Blondie fights for the right to party on opening day of Camp Bestival
Camp Bestival 2011 review
Friday 5th August 2011
There is little to do on a camp site where conservative neighbours resent music gently played from a mobile phone and quiet conversation, so many fun-loving folk may find their only comfort in booze. Starting off Friday's proceeding with a quick shot of sublime Circus from the Flying Seagull Project, who only ask a small donation for their child entrancing performance, we soon realise they are not only a worthwhile charity doing oodles of good for fringe communities, but a good bit of respite for hungover parents.
Once recovered, our gang head over for Caitlin Rose on the main stage. Famed for her drinkin', smokin' and swearin, it's hard to imagine the banter this Southern Belle will have with the moderation crowd, and indeed her usual spark seems markedly absent from this set. Trotting in with 'Save Me', and the ever engaging ' New York', Rose gets the audience's attention but strives little to make any connection during slower numbers such as 'Coming Up' and the wonderfully wistful 'For the Rabbits'. Ever vocally impressive, she strolls through the steel pedal guitar heavy 'Own Side Now' picking up pace for 'Shanghai Cigarettes' and the powerful duet 'Young Blood'. Sadly, 'Sinful Wishing Well' seems lost on an early day, sober crowd who may have lost the subtleties and strength of the songs due to her detachment.
While the Zingzillas clear the rest of the site for their depressing commercial draw and inevitable poor show, packing out the Little Big Top with hopeful kids and pushy parents, the Kids Big Top hosts a range of circus skills sessions. Castle Field holds a bit of light relief in the form of Middle Class Sounds, whose travelling dub reggae sound system trips out subtle tunes for those enjoying River Cottage's fare, with a chance to join in if you have an improvisation to share or a thought to express. Full of humour and nicely easy going.
Sending the masses swarming for the stage, Clare Maguire brings a polished pop set to the Camp Bestival throng. Clearly, touring with The Script has given the Irish songstress some guts, visible as she holds a festival crowd, evoking the strong stance of Tina Turner. Her wardrobe has also been given the glamour touch and she sweeps around the stage in a red fringed cape, her raven black hair flowing, like some kind of Cher soundalike brunette bat, thankfully with no fishnet unitard. She's very visually engaging, and can sure belt out a tune.
Highlights include 'Save The Last Dance' and a very energetic rendition of new single 'Mess You Round'. It's rare for an audience to take to a fresh tune so well, but the power of Maguire's voice injects the skies of Camp Bestival with pure sound, carrying on through 'Lights Out' and into the breakthrough track 'Shield And The Sword'. The backing is strong and tight, but sadly few live touches are added to the set. These are definite singalong numbers, better received by popular music consumers and Rose is worth a look for her cover of Anthony and the Johnsons' 'Hope There's Somebody'.
Hurdling the ever present barrier of hire buggies bearing weary sprogs, we stride over to the Big Top for Alessi's Ark's much quieter performance. Ever endearing in a pale frock, she opens with 'The Dog' which hints at a sexual undertone present in many of her tinkly tunes, perhaps the observation of a dirty old mind. 'I Must Have Grown' picks up the pace, making good use of a steady drummer and juxtaposing such a soft voice with driving percussion, ending with a folky finish. Nice.
The country folk vibe remains and most songs are short, but build atmosphere and depth, the pinnacle of which comes in the excellent 'Woman', which is both lyrically entrancing and hypnotic with its plucked pace. Beautiful. A cover of Leslie Gore's 'Maybe I Know' follows. It's well delivered and keeps a healthy, upbeat feel to the afternoon.
Battling for a place in the crowd, we join the buzzing throng for Blondie's headline set on the Main Stage. From front to back, those gathered are in excellent spirits and the traditional 'O Yeas' of the appointed Town Crier build the audience up as the band take to the stage.
'Union City Blue' immediately gets the more knowledgeable fans leaping around in suitable Mum and Dad dancing style, and Debbie Harry's dress sense seems to have changed little since those orange boilersuit days. The drums of 'Dreaming' hammer in and carry us into a storming rendition of 'Atomic', capped with some spectacular guitar twiddling. An early choice to adopt small, jerky dance moves has served Debbie Harry well, and she seems as cool and crisp as ever, covering the notes that now elude her with a graceful, assertive spoken tone. Brilliant. The set threatens to become a 'Best of' show, but is rescued by new song 'Mother' which, despite initial squirms from our camp, delivers and manages to keep the feel of old Blondie. More of the same but nobody here seems to want any different.
The iconic 'Hanging On The Telephone' sees a costume change and engages the younger attendees, who go completely nuts for Harry's half-sung, half-spoken delivery. 'Call Me' is greeted with an ecstatic response, and the whole place seems behind this band, who respond with equal gusto busting out vocals and instrumentals to put contemporary acts to shame. 'Maria' is dedicated to 'the girls' and 'The Tide Is High' gives us all a sweaty breather and a chance to dance along to its reggae beats. Its a brave man's endeavour to reach the front at this point and the rear of the crowd becomes a dance floor for 'Rapture'. Initial cringing in anticipation of the 'rap' section subsides as Harry brushes aside the follies of youth and delivers a more mature tone, still plenty of eating cars though...
Staggeringly, the band then take on Beastie Boys 'You've Gotta Fight For Your Right to Party' and succeed, a short and sweet delivery with passion and energy no one could argue with. 'Heart Of Glass' prompts a chorus of falsetto wailing from men and women alike, the lead singer's vocal many not be as pure, but the audience cover it as I'm sure was predicated by the well-oiled machine that is Blondie. 'One Way Or Another' raucously closes the set, unifying the crowd in song, young and old dancing and shouting along before trudging back to sadly quiet campsites grinning madly.
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