Supernormal is a little gem of a festival

Supernormal Festival 2015

Friday 7th to Sunday 9th August 2015
Braziers Park School of Integrative Social Research, Ipsden, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, OX10 6AN, England MAP
£80 for a weekend ticket

Daily capacity: 1,000

Supernormal is an experimental art + music festival that is anything but average… and looking across the sea of punters (and their wrist bands) it soon dawns upon you that at least half of the people you come across are actually working in one capacity or another. That community feel is one of the biggest plus points for this little gem of a festival, housed in the grounds of the beautiful Braziers House, nestled deep in the Oxfordshire countryside.

This isn't a festival where the performers play their set, go backstage and disappear into a vortex of VIPs and executives.. they are bouncing around the crowd, chatting by the fire, getting involved in workshops and in some cases, at mixing decks engineering when it isn't their turn in the spotlight.

The security, while always present, are barely noticed as they placidly enjoy the scenery, having as good a time as anyone else.. “Coming here is like a holiday!” I heard one remark when asked about working the festival. As the sun rose on departure day of Supernormal 2014 I found them making a fort out of hay bales.. 2015 it was nests (hay nests are surprisingly comfortable once you get past the itch factor)

This is a festival where you can truly make what you want of it, there are a plethora of activities, workshops, talks, exhibits (both static and travelling!) and screenings to keep you busy without ever needing to see a band.. But with such a huge variety of aural delicacies on offer - from the chaotic wonder of Charles Hayward's Anonymous Bash, to the tenebrous rumble of Ghold - you'd be better served rising early, catching as much as possible, and camping out by the fire until late - you can sleep when you're dead.. anyway.

I felt that despite having a very full weekend, I barely touched the surface on Supernormal, and would have loved an extra day or two to explore it all! My personal highlights included - Sturle Dagsland, Gnar Hest, Ahrkh/Khom/Weaver, Negra Branca, Wenonoah, basking in the sun, chatting to a host of weird and wonderful people, private serenades in the hay nest, swatting wasps away from my drink/tent/skin, espresso martinis, amazing wood fired pizza, and the best loo with a view…