91Èȱ¬

For example, it became clear during yesterday's sound-checks that Madonna works very, very hard at her stage show. Never mind the fact that she was helicoptered onto the site - I think there was a queue at the bus stop or something - no-one else has spent as long getting everything just so.In fact, for a 45-minute set, she worked her team for a gruelling three hours, and took copious notes for each performance of each song, and then fed them back to her - do we say cast? Band? Troupe? - afterwards.

And how do we know this? Well, you know those headset microphones performers use when they need to dance and sing at the same time? Madonna does, and all of her constructive feedback was fed back via her headset mic and out through an extremely large PA system.

Also, the 91Èȱ¬ Introducing stage is a beautiful place, like a cross between a cowboy saloon and a fairground hall of mirrors. Look!

And I'm not sure if this is due to the change in weather from rainy to scorching, or because of all the massive lorries which are being driven around, but there are patches of earth here which are actually springy underfoot, Which can make a stroll around the grounds feel a little more like a go on a bouncy castle. This can only add to the carnival atmosphere...and indeed it does.

Speaking of which, the queue outside Mote part was ENORMOUS, and very, very vocal. Scouting For Girls went out to entertain them with a busked song or two, and you'd have thouught they were handing out £50 notes. Vernon Kay went down with a roaming microphone, and could barely get through his talky bits for the sound of raised female voices chanting "we love you Vernon, we do".

This level of hysteria was only matched by the scrum of film crews surrounding anyone who looked even the slightest bit famoussy. Chris Moyles in particular looked like he was in the centre of a human hurricane.

And then, when Edith Bowman led the countdown and people were allowed in...well, one onlooker described the people at the front as running so fast their faces went "all wobbly, like they were suffering the effects of G-force".

At least, I think she said "G-force". and not "G4".

I mean, if I was suffering the effects of G4, my face would go all wobbly too.

More news later on, when the bands have started. In the meantime, look at this...