Bestival 2010

Bestival 2010

So a week ago I was jumping around to Chase and Status – just prior to “carnage” (as ordered by C&S) and our wine going AWOL in the resultant mosh pit. Now I’m watching X Factor. From the ridiculous to the sublime…

Another September another Bestival. After instructing our pitch holders to save us a place Debs and I make our way south to Portsmouth for the ferry to the Isle of Wight. Aboard on the poop deck we spy Scroobius Pip with a fine young mate and go up to wish him luck and ruin his chances of a romantic cruise. Off the ferry we boost our karma by giving a lift to 2 young girls who were wandering out of the port vainly looking for a bus stop to take them to Robin Hill Park. The car park is closer to the camp fields this year so less lugging of luggage. Thanks Bestival. More karma by helping 2 young lads get extra booze into the place (no readmission with booze) – or would that be a negative karma? Meet up with our regular posse Ramsay, Jo, Mark and Claire. And on to DANS LE SAC VS SCROOBIUS PIP. Big crowd and went down a storm. They lose something in playing to a larger crowd but certainly worked them so very impressive. Loved them as usual. Scroobius had recommended Gil Scott Heron when we saw him and ever open to new experiences (tho I have a vague feeling I saw him at Glastonbury in the 80s) we hung around to spend 5 minutes listening to some old man rambling and headed off to the Big Top for the delights of DELPHIC. Electronic and danceable – if the 80’s had lasted 15 years this is what electronic dance would have morphed into. Excellent all round and Debs showed a taste in electronic music I’d not known (forgotten?) about. Having got our dancing shoes on we head back to Main Stage to see SIMIAN MOBILE DISCO who did the business but aren’t the end of the musical evolutionary chain. Then HOT CHIP come on. They did a great set despite one of them being present on a video screen (just had a kid I think) so lifted us up for the Friday night ahead. After wandering around sampling the little tents and diversions we wander past Dizzie Rascal but having heard Bonkers 1000 times carried on to the ARCADIA area with Debbie to see amazing fire exploits with circus performers and dancers and an amazing duo who seemed to have lightning coming out of their suits and going from one head to another. A great end to our first night and time to wander back through the whole caboodle to the tents and our noisy neighbours.

Saturday. Woken by the dawn chorus. The Reading Lads next door with tales of their exploits from yesterday. Still dry although looks murky out there… After coffee (sorry no tea Jo) we all get into our Fantasy Fancy Dress. Debs and I are Little Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf. Debs is very cute in red cloak, short tartan skirt and silver docs. I’m very fetching in old lady nightie and furry hands and feet (well I think so, no one else seemed to – see the photos for your opinion). Ramsay and Jo are got up in Steam Punk outfits – very impressive especially as Jo put them together. Set off with a lovely white top hat on Ramsay’s bonce (later to inevitably hit the mud). Mark and Claire showing off their slinky bodies in purple scaly body suits also made by Jo – previously modelled by Ramsay and Jo on the Friday. Off into the fray! And immediately stop for breakfast in a pizza tent – where we stay for a while as the heavens open and the quagmire appears. Once rain stops we slosh on our way to the main drag. First up HURTS – last seen in a Leeds church. Another electronic band with great soaring vocals – an immediate favourite with Debbie. Wander out of the Big Top really fired up and end up catching the last few songs of ROLF HARRIS – after positively avoiding the big man at a number of Glastonburys I found him surprisingly entertaining with his wobbly board. Wandering around the Main Stage / Big Top area into various bar tents larking about and eyeing up the competition for the costume first prize. Catching bits of the Wailers and Cornershop but nothing grabs us until Ramsay pushes into the Big Top for EVERYTHING EVERYTHING where we catch up with Jason, Steve and friend (sorry no name love! –Ramsay pls insert here!). Whilst competent enough, I’m afraid Rams, just a band. Off from noise to the truly sublime DARWIN DEEZ at the Arcadia stage. Brilliantly quirky, innovative, dancey and fun (note, previous bands seen since Rolf). Lots of running around to backing tracks, synchronised dancing in a weird Talking Heads sort of way (who they remind me of now I think of it) and fighting. And that was only the band! SEE THEM!! Right, we’re up up up now and ready for anything anything. Just about everyone recommends Mumford and Sons so we head to them denying ourselves the various dance tent pleasures en route. Under par folkies – just pop down to yer local Irish pub on a Friday night for a better time. Sorry but it was flat for me. Maybe it did instill a bit of country nostalgia in me and Debs cos we head to the Gaymers cider area to kick back in genuine deck chairs (not bloody camping chairs) to sup pear and apple cider and listen to the sounds watching the world go by. Lovely! Having caught up with the others we roll up for ROXY MUSIC. I wasn’t going to see them but Debbie persuaded me (and the others) to give the old man a chance. Classic! Really good sound, cool and sophisticated as you’d expect. Rocking sound with great backing singers (every one a diva), old time sax, 2 drummers and psychedelic 70’s guitarist. Really enjoyed it with great visuals. And the man himself was the picture of cool from start to finish. A really great build up to the visual and performance extravaganza that is the FLAMING LIPS. After a great build up carrying on the psychedelic theme the band enter the stage from a ladies nether region and then the main man travels over the audience in an inflatable ball. Another great rocking set with enough streamers to power a thousand kiddies parties. Certainly got the crowd on side and left us gagging for more. As they came off Ramsay insists we go to see the Hawkwind-does-punk (allegedly) ARCHIE BRONSON. They were pretty good but no threat to either Wattie or Dave Brock. Good for some head banging riffs tho. And Ramsay pulls me into the middle for some jumping up and down – we get an appreciative comment from a young girl who likes our 2 man mosh pit. Easy impressed are these young innocents. After we get to sit on a bed outside the R&R stage and chill for a while. Then wander back along the main drag which is starting to dry up to queue jump into Sailor Jerrys. Extreme noise terror beforehand – must be my old age but it was painfully loud. THE ERRORS started us off with a lot of white noise and then into great dance music. Debbie had had enough ear ache and left but I hear them out with Ramsay and Jo. Wander past the festivities and madness to Arcadia for AUDIO BULLYS and some heavy beats and ravey sounds and after the last bit of dancing we drag our weary legs plus added mud back homeward past the deserted stages and packed bars. Sweet Sleep…

