Often treated like the annoying younger sibling of the summer's festivals, "V fest" – as it has been unofficially christened – is celebrating its 18th birthday and demanding to be taken seriously.

A weekender with a pop heart, V is the perfect home for the would-be British Bieber, whose fans wear his name across their arms in neon paint and scream at every PG-rated gyration. Local boy Olly Murs is a guilty pleasure, while X Factor graduate Lucy Spraggan plays to a capacity tent despite her version of Kanye West's Gold Digger sounding straight out of Coronation Street rather than Compton.

Controversial rapper Kendrick Lamar, however, calls Compton home and skilfully blends Californian soul with abrasive lyrics and guitars. Though his music lives up to the legend on his T-shirt, which reads "Dark", he's good company and works hard to keep the crowd on his side. The same can't be said of Beyoncé, whose late arrival prompts boos from drenched onlookers. She squeezes the likes of Run the World (Girls), Crazy in Love and Halo between seven costume changes and film clips that mistake female empowerment for narcissism, and never really moves.

Travis make a sentimental return after a five-year break, and Kings of Leon aggressively, impressively resurrect their trademark guitar sound. Moonlighting TV star Idris Elba only has to turn up to cause a frenzy, which is lucky because his DJ skills aren't up to much. By comparison, James McCartney plays to only a handful of revellers, but proves he has inherited some of his dad's talent, if little of his charm.

It's dance music that dominates this year's V, however, with barely enough park to hold everyone celebrating with the jubilant collective Rudimental, and next year it could be Naughty Boy's turn after a storming show featuring Emeli Sandé. Calvin Harris closes the festival in spectacular fashion, with lasers beaming and fireworks exploding over a set that mixes megahits such as Drinking from the Bottle and We Found Love with Jack by Breach and The Source's You Got the Love. He perfectly distills V's young spirit and emerging adulthood.

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