Rate your Festivals, 2008!
- Thread starter William of Walworth
- Start date
i only went to one festival - endorse it - and thought it was great. my first festival in 10 years. last couple of times i'd gone were glastonbury 97 and 98 which were both very wet years and had put me off botehring going again. endorse it was very wet but i sitll had a great time.
oh, i also went to the o2 wireless festival in hyde park, the night morrissey was headlining, but wouldn't really count that as a festival - more of a big gig in a park and an advert for 02 phones.
oh, i also went to the o2 wireless festival in hyde park, the night morrissey was headlining, but wouldn't really count that as a festival - more of a big gig in a park and an advert for 02 phones.
foo
dirtysweet
i went to Endorse It and had a lovely time.
i wanted to wander around off my nut, watching people and bands. and i did just that.
being from Cambridge, i love Strawberry Fair - and always have a nice time (even if it's shit). i can see why people are put off it these days though.
edit: contrary to popular myth
i DID NOT get fiddly with firky at Endorse It. there was no foo n firks filth. we just spent the weekend mooching about together and having a laugh. he's a lovely lad and i'm very glad we had that memorable time togevva.
we bonded, shall we say
but just not with our genitals.
i wanted to wander around off my nut, watching people and bands. and i did just that.
being from Cambridge, i love Strawberry Fair - and always have a nice time (even if it's shit). i can see why people are put off it these days though.
edit: contrary to popular myth
i DID NOT get fiddly with firky at Endorse It. there was no foo n firks filth. we just spent the weekend mooching about together and having a laugh. he's a lovely lad and i'm very glad we had that memorable time togevva. we bonded, shall we say
but just not with our genitals.
Looby
Well-Known Member
Here are my ratings. Fully aware that we went to an unhealthily high number of festies this year, probably 2008 will turn out to be our most prolific year ever. To be cut down next year for £££ reasons.
Weather ratings not obligatory ...
---------------------------------------------
Weather and best band ratings, now also featuring best ofs/worst ofs generally:
Dragon (nearish Granada, Spain, March/Easter).
9/10 for weather, marked down for gales most of the afternoon and a sharp shower in the evening on the Saturday, but near-constant sunshine and quite warm mostly.
Best band : Can't remember!
Best aspects : A festival, in March, for free, spectacularly beautiful setting in a mountain valley, old school chaotic free festival atmosphere, Cider Bus (!) with great and eclectic/different sound system and live stage, multiple other sound systems, very veggie friendly and English language friendly, Traveller vehicle pron heaven.
Worst aspect : Lengthy journey to and from, not on next year.
Bearded Theory (Derbyshire, mid-May).
6/10 for weather (dry but very cold)
Best acts : Hobo Jones, Dreadzone Sound System.
Best aspects : Ultra-friendly crowd, lots of mates, generally faultless.
Worst aspect : Only a day long!
Small World (Kent, late May Bank Holiday w/e).
7/10 for weather, lots of daytime sunshine, and very warm, but plenty of rain at night too.
Best band : Chicken Shed Zeppelin.
Best aspect : Friendly, laid back, hippy vibe.
Worst aspect : No beer tent.
Kingston Green Fair (not Jamaica, Late May Bank Holiday Monday).
4/10 for weather (chilly, damp and no sunshine at all).
Best band : East of Ealing.
Best aspect : Lovely riverside setting.
Worst aspect : Terrible turnout because of the weather (has had 12,000 in hot years, this time barely 2,000).
Sunrise Celebration (near Yeovil, Somerset, late May)
0/10 for weather : flooded out and got cancelled!
Best aspect : Cancellation entitled us to go to Big Chill as compensation, see below.
Worst aspect : Downpours from hell before we even got on site!
Strawberry Fair (Cambridge, early June).
6.5/10 for weather (gains over the to-be-expected low score because of miraculous lack of rain, despite constant 100% thick cloud).
