there's a party atmosphere by the end of the first full day of T

Heading into the first full day of the festival, the excitement builds again. Those who missed the first day all looked bright and perky, ready for what Saturday had in store for them while those who had enjoyed the festivities from the day before – some a bit too much - were re-energised by the bright weather and a chance to lie in the sun. After the pessimistic and almost apocalyptic forecast of shower storms and possible flooding, there was a feeling of disbelief through the crowd as ponchos were abandoned, and sun cream was hastily purchased to soothe the rapidly pinkening masses.

Fun Lovin' Criminals opened the main stage on Saturday, dripping with New York cool, and propelled the festival into the start of the day with ease through hits such as the instantly recognisable 'Scooby Snacks', allowing the building crowd to take full advantage of the mild weather throughout their set. But the weathermen weren’t wrong for long, as the skies opened overhead sending everyone running for cover under any available tent, or even signpost.

Thankfully the rain didn't last long, and the ground stayed firm underfoot while the crowds came out of hiding, chasing the blue skies over the Balado site. A pick-me-up was needed to dry off the damp patches of the day, and Ke$ha was just what was the T doctor ordered over at the main stage. As zany as ever, drowned in glitter and matching her blue lipstick to that of her dancers and band she crawled, danced and jumped all over the stage. She knew what we wanted and she gave it to us in spades; 'Tik Tok' unsurprisingly stealing the show along with 'Blah Blah Blah' while asking the excited crowd "Do I have enough glitter on my titties?" – and the answer for Ke$ha would be that no glitter is ever enough, as she is doused in more while cannons blow confetti over the masses.

As the final pieces of glitter and confetti drifted to the ground, T in the Park veterans the Manic Street Preachers took to the main stage. If they were used to the headliner spot, they didn't show any sign of disappointment at the late afternoon slot as they blasted classics such as 'Design for Life' and 'You Stole the Sun From My Heart' tied in with the newer hits like 'Your Love Alone'. The old favourites worked a treat, leaving the assembly either bouncing around near the front or sitting near the back, enjoying a (warm) pint.

However, the high-energy tone of the weekend continued over at the Radio 1/NME stage as the rain hit the site once more waiting for Friendly Fires to buoy up our spirits – and they didn’t disappoint. Ed MacFarlane's distinctively exuberant dancing with the peppy alternative disco sounds ensured we soon didn't care about the soaking we were being subjected to – particularly relevant during their rendition of 'Jump in the Pool' as the audience blithely splashed around in their wellies, hardly a care in the world.

Skipping over to the T Break stage, Jon Fratelli – having a taken a musical move away from The Fratelli's – played to a healthily busy tent with his alternative rock sound. A sound not too dissimilar to his previous band; just as catchy and will prove undoubtedly just as popular.

But from there it was a quick jog back to the main stage; there seemed to be a buzz in the air as everyone prepared for the arrival of the heavily hyped Beyonce – a roar of excitement ripping through the air as she appeared on the stage through a rising platform, all big hair and perfect shimmering skin. This was no normal festival performance; after her huge appearance at Glastonbury, she pulled out all the stops just as equally for the Kinross festival. Playing a mix of newer solo hits such as 'Telephone' and 'Irreplaceable', and a brilliantly received 'Single Ladies' before segueing into a Destiny's Child medley with 'Survivor' and 'Bootylicious' to rapturous reception. As her set ended to the chants of "one more tune" it was clear that she left T 2011 wanting more.

The main stage was closed off by Coldplay this year – indeed a huge band and well deserving of a main stage slot but after the energy of Beyonce, it was hard to see how they could keep up everyone's spirits. Unsurprisingly they pulled in a mammoth crowd, but even the rockier beats like 'Shiver' had the tell-tale Coldplay lull to them. 'Violet Hill' picked up the pace and their bigger hits didn't fail to get the crowd chanting along with Chris Martin proving his worth as front man. It seems that although they're an unusual choice to headline a main stage, the audience loved every second of it.

Taking a wander along to the Radio 1/NME stage, Swedish House Mafia played a storming set on the other side of the T site – full of strobes and lasers taking full advantage of the darkening Kinross sky, while the crowd went crazy for melodic 'Save the World'. The powerhouse three (Axwell, Steve Angello and Sebastian Ingrosso) set their act apart from the rest with an extravagant ending of fireworks and confetti cannons while the crowd soaked up the party atmosphere to end the first full day of T.

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