it was raining yesterday. But it's an actual fact it never rains when Madness plays. The sun shines on the righteous.
"For those of you in the crowd here to see Busted, I'm really sorry - because we are Madness."
And with that, the crowd erupted; fans of all ages cheered on the band, singing and dancing along and every opportunity throughout the set.
Madness also treated fans to an upbeat, brass-filled rendition of reggae legend Lee Scratch Perry's Chase The Devil, which went down an absolute storm.
But the crowd never truly exploded until the band began to play the unmistakable intro to One Step Beyond; jumping, skanking and flailing their arms to the infectious two-tone beat.
This great upbeat energy continued to the next fan favourite - House Of Fun.
Hits such as Baggy Trousers and Our House kept the crowd moving, before It Must Be Love drew the show to a close.
"We were feeling the love," beamed Suggs as he strolled off stage.
So were we Suggs, thanks for the amazing show.
