Emerging onto the T in the Park festival site at about midday this Saturday, clouds hang in the sky, threatening rain at any moment. Thankfully for those lucky attendees who arrived the night earlier, the evening sunshine held out just long enough to let them catch a serene performance from City and Colour, the almighty home festival return of Twin Atlantic and even a couple of classics from that grey-haired Welsh charmer Tom Jones.

But, today seems a bit of a different story. Not long after we arrive, the rain does so also, but we know better than to let the weather prevail. Making our first and only visit to the T-Break stage, we join a packed out tent for the early slot of The LaFontaines. After first coming across the band when they supported Twin Atlantic earlier this year, their mix of rap and rock - all coloured with frontman Kerr Okan's quick Scottish tongue - makes for an incredibly lively start to the festival. To say that the Motherwell five-piece are well-received is an understatement, as each track in their set creates a riotous atmosphere inside the tent. Highlights? When 'Pon Du Floor' samples Beyonce's latest track 'Girls (Run The World)' and Okan runs around the stage wearing a mask of the superstar: genius.

The next part of the day for us is defined by chart-dwelling pop stars, and we unashamedly dance along to Ke$ha and The Saturdays; both of whom know exactly how to perfect a pop singalong and hold their respective audiences attention impressively.

Quite literally running from the King Tuts Wah Wah Tent, we head to the opposite side of the arena to catch The Xcerts play the BBC Introducing Stage, along with one of the largest crowds this stage has bore all day. Sampling songs from both their delicate debut 'In The Cold Wind We Smile', and noise-driven, distortion-laden sophomore effort 'Scatterbrain', the band are electrifying. With a crowd reaction so defined by admiration, it's a joy to watch the three-piece receive the kind of recognition they so deserve. Even the pouring rain, and news that their set is getting cut doesn't dampen spirits, as frontman Murray Macleod hoists himself into the crowd to play their final outro.

Over at the Radio 1/NME stage, Jimmy Eat World are making a field full of soggy fans very happy with their classic-laden set, including the likes 'Salt Sweat Sugar', 'Futures', 'A Praise Chorus' and 'Pain'. Also managing to squeeze in three tracks from their latest release 'My Best Theory', the band prove to be just as wonderful as ever, but it's undeniable that their older material steals the show. '23' is a suprising addition, but makes for an entirely beautiful moment, with the soaring music perfectly reflecting the setting sun, as Jim Adkins grins at his ever-adoring audience. Obviously though, no Jimmy set would be complete without the compulsory additions of 'The Middle' and 'Sweetness', which will forever stand as two of the greatest pop-rock anthems.

Back at the main stage, Beyonce is causing a absolute storm with her performance, as she bounds through hit after hit. Everything about her is big; from her personality, to her voice, her hair to her rock solid thighs, she oozes star quality and entirely owns the stage. Including everything from 'Crazy In Love' to 'Single Ladies' to 'Irreplaceable', her set confirms what Glastonbury proved just a few weeks ago: that she is one of the best performers of our generation. Even dabbling in her own versions of 'Telephone' - the hit she collaborated with Lady Gaga on - a medley of Destiny's Child songs, as well as a 'Sex On Fire' cover, she brings a unique yet soulful touch to the main stage this evening, Finishing with an insatiable cover of 'At Last', before a touching version of 'Halo' - during which she walks along the entire barrier, coming face to face with some incredibly emotional devotees - it's impossible not to have fallen in love with her by the time she exits the stage.

As the evening draws to a close, we hope to catch at least a little of two headliners tonight, First up, we stay put at the main stage to watch a few of Coldplay's opening numbers, which are just as glorious as you can imagine. Walking onstage as fireworks shoot into the black night sky, the band take their headlining slot completely in their stride, well aware that their songs are anthems unto themselves. Luckily, we manage to watch shiver-inducing performances of 'Yellow' and 'In My Place', but hear that the night truly belongs to their entirely captivating and spine-tingling rendition of 'Fix You'; a song that is undoubtedly one of the most stirring pieces of modern music that we could hope to witness live.

Before our night is up, we make one last stop off at the Red Bull Ballroom Jam tent, to see Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes playing to a comparatively smaller, albeit just as attentive audience. His wondrous acoustic-driven offerings feel somewhat less grand than Coldplay tonight, but his passion is still just as evident; streaming through his music as the wide-eyed crowd finish their evening alongside him. And thus, we head to our beds.

By Sarah Jamieson.