Evening Folly. Thursday sees me and Simon driving west through a few heavy showers but as we arrive at the Larmer Tree Gardens in Dorset the rain has eased off and we easily park and lug our kit to the wristband exchange. We're here for End of the Road and true to form Simon can't find his ticket (remember the Malta passport shenanigans?) Soon enough we find Jon and Scottie and space to put our tents up and then Ramsay and Jo return to camp and we all say our hellos and how you doings it's been a while. We catch someone on the Woods stage who seems to think they are headlining EOTR but we head to the Folly for a couple of bands one of which was definitely Getdown Services who were very entertaining in a cut down English Goldie Looking Chain sort of way. The kids loved them though. Gratuitous anti-London jibe so obviously have a chip on their shoulders there. We end up at the indie disco but after a few songs turn in to bed. Torrential rain in the night with added lightning.
Boating. Friday morning is cool but sunny. It doesn't last. We go to the Boat stage to see a few mediocre (being kind) bands. Then on to the Garden to see The Orchestra (For Now) who play a great set of what I guess you'd call South London Post Punk neo prog jazz - or to simplify things what some are now calling the Windmill Scene although how anything can pigeon hole the vast array of music put on at that venue it's ridiculous to call it a "scene" or if it is it's impossible to know what music it refers to. Mind you I'm as guilty as anyone for lazy comparisons as anyone reading this will see. Anyways, TOFN ease us excellently into the festival at what is the nicest looking stage. As I wander past the Big Top I am taken in by a banging electronic dance sound and wander in to dance about to Dame Area on my own. Well, along with a couple of thousand others who I don't know. Back at the Garden a celebration of the Incredible String Band is unsurprisingly dull and at the Boat Jackie-O Motherfucker are worse and don't merit bold type. We all meet up at Goat who put on their usual weird rocking set (sub Hawkwind) which tires somewhat so Simon and I wander to the Folly where we catch a whimsical but engaging set by Chastity Belt. Then we are all together again for a great dance set by Caribou at Woods. All back to the Boat for a good old boogie along with a few hundred others courtesy of DJ Tom Ravenscroft where we dance with and chat to and hug those around us. The hugging due to a Dutch guy wearing a "hugger" T shirt (in Dutch). We sort of lose each other then and having spent 10 minutes listening to a repetitive beat, and not a good one, at the Big Top with Ramsay and Jo I wander around eventually dropping in at the Folly to catch a secret after hours set by C.O.F.F.I.N which is a hard rock set summed up by their AC/DC cover and an excellent way to end the evening. I get back about 3.
Gardening. Another bright early morning but the rain soon comes in and doesn't really stop all day. At least it's dry for The New Eves who we could hear from the tent. I was on my own and in passing thought that they were great and stayed for the set not realising that Simon had also wandered over and was on the other side of the audience. They play a great punky set that reminds me of The Slits and The Raincoats. The quirky music, shouty then sung lyrics and a violin and being an all woman band I guess influences that thought but they did sound like those with a bit of anarcho punkiness thrown into the mix. A great start to the day and as I didn't know them before I consider a highlight of the weekend. I was on my way to see TVOD just cos of the name so I arrive after they start and find Ramsay and Jo grooving to their hard rock rap neo RATM set. Another good one. Then the real reason I went to the Big Top which is to see a great set by Mary in the Junkyard that seems to be a bit harder and rockier than previous times that I've seen them. Difficult for me to make my usual lazy comparisons here but they have a great quirky offbeat sound that is very engaging. Great musicians including violin and great vocals. Go see. At the Garden in the rain we see Personal Trainer who are a Dutch outfit sounding like 1970s rock reminding me of Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel but a bit more MOR. Entertaining nonetheless (I do like SH&CR so it's a compliment). By this time I'm soaked and retire to the tent for a nap, well, it was a late night. Back up and on it to see a great set by Geordie Greep at the Garden (getting wet). He's continued his jazzy path but with great musicians who often sound like they have gone down an improv route. It's richer than when I've seen him live since black midi and dare I say it he's gone a bit proggie and guitar heroish although in a Zappa style so excellent live. Maybe the nearest to Zappa doing the rounds? Jon thinks John McLaughlin and the Mahavishnu Orchestra which is very worrying for me (to admit liking anything near that but back home I listen to JMMO and not anything like The Greep). Next up at the same stage are the Viagra Boys who I usually love watching and they start really well but after a couple of what seem like standard rock songs Simon and I slink off to catch the end of Self Esteem which I really enjoy as a closure to the evening. Well, a bit of fannying about after but nothing to write home about and in bed before 1. It's been a long wet day.
Ending. Last day and it's brighter than yesterday. A couple of heavy cloud bursts but not consistent and it brightens up in the late afternoon. Simon and I go for a morning wander and at the Folly catch a great band. Theatre are an Irish band with a fantastic vocalist who has a great range both in scales and dipping between near shouting and beautiful singing. Sounds the nearest to Siouxsie that I've heard for a long time and that is praise indeed. The band are great too playing a mix of upbeat rocking tunes and drifting into more ethereal swirly vibe descending into a gothic shoegaze. So they sound like the Banshees then. And as Siouxsie and the Banshees are one of the most brilliant and innovative bands to come out of the British punk scene Theatre are well on their way to becoming big I should think. After that Simon and I take a wander ending up at the Boat where there is a packed crowd to see Gina Birch & the Unreasonables. Difficult to pigeon hole Gina but to be very lazy a post Raincoats weirdness with some standard reggae and post punk thrown into the mix. Having 2 bass guitars on stage is an obvious plus point and it's a great set. Gina likes to chat and comes over very modest and frank. On parting she says that she still hasn't learnt to play the guitar but she can play the bass more that well. 4 strings good 6 strings bad as I think Orwell wrote. Simon loved it too. Then off to the Folly to see Adult DVD which is on all our Clashfinder lists. A great jumpy energetic set getting the packed venue jumping. Well, not those of us with a dodgy knee but I won't go into that. Squid play a great set at Woods and it's a lovely evening with the sun going down and not having to wear waterproofs (which turn out not to be). We're all together again so have a couple of drinks at the bar which we really haven't done enough of this weekend. Chat in a relaxed way I mean - not drink pints. We part ways and Simon and I opt for Black Country, New Road as our last band of the weekend. It's a great way to finish as they put on a cracking set of rock jazz folkiness Straight Outta Windmill, although they were linked to that scene they started in Cambridge I believe. If I remember right last time I saw them I wondered if they had lost a bit after one of their members left and if they'd gone a bit folky. But tonight was a good mix of styles. All great musicians and they keep you on your toes. A great end to the weekend and Simon and I wander back to the tent. The only thing left to drink is the end of the gin watered down with blackberry (picked at the Boat by Simon) juice water so I only have a few swigs. I am driving early tomorrow and it's tomorrow already. Simon goes a wandering and I turn in.
Homebound. Monday is dry (a couple of showers are not worth mentioning given the rain we've had) and we pack up and drive off easily seeing our first rainbow of the weekend. An easy trip back to the big smoke. Some great bands and a few dodgy ones but I guess not every band will bend to my musical will. Sadly didn't get to see Becky, again, and although bumped into Simon it was at the toilet queue and we thought we'd see each other again. Oh, lots of compliments about my Snooper T shirt so I think I win the prize for best dressed man in our party. Great to catch up with everyone. Although good to be home and watch the rain pour down against the window pane - rather than seeping through my mac or dripping into my tent.