Ah, Sunday. The day of rest and contemplation. Gloriously sunny as befits the day’s name the mud is baking nicely so after a quick trip up hill to the local conveniences (all very clean I must say) I scrounge a tea bag for Jo and it’s strong coffees and one tea all round. We’re on the last lap, we’re not encumbered by crazy clothing and the genuine Hawaii shirt Debs bought me looks just the ticket in this heat. Set off by my new but muddied Cherry Reds*and my quiff I look like a belligerent surfer from the 50’s looking for trouble. Or maybe Fat Boy Slim with longer hair. [*classic Docs]. Anyway, all in our civvies we head out for the final effort of the festival summer. Up the big hill to chill out and contemplate the lives of the throngs about us, and to catch up on the sport in the Sunday papers, as is the custom in these parts. Down the hill we take in the scenes including passing the unholy Cuban Brothers. Off to the R&R stage for more electronic dance in the form of MONARCHY. They were a bit boy band ish – well as much as you’d get here – but good nevertheless and a good way to set us up for the dance fest to come. But before that we have the little matter of the classics delivered by ECHO AND THE BUNNYMEN. Seemed a bit out of place somehow but went down very well and sounded great. Next up is the blast from the past (the big one) that is Le Freak, c’est CHIC, freak out! featuring Nile Rodgers. The set was a barnstorming run through of 70s and 80s floor fillers (ah, memories of the simple innocent pleasures of funk, disco and punk at the Bath YMCA disco), soul classics led by the 2 diva singers and a medley of Nile produced hits like produced Bowie’s Let’s Dance and Madonna’s Like a Virgin. By the end even Ramsay was grooving as if he was 30 years younger spotty teenager. Debs and I were dragged somewhere I’ve forgotten by Ramsay (fill in please) and then back to main stage for the younger focussed sounds of CHASE & STATUS. Full of over exuberant kids with some really heavy hitting sounds and pared down beats culminating in a call from the stage for “carnage” which there certainly was. The 6 of us drawn into a local mosh pit and in the melee our wine bladder went AWOL – although at the end Jo managed to find it mud encrusted and empty. Debs and I hang around for PRODIGY which I was really looking forward to. They were competent enough and pushed out the hits and new stuff. Seemed to be lacking a certain edge but maybe that was the time of day (9 ish) and we were a fair way back. Wander to the side to sit down then back to the Gaymers cider tent to relax, fill up on pear cider and watch the spectacular fireworks and massive bonfire. Lots of lovely people there and after the usual late night conversations me and Debs go off to find the others at the Big Top and FEVER RAY. Weird stuff certainly and not my cup of tea, or Debs' so go for another wander. Back again and catch the last of Arthur Baker and then the culmination of the weekend with LCD SOUNDSYSTEM who certainly are not losing their edge. Cramming in the last bit of dance of the weekend Debs and I fail to hitch up with the others (rammed tent) and reluctantly leave having seen what may well be the last time I see James Murphy in this incarnation. Back to the tent then after a brilliant festival with great tunes and better company with the usual suspects. Up early for a smooth journey back home over the waters – and before I know it I’m buying early bird tickets for BESTIVAL 2011!!