Best acts : AOS3 and Atilla the Stockbroker.
Best aspects : Free and old school, high dread and piercings and alternative types count, general friendliness, wonderful Green Corner, smashing beers in the second beer tent, Elm Tree nearby was real ale heaven after festival closed, Trashed City!
Worst aspects : Only lasted a day, crackdown on formerly tolerated onsite camping, landlord at the Fort St George (since SACKED) was a Strawberry Fair hating arsehole, reports of oppressive British Transport Police at the station.
Glastonbury (you know where, you know when).
9/10 for weather (despite Thursday night's and Friday's rain, gains hugely for rain being light, totally non-2007-like, and most of all for the totally unexpected warm sunshine on almost all other days, a forecast defier scores VERY high).
Best acts : Loads, but Leonard Cohen steals it.
Best aspects : Working there kept us on site for a week, views from expanded area on the new hill, Trash City spectacular at night, Cider Bus, Real Ale tent, backstage drinking/partying opportunities early on, no mud to speak of, everything else.
Worst aspects : Tent being turned over Sunday night -- nothing taken, but felt insecure and violated. Distance of carting tat between car and where we camped.
Workhouse (near Welshpool, mid Wales, early July).
5.5 to 6/10 for weather (lots of nighttime rain, and consequent mud galore, but plenty of daytime warm sun).
Best band : Weirdstring Band!
Best aspects : Alternative and hippy as hell, protest tent ran by Nine Ladies protesters, lovely beers from Oswestry up the road, Green Craft area was vehicle heaven, local landlord in New Inn in town very welcoming and friendly to festival folks and kept his beer well.
Worst aspects : Sound failed during Dreadzone stopping the gig early, Police roadblocks up the valley on Saturday, Weirdigans getting robbed.
Small Nations (Cylicwm, near Llandovery, SW Wales, mid July).
8/10 for weather (far better than expected, with no rain and some sun, not all that warm but the feared heavy rain in the forecast held off).
Best band : Bassekou Kouyate (genius ngoni player with band, superb).
Best aspects : Beautiful setting, laid back, relaxing.
Worst aspect : Really poor choice of food for veggies.
Camp Bestival (Lulworth Castle, Dorset, mid July).
8.5/10 for weather (loses for Friday evening's chilliness and rain, but otherwise sunny, warm and beautiful).
Best band : Not sure! Flaming Lips?
Best aspects : Beautiful setting, Groovy Movie picture house..
Worst aspects : Everything very expensive, vast numbers of ultra noisy kids, monstrous traffic holdups on way in, absence of any other paper on sale on Saturday and Sunday than the Times/Sunday Times.
WOMAD (Charlton Park, Malmesbury, Wilts., late July).
10/10 for weather (our only uncompromised full on scorcher of the summer).
Best band/acts : Chic, Toumane Diabete
Best aspects : Closeness of carpark to camping, excellently clean toilets, choice of ales in Real Ale tent, variety of food, variety of music, lovely shady woods between main arena and campsite, very friendly vibe overall.
Worst aspects : Heat was very severe near the middle of day, which deb found exhausting (I was OK with it!)
Big Chill (and Sunrise Celebration) (Eastnor Castle, Herefordshire, early August).
9/10 for weather (loses a point for Friday night's shortlived rain).
Best bands/acts : Pama International, Leonard Cohen, Jeffrey Lewis, African Headcharge.
Best aspects : Spectacularly beautiful site, Sunrise area, Cider Bus, views from up high, Disco Shed, special cakes on sale!
Worst aspects : Everything very expensive, security a bit arsey at times, absence of toilets and water where we camped (in furthest campervan/live in vehicle field), African Tribute to James Brown was boring self indulgent rubbish, severe shortage of real ale at bars, absence of newspapers.
Beautiful Days (Escot, Devon, mid August)
3.5/10 for weather, and only as high as that because Friday was nice -- otherwise a MUDBATH!).
