Saturday overview

Saturday morning and it's time to make the short journey to Oxfordshire and Truck festival 11. Among our number are mates in a cars, a camper van and our children (2 and 7). The journey sets us on edge more than usual as black clouds gather and tease us with the threat of a soaking. After last years truck festival's postponement, the organisers really do deserve some good fortune and for the weekend to be hitch free.

As we enter the village of Steventon near Abingdon, traffic slows to a walking pace and then a stop. The pubs are advertising Truck Festival special meals and it becomes apparent that a good deal of the local community is not only supporting the event but getting involved too.

After about 40 minutes of making slow but steady progress, we are guided onto site and park up. I'm not one for pointing the finger of blame so let me just say that as we were unpacking the car, someone -who wasn't me – manages to lock the keys in the boot. Unfortunately at the same time, the central locking locks all exits with our 2 year old in the car. Despite trying to remain calm, this makes things more than a little tense, but due to the fantastically helpful stewards, we are supplied with more hammers and offers to break windows than we know how to accept.

A call to the 4th emergency service was made and although our little girl is happily ripping through her brothers spelling book while strapped into her car seat, it doesn't take too long for her to start showing signs of distress. A steward kindly tapes up the window, smashes it and we are able to comfort our little one. Just then the AA man arrived with comforting words of wisdom "I'm pretty sure I would've ended up doing that anyway mate." He covers the window and the stewards allow us (and our friends) to park and camp in the campervan field so that we can keep a better watch on our unsecured vehicle. I have not the words to praise the stewards highly enough. The job that they do is pretty unpredictable, but they really do seem prepared to get stuck in, leaving us to get into the festival spirit.

The tent is pitched in no time at all and after calming liquid refreshment, we make our down to where it is all happening. The site is colourful with a fair few attractions in the 'Market Field' It houses the Market and Pavilion Stages – both undercover – and a cycle powered stage. At the far end, there is a children's area with a real ale stand next to it - an act of genius in my thirsty eyes.

Children are fairly well catered for and our two make use of the bouncy castle, which seems to offer an almost endless bouncing session for 50p a go. The playbus and toy library are also popular and our lad wastes no time in introducing himself to some other boys playing with cars.

My only complaint about the kids area is that there is little food available in that area but the same could be said for most of the festival really. It's a sacrifice we're prepared to make for the joys of not being fleeced for the usual dodgy burgers and hotdogs. You can have your burger, then there is the pasta stall also selling fresh fruit, and smoothies (for a pound a go mega value), a doughnut stall, soup, bhajis and Dhal are also on offer. They're all manned by the villagers and locals and money raised all gets ploughed into worthy causes. Last year the rotary club raised over £32,000 from various events (including truck). One of the overriding impressions is that there seems no attempt to rip off truck customers.

The main area is a short walk over the bridge from the market stage and contains the Truck Stage (yes it is a flatbed truck). The other stages in the area are The Barn (yes it's a barn), and The village pub – which isn't a village pub but a bar with a covered stage which pays host to some of the areas finest local bands and one or 2 from further afield.

The Beat Hive always seems to offer pounding sounds but the sound bleed between here, the Village Pub and the Truck Stage is a little confusing if you happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. It's of little consequence and really is a by-product of making the most of the space available.

Saturday musically is more of a winner on paper for my tastes and Emmy The Great doesn't disappoint. Ian Maclagan And The Bump Band ought to engage but for some reason I'm finding them difficult to get into. I enjoy 'You're So Rude' and wonder where I've heard that voice from before. He reminds me of Rod Sterwart and then he starts talking about his time in The Faces and although I'm in the presence of greatness, I feel the need for a wander.



My meanderings across the site take me back to The Market Stage where Dodgy are just making their way onto the stage. Front man Nigel Clark introduces the band by saying "Hello we're the Kooks", which produces both laughter and boos from the crowd. They play a superb acoustic set and highlights include 'In a Room' which is the 2nd song of the set and it really lights the touch paper for everyone (apart from the 2 girls standing next to me who are talking about something else and not really interested in the band). I move a little closer into the absolutely rammed tent and hear 'Staying Out For The Summer', 'Big Brown Moon' and the amazing 'If You're thinking of Me'. They get a bit of stick when they announce that they're going to play a new one (the only one in the set), but although it slows down the pace a little it really is well received and they finish the song with 'Good Enough'. I was really pleased to be there it's not to say I was there but I really enjoyed them and the acoustic slant really worked. I think they would have been better off in a bigger tent though.

The other band on Saturday that I really engage with are Danny and the Champions of the World we puzzle for a short while as we wonder if they have a Magic Number amongst them and it would appear that they do. Initially there appear to be 12 active band members on stage. As the set progresses, that doubles with many more getting in on the act. They remind me very much of Neil Young and I'm drawn in. It's great to be so entertained by a band unexpectedly.



Unfortunately the same cannot be said for tonights headliners The Lemonheads. As a massive fan from the initial release of the 'It's a Shame About Ray' album (I even bought the re-released version when they added Mrs Robinson), I have massive hopes. They aren't dashed immediately as Evan and the band rattled through the first half of the album. I look to my wife and comment that he hasn't spoken to the crowd. As I say that he says "Thank you very much". Musically the band seem tight and listening to the album at home puts a smile on my face. This experience isn't much different. It seems cold and there is absolutely no effort being made to engage or interact.

Walking away I can't help but feel disappointed. I heard the album I've loved for years performed live and technically it was OK but I’d wanted more from Evan Dando as a person.

Taking the kids and a sleepy wife back to the tent, I get a pass out to go and see Altern-8 perform in the Barn. Another trip down memory lane and although in this case the music played is ace (they play some old school tunes including Trumpton and Underworld's Rez), they run into some technical difficulties. Only one deck is working rendering them powerless to actually mix. We endure as much as we can but listening to the crowd boo when they are effectively making the most of what they have leaves us feeling gutted.

Leaving for another wander, the site we hear the delicious Psy Trance of Carlos Santan it's late but a bit of a jump around is in order. The squelches and drips on the crispy clear sound system feel like they're exploding in our heads but the cold means it is not long before the sleeping bag is calling.

review by: James Tayler

photos by: Andy Pitt

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