Reports Required....

[gratedenini]

So, what was it like. Sat weather seemed great, but was not so nice here yesterday.

Pretty gutted not to be there...so come on then--rub it in.....

[Rebexus]

...so come on then--rub it in.....

[Esyl]

As usual it was bloody brilliant (this was our third year!)

I was a bit underwhelmed by Justin Curie of Del Amitiri Fame - I mean if you're not going to play your biggest hit what are you going to play? No nothing ever matters! The Levellers were good value as usual, but sans digeredoo man. The Lightening Seeds were great, and obtained their two newest/youngest fans - two young brothers who just stood at the front shouting for three lions (which Ian Brodie duly performed as an encore) who kept saying to each other mid set "these are good these aren't they" - bless. I think there were a couple of kids on YTS on stage with them as I think they weren't even conceived when jollification was released! Shaun Ryder looked off his tits, as usual, but I think he probably looks like that all the time - and where was Bez!

he highlight of the (not beautiful) South (one original member as far as we could make out!) was the trumpet player playing the triangle with a spoon as he lost his triangle beater. How we laughed! (and wonder if Paul Heaton took it when he left the band). We lusted over Seth Lakeman and then skipped Dreadzone with a visit to the comedy tent until the encore, having seen them at least twice before and still only really knowing Little Britain. Comedy was a bit hit and miss but highlight was the compare getting a bag of rubbish thrown over him in a 'bin juice' heckle!

It was hysterical watching/participating in the Mr Tumble wake up on the Sunday, even though we were two women in our thirties (physically at least). They've never done it before but given it swelled the usual Sunday morning first act audience by about 3000% I'm sure they will do it again. Justin is probably regretting saying he would stay in the Hawthorne tent until everyone who wanted to meet him had, there was still a queue and hour after our 'urban street dance' workshop (yes really, and we recreated it later in the silent disco) and the poor bloke is probably still there now.

The 'headphone' disco didn't disappoint compared with the silent disco, although DJ A who was there all three nights had a habit of playing exactly the same set (including Jim'll fix it theme tune) and needed to mix it up a bit (and play our bloody requests... hrumph!)

The area with fair last year was a big 'food court' although it seemed a bit of a concrete wasteland. We missed the moorish/moroccon food tent that was there last year as were quite prepared to eat it for every meal. The nice homemade pizza place (that had workshops for kids to make their own pittas) were also not back this year, replaced by very overpriced Pizza Express!

Whilst camping was charged for this year, showers were free, which at once was a good and bad thing as queues twice as long!

Not sure about the Waitrose thing - although their cocktails were nice and they provided nice seating!

We went to buy a reduced ticket for next year this morning- £90 bargain only to find box office closed - Papa Wychwood had said that it was open until 11 O'clock on Sunday, and in my hazy brain I took this to mean he really meant 11am this morning, but he obviously meant 11pm last night. We will, however go again next year for the third year as it's such a great festival!

Sorry you didn't get logistics sorted this year - there's always next!

[Esyl]

P.S Weather wise we were lucky rained once whilst we were in our dancing workshop and then huge downpoor whilst we were in the big top anyway (watching Rook, and his Ravens, just because they'd given us a badge last year) but other than that it stayed dry. Could have been a lot worse!

[gratedenini]

Good report. That pizza bloke was lovely---last year --cos i was the last punter on sunday night (drunk) he hgave me it for free--i think his money satchel was so full and heavy---he couldnt put anymore in!!!

Did you see The Travelling Band?

den

[binka]

I saw The Travelling Band and thought they were fab. Was gutted that the Chai stall that I've seen at other festivals wasn't there. Kids workshops were very good. Happy Mondays were poor.

[Esyl]

We didn't see the Travelling Band - were in the big top listening to Rusty Shackle who were pretty good.

[pogal]

As usual it was bloody brilliant (this was our third year!)

I was a bit underwhelmed by Justin Curie of Del Amitiri Fame - I mean if you're not going to play your biggest hit what are you going to play? No nothing ever matters!

[Esyl]

To be fair, Nothing Ever Happens is technically their second (if not third) biggest song.