"It all starts here," Isle of Wight Festival boss John Giddings tells me, as we stand under the bright yellow archway, near Island Harbour.

It is emblazoned with the classic lyric 'Start Me Up' and it's decorated with The Rolling Stones' iconic Hot Lips.

This is the gateway to Isle of Wight 2022 - where campers leave their cars and the world behind and immerse themselves in four days of music, comedy, performance and more.

There is surely no better reminder of what's in store than this reference to the British rock legends who played here, to a sell-out crowd, in 2007.

I say 'here', but Main Stage site is actually around a mile and half from where John and I are standing. We got here by buggy - essential transport for artists and staff - whizzing around via a network of routes that not everyone gets to see.

"Try walking it. It's a long way," John says knowingly.

This year, all is calm on site and preparation is going well. 

"We're ahead of schedule because we had to get a lot of stuff delivered before the Queen's Platinum Jubilee. Also, the weather has been good. It's all shaping up nicely," smiles that man who brought this huge event back to the Isle of Wight two decades ago.

"If you had told me then what it would be like now, I wouldn't have believed you!" - John Giddings

"It evolves over a period of time. I can't believe we started 20 years ago, down in Seaclose Park.

"When we built that stage, people hadn't seen real groups - they'd only seen tributes. People didn't believe it till they saw the stage. If you had told me then what it would be like now, I wouldn't have believed you!"

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Isle of Wight County Press: Lewis Capaldi and Kasabian are coming to the Isle of Wight Festival 2022. Crowd scene picture 2021 by Sienna Anderson.

This year, Lewis Capaldi will finally cross the Solent, after delays and cancellations because of the pandemic. 

It was the Scottish singer songwriter who revealed he would be here, back in March 2021, when he also announced it would be on Friday night (June 17).

Joining him on the same night will be Madness (Our House/Baggy Trousers), the legends that are Nile Rodgers and Chic (making their return appearance), Norwegian singer songwriter Sigrid (Bad Life/Strangers/Sucker Punch) and The Vaccines (If You Wanna).

"Nile Rodgers was at the Queen's Platinum Jubilee," John says.

"Muse did a charity show in London recently and they were incredible. I've never heard an audience so loud in Hammersmith Apollo in my life.

"Kasabian played a show up north the other day and their light show looks fantastic. They're all different. You go from difference stages, see different groups."

The new-look Kasabian (Fire/LSF) head up Main Stage on Saturday, while Pete Tong presents Ibiza Classics promises a party late into the night. 

Earlier in the day, expect the teen in your life to gravitate to watch Blossoms (Charlemagne) and Jessie Ware (Say You Love Me).

Isle of Wight County Press: Liam Gallagher on Main Stage in 2021. Photo by Paul Blackley.Liam Gallagher on Main Stage in 2021. Photo by Paul Blackley.

Personally, I will be harking back to my own teenage years, with a huge singalong to The Proclaimers (I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)/Sunshine on Leith) and Paul Heaton and Jacqui Abbott (of Beautiful South fame, among others). 

Muse are Sunday's Main Stage headliners, with UB40 featuring Ali Campbell (Red Red Wine) but sadly without frontman Astro, who died in November, Tom Grennan (Little Bit of Love), Freya Ridings (Castles) and Scottish rockers Del Amitri, who will all be entertaining the crowd earlier in the day.

Meanwhile, in the Big Top, expect some of the best new acts around, including Griff (Black Hole) and The Snuts (who released their debut album WL last year), as well as some you will be able to singalong with (to every. little. word.), including Take That's Mark Owen, The Charlatans, Toyah, Shaggy, The Kooks and Craig David.  

Meanwhile, there is a heavy presence from Isle of Wight acts too. Find most of them in the Kashmir Cafe (along with everyone you know) and on the Platform One stage. 

Wet Leg of course, lead the Island names.

Isle of Wight County Press:

"They are beginning to crack America, which is fantastic for the Island," John says.

"I have always wanted a group to come from the Island and become international. It's a great advert for the Isle of Wight and the festival." 

It's no wonder he's proud. Wet Leg played their first (nervous) gig here in the Kashmir Tent in 2019 and they're now preparing to support Harry Styles in Australia (there's not enough time to tell you about what's happened in between).

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John continues to support upcoming home grown talent, through his collaboration with Platform One, which counts Wet Leg among their alumni.

The music college's Beth Brookfield and Greek Tragedies will also play Main Stage this year, after winning Wight Noize.

"When I grew up, nobody cared, nobody helped, nobody did anything. The least we can do, being in a privileged position, is to help young local artists, give them a step up and hope they enjoy it and learn from it." 

If it seems like the Isle of Wight Festival's come round a lot quicker this year...it has. 2021's was in September, due to the Covid-19 restrictions.

Isle of Wight County Press: Fans arriving in 2020.Fans arriving in 2020.

"I forgot!" John laughs, "It's only a nine month selling period, but we've sold as much this year as we had last year.

"Last year, at the end of the pandemic, the excitement people had getting together and enjoying themselves was fantastic. I am hoping, with the line up we've got, we'll get the same thing."

It's the audience John looks forward to seeing the most.

"To see 50,000 people in a field, when you've come up with the idea of who should play sitting in your office when its raining outside...to see them out there enjoying themselves? It's amazing."

The Isle of Wight Festival is firmly aimed families too.

"The only good thing about being older is that I choose music from past, present and future.

"It took me a couple of years to realise that, by having that combination of artists, you get a demographic from 15-60.

"Come with your family! The kids go off and see somebody in the Big Top and you go and watch somebody on the Main Stage."

The way the acts are timed (all available on the Isle of Wight Festival's handy app, so you don't have to miss a thing), ensures Festival-goers move round the site and get to see what else is going on too - from the see-it-to-believe-it Cirque De La Quirk to the food stalls and pop-up shops, and from the big wheel and the helter skelter to the acts of the future and family favourites, on the Kids' Stage.

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And, for the first time this year, London's The Comedy Store is curating a comedy tent.

"I've got my own slot! I told somebody that yesterday and they believed me!"

"Every year we try and do something different. We're going to try if out and if it works we're going to make it bigger and better," says John.

He loves the Isle of Wight, his 'beautiful' site and the Island's history.

He enthuses, "It's the sunniest place in England!" 

John is already thinking about 2023 and talks are underway, but for him there are two acts that remain elusive ("Pink Floyd aren't going to reform, neither are Led Zeppelin").

Maybe he will be able to work his magic?

In the meantime, expect acts that are masters at "performing to a large audience, in a field.

"I choose people that I like and I presume people like the same things that I do.

"It's worked out quite well so far."