So, the kids are back to school, the summer rains have finished, there’s a healthy nip in the air, the bike lights are needed early evening and the 5-a-side footie needs floodlight. It must be time for BESTIVAL!!
Yippee – the last blast of the summer festivals and the ferry is beckoning. So a quick jaunt down the A3 on the Friday and an examination of the line up times brings us to the site… no traffic and the sun is shining. Bliss. Thanks to Ramsay who sent the line up to me – he can’t make it but says his kidney (brother) may be there so we contact him and get directions via flags, cranes and burger bars to where he’s camped. Roll up and say our hellos to Mark and Clare (only see them at festivals!)… and then we hear a booming “Hey, Jimbo and Debbie!!” – and would you believe it but Ramsay and Jo pop out of the next tent to smother us in beery breath. A perfect start… Tent up and no time to catch our breath before the residents attempt to drag us to band number one but Debs and I resist for a few minutes chilling out in the sunshine – sipping wine watching our new young neighbours put their tents up giving handy hints like “you don’t want to stamp on the pegs – use a mallet” (no better occupation than that!)
Then to hit the bands. Won’t give a full review of each as may have legal action taken by the professionals (Julia?!) but a listing and flavour – more details can be commissioned at below NUJ rates :-)
First up Passion Pit – got the kids going and new to us – very bouncy intro into the festival to whet our appetites, will have to check them out again. Main stage has moved this year so most big stages in one area. Jury is out on whether better than not. After that meet up with the guys again at the Big Top (inside) to see the Horrors (better than at Glastonbury – seemed more up beat - or maybe that was me?). Then back to main stage for Florence and the Machine. Not very impressive – sound seems pretty poor if the wind’s blowing and you’re not 10 yards from the speaker stacks – not sure if I’ve got bored of them before I’d got to see them as was looking forward to it. Back to the Big Top for a band that will ALWAYS impress – Dans le Sac vs Scroobius Pip. See last year’s review. Awesome and big audience all in love with them. Nip back to tent for evening supplies of booze then back to main stage to see disappointing sets by MGMT and Massive Attack – both seemed low key and so did the audience – only the best known stuff seeming to get much reaction. Wandered off to the dance tents area and bopped in the Bollywood Bar then meandered past the Arcadia dance extravaganza and so home to bed.
Saturday. Woken with a clear head and clearer skies. Broken night with all those bloody youngsters partying all night but hey – too many to shout at so decided to live and let live… Fancy dress day today so much time spent by Jo fashioning matching space cadet hats for us all (very useful so’s don’t get lost) with fetching red trim. The prizes would be in this order in my opinion (reverse of course). Mark gets the wooden spoon (spray it silver for next time!) – looked good in the hat but not a lot more. Jim – slightly more effort by wearing an old dressing gown with white mouse pinned to it (and peanuts that were appreciated at the Klaxons) but in no danger of getting my photo in the Bestival Bugle for best costume. Clare in a very fetching dark silvery cat suit, but donated by Jo so pipped by Debbie (no bias there from me, honest) in her Spaceman at Tescos T shirt, sexy short tartan skirt and even sexier clumping big silver docs. Ramsay probably begrudgingly deserves 2nd place as he went to some effort to buy a spaceman suit on Ebay – the all over face helmet looked good until it steamed up after he gazed at the girls in their costumes for too long. First was Jo – not least because she made all the hats on the spot. It’s like camping out with a Blue Peter presenter. Another fetching outfit fashioned from spare insulating material from their shed. All in all we looked the part as we strutted and stumbled into the main drag looking like a motley crew of space hitchers who happened to have stumbled upon each other in the outer reaches of the galaxy.
Jim Beam tent first up for Blue Roses (I think?) a relaxing intro to the day then meet up with our neighbours Eve and Asif and friends for an early afternoon drink, very sophisticated. Well, as much as you can get within earshot of Goldie Looking Chain singing that your mothers got a penis. Much meandering about following that and then roll up for a couple of feel good festival acts perfect for singalongs in the sun sandwiched around a not so feel good band. Namely, Mika giving a great performance – love him or hate him (and some do! – we couldn’t drag our camp mates along) he gives it his all and seems happy! Then inside the big top to meet our chums for Michachu and the Shapes. Great at Glastonbury (twice) but with a new set list and the mandolin playing front girl having bleached hair they seem to have lost their attraction. Maybe being inside and venue too big? Back outside in the sun and the ever reliable Lily Allen belting out a great performance looking extremely attendable with a little short white number (oh god, strayed from NME to Vogue here). Highlights were the camp buddies enjoying it so much (converts?) and the ode to the BNP. And the professionalism in still belting out lyrics when the sound failed twice – never mind – gave us all a chance to sing to Lily.
