THE NOVATONES will play the main stage at Common People on Sunday two years after they were the first band to play the arena in the festival’s inaugural year.

It will be a welcome return home for the Southampton four piece - singer-guitarist Anthony Pitman, drummer Sean Swift, guitarist Mackenzie Gordon-Smith and bassist Toby Hornby-Patterson – after touring the country with indie legends like Space.

And unlike 2015 it hasn’t been a race against time for footballer Sean to recover from a broken wrist to make sure he’s able to play.

Fans will expect favourite tunes like Live for the Weekend, Guns and Dynamite and Avenue Road, but could hear something different too as the lads have been working on new tunes. With so much else going, including a fourth consecutive appearance at next month’s Isle of Wight Festival, now’s the time to see one of our own on home turf – get down early as they’re on stage at 11am on Sunday.

Southampton’s Sean McGowan, who sold out a full band tour last year and regularly teams up with singers like Hampshire’s Frank Turner, plays the main stage on Saturday (11:40am) before Tom Odell, Loyle Carner, Faithless (DJ set) and Pete Tong’s Ibiza classics with the Heritage Orchestra take over.

Portsmouth’s Kassassin Street, who played to thousands at last year’s Victorious Festival and return to Southsea again this August, are sure to get everyone bouncing on Saturday (12:45pm) with their big-beat psychedelic sounds.

Southampton’s Black Kat Boppers also play Sunday (1:00pm) after their previous day’s appearance on The Joiners’ Uncommon stage. They’re on ahead of sets from another local four-piece Signals, grime artist Novelist, Brighton’s British Sea Power, Amy MacDonald, Wild Beasts and Groove Armada (DJ set) which all lead up to worldwide dancehall star Sean Paul.

Common People Festival takes place tomorrow and Sunday. Visit commonpeople.net.