Best bands : Tofu Love Frogs, Zion Train, Squeeze.
Best aspects : Cheap and lovely Otter ales, Pete Loveday's stall, Bimble Inn.
Worst aspects : all mud related, particularly the car parks.
Rhythm Festival (Twinwood Arena, nr. Bedford, late August).
7.5/10 for weather (would have been higher but for rain on Sunday and cloudiness on Friday).
Best act : Richie Havens, Steve Cropper and The Animals, Michelle Shocked.
Best aspects : Choice of old school quality music, wonderful new real ales in the new bar while they lasted
Worst aspects : Unexplained absence of the promised Groovy Movie Picture House, ludicrously early shut down on Sunday night
End of the Road (Larmer Tree Gardens, Dorset/Wilts. borders, mid September).
7.5 for weather (Friday rain and mud, but cleared up hugely on Saturday and Sunday).
Best acts : Loads, but the picks go to Robyn Hitchcock, Mercury Rev, Stephen Adams, Seabear.
Best aspects : Beautiful setting, everything thoughtfully organised and laid out, superb choice of acts, lovely veggie food stall near the entrance to the campsite, Cider Bus, Bimble Inn, friendly vibe.
Worst aspects : Shortage of newspapers, otherwise none apart from feeling ill towards the end. Oh, and we could have done with the Thali Cafe staying open for breakfast Monday morning (no biggie though).
Truly toe curling. You should get a job on a paper around xmas/new years when the journos fuck off and they rely on best of lists for copy.
do u actually enjoy these things or do u walk around with a clipboard ticking boxes?
Dhimmi
Half Man Half HobNob
Pirates v Redcoats Day, Chatham Historical Dockyard
An all dayer of piratical fun, lots of participation with hundreds of kids dressed as pirates joining forces with the reenactors to fight the redcoats, plenty of displays, and an on site microbrewery. Seven musket balls out of ten.
War & Peace, Beltring Hop Farm
Massive show with good weather this year, over 1200 vehicles, hundreds of stalls and plenty of bargains, and guest appearance from some E company veterans from Band of Brothers. Highlights included two Churchill tanks (one a funny), a fully restored and running 38t, and a barely running and rusty Lee Grant rescued from a firing range. Nine gasmasks out of ten.
Military Odyssey, Detling County Ground
Smaller than W&P but perfectly formed and friendlier. Highlights included WWI aviation display using ex-props from "Flyboys", German home front display, 2nd Battle Group stand, good laugh has by most who saw the German dealer (who like most of his compatriot charge incredible prices) trying to flog a "signed" Hitler photo in a bogus silver frame for a mere 20,000 Euro. Ten WMD's out of ten.
An all dayer of piratical fun, lots of participation with hundreds of kids dressed as pirates joining forces with the reenactors to fight the redcoats, plenty of displays, and an on site microbrewery. Seven musket balls out of ten.
War & Peace, Beltring Hop Farm
Massive show with good weather this year, over 1200 vehicles, hundreds of stalls and plenty of bargains, and guest appearance from some E company veterans from Band of Brothers. Highlights included two Churchill tanks (one a funny), a fully restored and running 38t, and a barely running and rusty Lee Grant rescued from a firing range. Nine gasmasks out of ten.
Military Odyssey, Detling County Ground
Smaller than W&P but perfectly formed and friendlier. Highlights included WWI aviation display using ex-props from "Flyboys", German home front display, 2nd Battle Group stand, good laugh has by most who saw the German dealer (who like most of his compatriot charge incredible prices) trying to flog a "signed" Hitler photo in a bogus silver frame for a mere 20,000 Euro. Ten WMD's out of ten.
geminisnake
a complex mass of conflicting ideas
Dhimmi, your festies sound best to me 
Moose, Wicker Man was a bit
this year apprently, sniffer dogs and heavy handed coppers. Spoke to a few folk at Solfest who weren't impressed.