So, from one great lyricist to another. Just Jack. In a smallish Red Bull sponsored tent that was fairly roomy as he comes on. One of the highlights of the festival (as was his Glastonbury performance when Debbie was converted). The tent got packed with more folk outside than inside – just me and Debs from our space crew at first. The man himself mentioned the small tent a couple of times and said he needed a bigger stage – but with that grin on his face you knew that half of him was thinking how great must this be for the ones inside the tent. And how right was he! Storming performance with great band and girl singer. The classics that made us smile (he doesn’t stop), laugh, weep and leap up and down wildly. Ramsay and Jo joined us and became instant converts. The whole place loved him and wouldn’t stop cheering – he had a smile like the Cheshire cat on him. People who hadn’t seen him before said how blown away they were. GO AND SEE HIM!
Then back to the main stage and right by the speakers for the Klaxons preceded by the outrageous Cuban Brothers filling in. Very surprised they didn’t dress up but maybe they’re just making the point that they usually do and won’t at a fancy dress themed festival. Banging set – perhaps a bit too head banging as some thought a little too much like heavy metal. But that just added some spice for others of us. Some sort of cryptic words about not playing again that I didn’t quite make out – but I hope not as great live band. Waited around listening to a great DJ set by Underworld then Kraftwerk. Most cadets lasted about 2 songs (Mark and Clare stay) before heading off for chips and listen from afar. Off to Bollywood for a quick dub step session from Benga. Heat forces Debs and I out from tent for another spot of late night wandering about watching the nonsense around us. Then to bed.
Sunday. Last day. Clare goes off for a shower – we snigger when she says she’ll be back soon. Then surprised when she’s back in 30 minutes. But with a ticket saying she could have a shower in 2 hours – after 200 others. Mark and Clare wander off first having got into gear then the other four of us wander up to the big hill where the Womens Institute tea room is (ridiculous queues!) We nosh and drink listening to a band stand early Sunday afternoon type of band (The Medicine I think). Wander through the woods back to the main drag and see Vietive (?) whilst lounging in the sun then to see Kitty Daisy and Lewis (complete with their mum and dad I think) for a bit of old school skiffle / rock and roll and a bit of boogieing. When it gets a bit calypso-y Debs and I join the others for Delphic – a New Order-ish band who impressed me and Debbie a lot. Back to the small Red Bull tent for another crammed band – Eat Static old school rave with lots of squeekies. Then see Ramsay and Jo for photo opportunities leaping up in front of a great space mural, hubble telescope like. Note to Ramsay – photoshop our beer guts out of the pics before distribution.
After a wander back “home” to get warm clothes and liquid supplies we’re back to the main stage for the Doves. Same place in front of speakers for maximum treat. They were great – engaged with the audience, great music and very rousing way to head towards the final showdown. Then a couple of heavy beat / dancey bands (The Big Pink and The Field) that pushed us further towards the climax. Then, with a 30 minute time window before Squarepusher on the same stage, Ramsay persuaded us to hot foot it all the way to the end of the dance drag and see the fireworks. As always they are late (when are they never?) and Ramsay’s sweating. Then – there’s something happening! A strange play atop a large wooden structure involving some bloke who gets naked then goes into the middle of the stack in a rocket (aren’t they meant to go up?). Then the fireworks which are very spectacular (happens to be the theme this year) and the biggest of bonfires – can feel the heat a long way back. Then it’s off back to Squarepusher tent shuffling along with a LOT of other people. We get there just as the main man himself has hit a crazy dance session with unbelievable bass over the electronic noise and a live drummer. That’s one view. Debs’ is that it’s morse code on acid. Good name for a band but not one that she’d want to see. Ever! After a while of mad dancing he goes off then back on for the first encore we’ve been treated to this weekend. Bit less of the dance and more of the banging bass and weirdness so Debs and I leave. Debs goes back to tent, I stay out eat then go back to see Ramsay and Jo back there already. So, quietish end to the festival but need to get up early. And did we! So, all that’s left was good byes to our neighbours and to each other. Tell Mark and Clare to visit London – otherwise it’ll be the festival season next year! Wish Ramsay and Jo good journey back to Leeds and see them at Bruce’s or some time soon. Then we leave each other at the organic toilets and Debs and I trudge up the hill. Past the entrance (sans cute sniffer spaniels) and into the car park field. 15 minutes of trying to find the car we realise it’s in the next field. Phew! A good journey home on the early ferry and now sitting at Chez Wood drinking tea and detoxing…
For slightly more informed reviews of the bands and pictures contact Ramsay – thanks for introducing us to so many great bands. Again. For immaculate space suits contact Jo – thanks for the hats. Thanks to Mark and Clare for consistently good times at festivals with cheery smiles and a generousity of spirits (especially odd NZ vodka?!). (Ramsay – pls forward this to them). And thanks to Debs, for putting up with my night time stealing of duvet, waking her up to relieve myself (bladder, getting out of the tent – not the type of relief you’re thinking Bruce) and for forcing her to drink cider…
Oooh Arrr!!
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