Friday review

Solfest is a wonderful little festival. Despite arriving onsite at 9.30 due to some creative map reading, and then suffering the trial of erecting a tent in the dark, I soon felt like part of the festival.

I have yet to see the site by day, but by night it is beatiful. An excellent series of art installations, including sculpture, carvings, and the fantastic Faerie Glade complement the stages perfectly, and there isn't a corporate logo in sight.

I was lucky enough to catch the end of a well received set from The Selecter, who ran through an excellent set of reggae and ska classics, the highlight of which being set closer 'Too Much Pressure'.

The Grit on the Bar Stage was the logical progression from The Selecter. Storming rockabilly ska punk was the order of the hour for this set, and it gave the punk in all of us the chance to jump around. The Grit have the attitude, the looks and the tunes in abundance, and I urge any punk fans to check them out.

I am now quite glad that I was bored by jazzy brass dance outfit Bellowhead, as if I had been enjoying them, I wouldn't have gone wandering and stumbled acros the finest late night hangout this side of the Tiny Tea Tent. All festivals require at least one night of talking rubbish with randoms, and this was were my night ended, chatting about travelling, festivals, and bad sci-fi with a couple from Doncaster over a couple of brandy laced hot drinks.

So that's day one done, lets see what Saturday has to offer.

Latest Updates