Moose, Wicker Man was a bit
this year apprently, sniffer dogs and heavy handed coppers. Spoke to a few folk at Solfest who weren't impressed.
Dhimmi
Half Man Half HobNob
Dhimmi, your festies sound best to me
Well consider doing one next year, we have guests from all over... Russians and Yanks even, and a ton of Finns more recently. How far are you from Kent? W&P and MO both do the camping in a muddy field bit.
Post of the week.
Eva Luna
Well-Known Member
Dyou know what, fuck you man. William loves his festivals - oddly enough - thats what he's into, and I assume you have never heard the saying about how people that are mediocre at what they are into are interesting, but those that excel at their interest are fascinating? So bollocks. I dont know who you lot are trolling on this thread, blatantly have a go, but fuck off.
I preferred you when you were talking about your breasts.
2nd best post of the week.
moose
like some cat from Japan
Moose, Wicker Man was a bit
Folks say that every year about Wicker Man, oddly enough. And when there are no police they moan about bad drugs in circulation and rampant thieving
Some people just don't know how to keep their heads down and avoid trouble. 
Eva, thanks, truly, for that. This thread has been trolled a fair bit, but will continue all the same, cos people like talking about festivals and why the hell not, it's a fucking festivals forum, so can people who don't like festivals kindly get the fuck out of all this trolling and petty sniping (and in zed's case, openly boasting about his disruptiveness)?
I wouldn't have seen gabi's post had it not been quoted, but thanks for standing up for me anyway. I don't think he's ever posted a single think relating to me that hasn't been thoroughly unpleasant, that's why he's been on ignore long term.
Please keep the festival chat going folks, thankyou
I wouldn't have seen gabi's post had it not been quoted, but thanks for standing up for me anyway. I don't think he's ever posted a single think relating to me that hasn't been thoroughly unpleasant, that's why he's been on ignore long term.
Please keep the festival chat going folks, thankyou
Eva Luna
Well-Known Member
Forgot to say - there was a festival thing happening in Manchester the other week; we got on a train from Manchester where musicians were sitting in all the carriages playing their guitars and mandolins, kids shaking tamborines etc, then we all arrived in the Derby hills and went to the pub where there was an uniked set, and then we all caught the train back. Very unexpected but very good too. Beautiful up there too.
geminisnake
a complex mass of conflicting ideas
Dhimmi
Half Man Half HobNob
About 500 miles
I suspect I'd find a comfy settee or summat if I was coming down.
Blimey that's a way. And it'd have to be a period comfy sofa, they're very fussy about detail. I'm lucky with these of course just down the other side of Kent and just a hour from both. W&P is the world's largest WWII show and is a five dayer and MO is the world's largest cross period reenacting show and is three days.
Should you ever consider it pm me, be glad to guide you around.
You're a dick Will. Rate that.
pk
drink flounce rinse repeat
Course not.
I'm beginning to think Zed's some kind of fucked up basket case, maybe with some major disfigurement and a crushing lack of confidence, with his only social interaction being via the internet talking about saggy tits as though he's actually seen a pair of live tits being offered to him.
((((((Zed))))))
Actually, I feel no pity for him whatsoever, even if he is missing half his head.
It must have been something he did in a past life according to Glenn Hoddle.
editor
hiraethified
Even though it's been fun laughing at your pitiful, pathetic and increasingly desperate attempts to garner some kind of a reaction here with your piss-weak trolling, your hopeless pleas for attention are getting really boring now. And they're starting to mess up interesting threads.
No more pointlessly disruptive posts please.
Attachments
strange-fish
no decisions...
We are now back (well I am) Tort is still heading homewards, from Musicport - so his addition to this post will be forthcoming
As for me I just had a great summer and will have to try and remember which festivals I went to
There was lots and lots ....
Then I can add my comments too
As for me I just had a great summer and will have to try and remember which festivals I went to
There was lots and lots ....Then I can add my comments too
