the extraordinary Arcadia delivers a spectacular show at Glade

Glade Festival 2009

Thursday 16th to Sunday 19th July 2009
Matterley Bowl near Winchester, Hants, England MAP
£125 for the weekend, student £100 - SOLD OUT

Daily capacity: 12,500

Saturday's weather was a little more inclement, with a steady rain falling when I surfaced. Still, this did not stop the party and the site was busy. Saw The Qemists on the main stage and their blend of heavy rock'n'rollin'drum'n'bass certainly helped the cobwebs loose.

Next up were Dub Pistols whose blend of classic tunes and covers with guest vocalists was a treat - most notably with vocalist from Beats International, Lindy Layton singing Dub Be Good To Me. Top fun. 16bit had a packed Boom Town tent when I passed by with the dancing crowd spreading outside. Back on the Main Stage were Freestylers who had the crowd bouncing around with their infectious rhythms.

Squarepusher by contrast, weaved his stark epic beats in a fantastical musical journey, being lost in music was sublime. Having missed it the night before the epic fire show on Arcadia caught our attention next. This extraordinary structure (sculpture?) fresh from an outing at Glastonbury has what has to be the coolest DJ booth this side of Carmageddon.

The fire show was as elegant as it was hot, with whip-crackin fire twirlin' angle grinders and a spectacular bit of sword-swallowing combined with weight-lifting (you had to be there!). We dropped into The Rabbit Hole for some live band action and stumbled across a tiny hole in the wall which led off to... well, I won't spoil it for you. Check it out at a festival near you this summer!

The funky Wobbly Squadron (whose sax player played an electric clarinet thing I've never seen before) entertained, and then The Mad Cows were on next. Good, silly moosic [ouch!] play us an udder one... [!]. There were plenty of folk out and about in the freshly dawning day.....All active tents ( Vapour, Psymusic, Liquid, Boom Town, Overkill, Breakdown and The Solent stage) all the little sound systems and stalls were pumping out tunes to greet the day as we stumbled back across the site to our tents passing litter-pickers just starting their morning clear up.

around the festival site (Arcadia)