aaamusic | On 13, Aug 2011

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Camp Bestival 2011

 

The fairy tale festival returns this year bigger and shinier than ever, with more glitz and glamour than a Disney film on speed.

 

CB opens its doors to all on Thursday this year, and by all accounts it looks as though everyone turned up at the same time.

There was a little waiting around in queues and a bit of hustle and bustle to find a mount for ones nylon palace. But once in (and over the hills) I had a bitchin’ pitch and cold beer in hand. And within 5 mins was joined by my chums.

And that’s what CB is all about, enjoying the atmosphere and having a stand up time with your nearest and dearest. So, that’s what we did.

 

Thursday is all about the catching up – check!

 

Friday is all about finding your feet and starting your groove slowly (but on a steady incline), chillin’ and checking out all that this top drawer of an event has to offer, and by the gods, this jewel in the festival crown has pretty much everything you could want…… in life!!

 

Foooooood is everywhere, from glorious specialties like fresh scallops to the festival staple burger-n-chips, the choice is vast and my stomach is now also vast, but we aint complaining – you know you’re onto a good thing when you have to seriously choose and debate about what to have for dinner at a festival…… damn you CB!!!!

 

Then there’s the issue of where to go and who to see. Now ladies and gentleman, you have a very major problem here – the festival area is a good size, and covers a fair old area. So, if you decide to have a saunter to the Poetry tent then you iz goin’ ti be at least 15mins walk away from da Big Top, given the crowd situation, the heat and the aching feet (from all the walking around to see great things going down). But try you must, as the Poetry tent is a proper hidden gem which kept me clued to my grassy spot for ages (that’s hours++ folks).

 

The Kids Field is a really great place, and has the feel of a Victorian grand day out crossed with a Turkish bordello, with an old style carrousel, a helter-skelter, face painting, fancy dress establishments, balloon doctors the list is pretty endless….. even a couple of very relaxed bars all kitted out with wall hangings, stuffed things, carpet and happy thoughts, even the toilets were groovy.

 

Musically there is lots, its good and its everywhere – very much like the food. There are some funky sounds thumping around the arena, which push me along gently to the Big Top. I am rather puzzled to see this tent rammed to bustin’ and then a few thousand standing outside….. my tiny melon is twisted and im unable to make any sense as to why all the girls here are going mental – and I mean ‘Beatles mania’ mental. Screaming their lungs our all over the place, flailing arms, tears before bedtime and more screaming. And who could this be for???…… well its all for midget ginger teeny bopper Ed Sheeran, with his midget guitar and his crusty street corner rantings……. mmmm, eh? anyway – the kids ‘ba-da da da da’ were luvin’ it.

 

We saw another strange character with small guitar bangin’ out old Nirvana covers in an ‘Ox-bridge-straw boater’ and stripy blazer to match. From there, onto the main stage to see a fine lady with a mad red feather type ensemble, sporting a fine Sonic Youth t-shirt……then onto ABC aka. 80’s swaying pop luvy’s fronted by (now weather beaten) crooner Martin Fry, who bats out well known favs’ ‘The Look of Love’, ‘Poison Arrow’ etc as well as a few not so well known’s from 82’s No.1 best selling LP ‘The Lexicon of Love’ – I know this cos I am as old as the flippin’ hills.

 

Blondie skips onto stage to a monsta’ crowd, we’re talking 20,000 strong (or there abouts), and gets stuck in with mucho gusto…… but for some reason known only to the Blondness, no photographers are allowed to take shots of her set……..so, we all gather our wears and head off to the big top in a hissy huff, with Rapture playing us out as we walk into the night and into a very different scene. The Big Top plays host to many genres over the weekend and tonight we head backstage and see a few familiar comedic faces – but off stage these faces aint doing any smiling, more over they look a bit unhappy… especially when fans approach. I don’t get it – fans doing fans things and famous persons not giving them a minute. Shame on you, you famous types (no names, but you know who you are).

 

But all is not lost cos we are right on time for the first Silent Disco. We doth our headphones and tune in, and then get our funk proper on. Just like everyone else. This is without doubt the place to be as the night draws in, we are having such a great time, meeting new people, drinking a bit, taking photos and dancing like the sad old farts that we are (or like I am). It is now 03:00am and time for bed – but just enough time to get some hearty scoff.

 

Saturday comes alive with smells of cheese on toast and a hot chocolate. Things get going well early here at CB with a whole variety of shows, stories and things for all the kids (and grown ups) to get involved with. I head yet again fore the poetry tent and once again I’m not disappointed. I sit for 30mins soaking up the yarns, but feel I could stay here for hours… it really was THAT good. Shrek makes an appearance looking a little hot under the collar, but is in good form and sings a few numbers, farts a lot and makes a lot of smiles stay on a lot of faces.

 

The day is hot, and there is a lot going on. I’m a bit deflated as this is the day when we are all supposed to be in our fancy dress (I was a knight), but there aren’t many others. But we try, and so do our hosts and we get a shout out from sexy pop princes Eliza Doolittle, who although not in Medieval fancy dress, was in a state of diss-dress in a very colourful 2 piece number – we all agreed that she looked smashin’!

 

I bide my time and hover around waiting in anticipation for old American/Irish hip (replacement) hoppers House of Pain to take sail on the main stage. And they do, sporting an array of offensive tattoo’s, some choice language, a Shephard Fairey guitar no less and 15,000 half drunk middle aged dads going ape shit. T’was a sight to behold. But not half as good as Mark Ronson and all his massive amount of show biz buddies who graced the punters with some brilliant covers, each taking a turn to give us a different take on the Ronson experience….. we liked this very much.

 

We duck in and out of tents throughout the day, catching shows, workshops, free food! and karaoke with special guests – I enjoyed to the max. Then off to the silent disco, where we were joined by our hosts and a few very special buddies from years gone by.

 

Sunday…… well, after the events from the previous evening, we are having a bit of a hard time getting our collective heads cleared enough to move, and get some sustenance. Eventually, we muster and continue on our merry way. First port of call, main stage for some Katy B action – her happy, bouncy entrance makes me feel just a little shaky, but I brush off the cob webs and carry on. The rest of the day is spent getting our bodies back to normality and waiting patiently for lanky Scottish Andy McGee lovely, Bobby Gilespie and his band to throw some 90’s beats and sultry vocals in our general direction and we cant get enough, we find the smallest of spaces and trot around in small circles with arms aloft in a 90’s bez stylee and get our dance-adelica on.

 

The night is full of drinks and dance, and some take to it a little too easily, knowing full well I will have a thick head in the morning. And thick it was.

 

Nevertheless, we graciously bow down to out amazing hosts and for this, the 4th year, say many thanks guys – you really have out-done yourselves. This is one of the best festivals around and the only festival that can offer that ‘Disney’ like fairy tale feeling day and night.

 

Thanks to all at Get Involved (Aiden and Bruce, I’m owe you many pints), see you soon, for Bestival!!!

 

 

Author & Photos: Dave Livingstone