Benicassim 2009 lineup
FIB Heineken 2009 delivered a proper “big UK festival” headline run on the Spanish coast: Oasis, Kings of Leon, Franz Ferdinand and The Killers across four nights.
Why FIB 2009 is remembered
The Benicassim 2009 lineup is remembered as the year the big rumours became official announcements — and the headliners landed day-by-day like a statement of intent. Add beach days, late-night stages and a strong mix of indie + electronic and you’ve got a classic Benicàssim edition.
Quick vibe: beach and shade in the daytime, then big bands and DJs at night.
FIB 2009 at a glance
- Dates: 16–19 July 2009
- Location: Benicàssim, near Valencia, Spain
- Headliners: Oasis (Thu), Kings of Leon (Fri), Franz Ferdinand (Sat), The Killers (Sun)
- Other big names: Paul Weller, Lily Allen, Elbow, Foals, TV on the Radio, Friendly Fires, Laurent Garnier, 2manydjs
- Vibe: late-night indie, electro, and Mediterranean beach days
News at the time: The Killers confirmed
The Killers were added to the Benicassim 2009 lineup to close the festival on Sunday 19 July 2009. With “Mr Brightside” levels of singalong guaranteed, they completed a headline run that looked huge on paper:
OASIS (THU) KINGS OF LEON (FRI) FRANZ FERDINAND (SAT) THE KILLERS (SUN)
At the time, fans talked about FIB stepping up with bigger global names — and also asked the practical questions that always come with Benicàssim: set times, late-night dance stages, and how to handle a “music till sunrise” schedule.
How late did it go?
FIB is famous for late-night schedules. In 2009, fans regularly described the arena as something that “woke up” in the evening and didn’t calm down until sunrise.
That’s why many people do Benicàssim like a holiday: beach/shade by day, festival mode by night.
UK fans vs Spanish fans: the vibe (short + neutral)
FIB has always felt like a mix of travel festival and local Spanish summer event. In 2009 especially, the crowd had a strong UK presence because of the headliners, but the atmosphere was shared.
- Schedules: UK fans often do “festival at night, beach by day”, which fits Spanish summer hours well.
- Music tastes: UK travellers chase the big indie/rock names; Spanish fans often turn up hard for national acts and late-night stages too.
- Etiquette: Like any major festival, you get a mix — the best nights are when everyone respects the site and each other.
Bottom line: it’s a holiday-meets-festival crowd, so a bit of patience and respect goes a long way.
Benicassim 2009 lineup by day
These are the headline anchors by day, plus key names from the bill to set the scene.
Thursday 16 July 2009
OASIS
Also on the bill: Glasvegas, Mystery Jets, The Walkmen, The Coronas, Fangoria, La Bien Querida, We Are Standard.
Friday 17 July 2009
KINGS OF LEONPAUL WELLER
Also on the bill: Maxïmo Park, The Horrors, Boys Noize, Magazine, Fight Like Apes, Yuksek, Nacho Vegas, nudozurdo.
Saturday 18 July 2009
FRANZ FERDINAND
Also on the bill: Lily Allen, Elbow, Foals, Laurent Garnier, 2manydjs, Aeroplane, Peaches, Steve Aoki.
Sunday 19 July 2009
THE KILLERS
Also on the bill: TV on the Radio, Friendly Fires, White Lies, Lykke Li, Late of the Pier, The Psychedelic Furs, Catpeople.
Tip: older FIB posters often had more acts than most people remember — that’s why the A–Z grid and the archive links are handy.
Benicassim 2009 lineup A–Z (highlights)
This is a clean scan list of many acts associated with the Benicassim 2009 lineup. For the most complete archived breakdowns, use the archive links further down.
A–Z artist grid:
If you want to go deeper (rumours, confirms, stage notes), check the archive sources below.
What happened at Benicassim in 2009?
Who headlined Benicassim 2009?
The big headline run was Oasis (Thu), Kings of Leon (Fri), Franz Ferdinand (Sat) and The Killers (Sun).
What time did the music start?
Fans often described it as an evening start, then late-night headliners and DJ sets into the early hours.
Was there a dance tent / late-night electronic stage?
Yes — FIB has long been known for late-night electronic programming. In 2009, names like Laurent Garnier, 2manydjs and Boys Noize helped reassure the “dance fans” in the crowd.
Can you do FIB just for one headliner day?
You can, but the festival schedule runs late, so you’ll want to plan transport carefully (and book returns early if you’re leaving straight after a headline night).
Reader reviews & questions from 2009
These are cleaned-up highlights from old comment threads. They capture the hype, the debate, and the practical planning questions around the Benicassim 2009 lineup.
“Bought tickets already… do they have any dance acts at all? I like dance and stuff.”
Mr Moist (Feb 2009)“Is there a dance tent?? … I’m a massive drum n bass / dubstep / trance fan.”
Ajay (Apr 2009)“Starts at 5pm-ish… headliners around 9pm… big ones about 1am… goes on until the morning.”
Matt Vagg (Wales) (Mar 2009)“I’m planning on flying in just to see The Killers… what time do the main acts start/finish?”
Sheen (Mar 2009)“The festival goes on until 08:00 each morning and then the arena will be cleared.”
Woody Perez (Apr 2009)“Step over the drunks, walk away from the idiots… and concentrate on having the time of your life!”
OzzieBeth (Apr 2009)“How far is it from Valencia airport to the train… and is an airbed + sheet OK?”
Ami Evelyn (Mar 2009)“When is the rest of the line up being released?”
Hannah (Mar 2009)Want to add your own memory of FIB 2009? Drop a comment on the page and it can be added to this section.
Further reading & archives for FIB 2009
If you want the deepest archived breakdowns (including confirms and historical notes), these are useful starting points:
