Great weekend.

[shoebox]

A little more overcast today, but it wouldn't last long, the sun would soon break through.

Again, the morning was spent mooching, and we spend a little bit of time with the child at a kid's music workshop. We created a song about biscuits and the tune got stuck in our heads for HOURS!

The first "real" music of the day was from Seth Faergolzia. Hmmm, started off OK, just him and a guitar, some amateurish beat-boxing looped and an amusing song about being on the road. But it soon became annoying as the looping got shitter, and the crazy noises he made rather than actually fúcking singing increased. Then he did a gargling solo and I wrote him off as the only crap act I saw all weekend.

Woods Stage. The Deep Dark Woods. Indie-folk. Yeah. I like 'em. You lot wouldn't. Had two girls stood behind us throughout though, who decided to have their ENTIRE weekend's worth of conversation through their set though. I glared at them.

Back to everyone's favourite Big Top tent for Alt-J, who were a must see, based on my love of their album. A tiny bit disappointing, if I'm honest. It was like listening to the album, but LOUD. There was nothing added, if you closed your eyes, you wouldn't have missed anything. So yeah, good to hear the songs live, but they barely sounded that way.

We sat at the Garden Stage for Dark Dark Dark, who I couldn't tell you much about to be honest. I took my shoes and socks off to air my poor aching feet for a bit.

Antlers on the Woods stage. Much, much better than 2010. They've beefed up their sound to work on the bigger, outdoors stages and it really works. Two and Parentheses sounded massive! Couldn't stick around for the end though as we had to run for another must-see of the weekend in Perfume Genius. Oh my! Beautiful. A total, reverential hush descended onto the Garden Stage and he was magnificent. Hood remains my favourite song of his, and it shone during this set. Amazing.

Big Top. Pictish Trail. Scottish indie-folk. Fun stuff. Would watch again.

Then we into the cinema tent to watch a bit of The Guard. I'm sure it was fine, but I couldn't hear anything with Alabama Shakes echoing across the field and into the tent, so I went to see Tindersticks. Never been a huge fan, but I enjoyed their set. Loved the Arab Strap-esque nature of "Chocolate".

Finally, the last "official" band of the day for me was Grizzly Bear. Spectacular! Really, really great set. The new stuff is sounding so good and I can't wait for the new album. The old stuff sounded meaty and wonderful. Loved it, especially "While We Wait For The Others". I gave it some welly when singing along to the "ooooh-ohhhhhhs".

So then we wandered in the Tipi for another late night secret set. This time it was Jeffrey Lewis and what a joy it was. We got a lecture about the history of punk and I can't wait to see him again this Saturday.

The missus had deserted us during Jeff's set and couldn't get back into the tent, so we found her in the cinema. The Raid was on. It was mad, crazy fun! But I started to fall asleep, so we called it a night.

[shoebox]

OK, final stretch, I can do this!

SUNDAY:

Oh no! It rained, and it was that horrible light stuff that get's you soaked to the bone. But it did provide me with material for my greatest pun of the weekend. Are you ready for it? I suggested that, *ahem*, maybe Drizzly Bear should have played on this day instead. Hehe! Joint second placed puns all revolved around the word "Yurt".

Anyway, I cowered from the inclement weather to watch The Muppets, before it cleared up and we all hit up Ringo:Music Bingo. Always fun. Terrible jokes, but that's what makes it so damn good. Noticed that Olly had the reddest face known to man and tried to work out how in the hell he managed to get so sunburnt.

We then tried to see The Shivers, but the Tipi tent was packed, so we got Bhatti Wraps and waited for Pinkunoizu. Yeah! Noisy Danish bastards! I loved 'em! They only had four CDs with them, but I shouldered some lesser men out of the way, tenner in hand.

A long way back, when I first started investigating the artists I was unfamiliar with on the bill, I came across Delicate Steve, and from that moment he was way, way, WAY up there on the must see list and he/they didn't disappoint. I'm going to call it disco-prog slide guitar. A real dry sense of humour on stage and just infectious grooves. I implore you ALL to listen to him.

Another must-see was First Aid Kit due to my love of this year's Lion's Roar album. Due to the virtual time-slot overlapping with Delicate Steve I was forced into a horrible place right next to some of the chattiest fúcks at the entire festival. Really ruined the show for me, and they sounded lovely as well. Did a cover of S&G's "America" which always a positive.

It rained throughout Graham Coxon's set, but he did what he does so well, and that is "rocking out, hard". It was really good, but I love the man anyway.

Then I bought some more books and decided to check out Patti Smith, despite my non-plussedness at her announcement. Yeah, I take that back. She was pretty bloody great as it happens. Popped down the front to take some pics during Gloria and she had the whole crowd eating out of her hand.

Went to the loo, some drunk twat in a wrestling mask tried to jump the queue and face-planted himself on the metal stairs leading up to the urinals.

Speaking of which; sat with Olly, talked about the infinite universes theory and waited patiently for the mighty Grandaddy. YES!!! YES!!! YES!!! Nailed it. Absolutely superb. Couldn't have asked for a better set list, without getting all pretentious. It's been a while, but it seemed like they've never been away.

Saw the evening out with a brief bounce to Gin N Juice in the woods disco, before heading to the silent disco. OK, I've never done that before but it was great. The music was painfully indie-disco, but that's what made it so good. Everyone singing along, sometimes to different songs. Just a laugh and well worth doing.

And that was that. Top, top weekend again. Hardly any twats, great tunes, 75% good weather.

[nigeyb]

My thoughts....

Best innovation for 2012 was the new family field. Loved it. Pretty much 100% families so no probs going to bed about 1 am and getting up about 7 am. Nice one. Very happy with that.

The Christopher Walkman by Nige B, on Flickr

Zun Zun Egui - Tipi Tent by Nige B, on Flickr

Every year EOTR seem to find small ways to make their festival even better whilst retaining those things that work so well. Definitely my favourite festival and the one we go to every year.

Somerset Cider Bus - glam rock revisited by Nige B, on Flickr

There's so much to love about this festival: four stages of great music, the Forest disco, the art scattered about, the games area, the comedy, the food, the ale, Videopia, the impromptu stuff, the cider bus, the Tipi tent, the new family camping section, the generally lovely weather, Larmer Tree Gardens. It's a delight.

The Woods spectators by Nige B, on Flickr

This year my highlights included Patti Smith, Alabama Shakes, Roy Harper, Alt-J, Jeffrey Lewis, Tindersticks, Graham Coxon, Frank Fairfield, Woods, Zun, Zun Egui amongst many others.

The How Does It Feel To Be Loved? DJ set on Saturday night was another highpoin), it culminated in a run of tunes by The Fall -> The Jackson Sisters -> Pulp -> Ben E King which, let me tell you, worked a treat.

Saturday night sunset by Nige B, on Flickr

In terms of live music my highpoint was actually The Alabama Shakes. I know they're a bit Jools Holland but gotta say that front woman has got a great blues voice and when they got a-rocking it was impossible not to get swept away....

Needless to say I'll be back for more, yet again, next year.

All my photos here...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nigeyb/sets/72157631399725024/with/7928063508/

Edited September 4, 2012 by nigeyb

[RedLemon]

nice pics

[RedRockRick]

very nice pics

[nigeyb]

Aw, thanks RedRockRick and RedMissed

[geofelgie]

Well it could've been disastrous as I spent the weekend in agony from a ruined shoulder (hurt the week before) but the Happy Campers distracted me brilliantly (sorry if I was a little less bouncy than usual), the weather helped and the following made it all so much more than worthwhile......

Big Wave 7/10

Olympians 6/10

Horse Thief 7/10 - Kings of Leon meets shoegaze and shoegaze wins!

Leif Vollebekk 9/10 - love this guy, bewitching

Lawrence Arabia 8/10 - bit late cos of LV

Cashier No 9 8.5/10 - sound isn't the best but they are great - more ooompff than the album

Jonathan Wilson 9/10 - sublime and gorgeous throughout

My Sad Captains 7/10 - vocals need work but new stuff is especially promising

John Grant 9/10 - maybe not quite as compelling as last year but new songs make me want the new album NOW!!!

Low Anthem 8/10 - bonkers as always, befuddling as always, excellent as always

Beach House 8.5/10 - will never be my favourite because lack variety but beautiful and pulsating

Cashier No 9 9/10 - for once quieter is better

Creature with the Atom Brain 6/10 - can certainly play but having heard the same song three times I left

Deep Dark Woods 6.5/10 - really good but I know similar bands that are just that bit better

Zachary Cale 5/10 - didn't get it sorry

Alt-J 9/10 - absolutely loved it - surprise highlight

Toy 4/10 - First (and only) real disappointment - sounded like they were competing with each other rather than playing together - suspect I syill may like the album though

The Antlers 8.5/10 - loved it, best I've ever seen them

Driver Drive Faster 7.5/10 - not "great" but damn good - sound a bit thin

Jeffrey Lewis 8/10 - I'm finally a convert!

Alabama Shakes 8.5/10 - had to leave early but I'm slowly being won over by them

Robert Ellis 7/10 for old material 10/10 for new songs - BUY HIS NEXT ALBUM!!!!!

Tindersticks 9.5/10 - WOW - I'm lucky cos the new album is my favourite by them - boy was it good

Mark Lanegan 7/10 - think I was probably still all tindersticky and didn't give him a fair crack

Sleep Party People 7.5/10 - or attack of the ninja bunny rabbits sort the vocals out and they'll rule the world

Jeffrey Lewis again - stonking

Hurray for the Riff Raff 6.5/10 - ordinary except for that John Lennon song which is a 9

Doug Paisley 9.5/10 - witty, charming, sublime and exquisite

Porcelain Raft 9.5/10 - fabulous.......is that the Yuck drummer I spy? May have got 10 if they'd played Backwords!

Richard Buckner 7/10 - pretty good but doesn't live up to DP or PR

First Aid Kit 8.5/10 - Little slow to warm up but after America cover they shine

Graham Coxon 6/10 - raw, racous and well, raw

Outfit 9/10 - been waiting all weekend for a good dance and here it was - this lot have something

Deer Tick 8/10 - late cos of outfit which is a shame but there you go

(Sob, Sob, missed Patrick Watson)

Alabama Shakes 9/10 - looser, freer and better!

Grandaddy 10/10 - ok they were late cos of technical stuff and that cost us a song or two but I thought it was immense - even ending up alone for it and by now in a ridiculous amount of pain I manage to lose myself for 75 minutes........set of the year for me!!!!!

All in all fabulous - maybe not quite as many highs as some previous EOTRs but the all-round quality is stunning.

[Maoster]

Fantastic weekend - best all round musical line up to date IMHO. Highlights for me:

- Frank Fairfield

- Grizzly Bear (lightshow!!)

- Grandaddy (but I expected them to be great having seen them loads years ago)

- Patti Smith

Thought the all round vibe was much better than last year, security and stewards were great, much more friendly.

One very small suggestion - CLEARLY MARK THE QUIET CAMPING AREA PLEASE!

Early birds now booked for next year.

[MikeTheGoat]

It was totally and utterly amazing. I'm still on such a post-festival downer. I went in 2008 and thought that the way it's grown has really helped the site feel more together and fun. Moving the fire circle from the random bit of grass behind the toilets was definitely a good move.

The Woods stage could do with a bit more atmosphere but I think it was more than made up for by the increased size and greatness of the woodland disco. Saturday night there felt like crazy bacchanalian party - i've never been on a dancefloor so attractive, fun and full of happy, friendly people. Even though it was completely rammed there wasn't any aggro or hassle. Great. Thanks to everyone I danced with for the three hours after I lost my friend there.

[formed a band]

Id like to thank the families in the family field for accepting ne and my friend, Jo Rob and gang especially. It worked out quite well because when I wasn't impressing girls ab eaelyish night was pretty good as was the earlyish alarm to stop me from wallowing in my own self pity

[ronan from corksongs]

heya all

I'm the guy who does Ringo: Music Bingo

thanks Shoebox, some buddies always think I'll be annoyed when people say what you said, but genuinelly that's what I'm going for - pure across the board entertainment

but in case others here also saw me in action, can I guide you towards www.facebook.com/ringomusicbingo

I am a complete one man operation, so I need to grab 'fans/friends' where I can and hopefully my ship will come in that way!

x

Ronan

[perfectpassion]

Thank you to all you lovely people, I had a great time. Camped off-site so that I could stay in Dorset for a couple of days either side of the fest and enjoy the fantastic countryside. Also meant nice showers and not having to haul that damn tent across the site.

Friday, Peter Broderick was one of my top must-sees, huge disappointment when after standing at the Garden Stage for ages The Pale Seas appeared instead. I guess Shoebox was right all along. PS must have signed to BU as they are playing their Christmas Show at Union Chapel. Jonathan Wilson was the highlight of the day, for an hour we were transported back to another time, with the smell of joints drifting across the field and the sun shining.

Saturday and sunday spent most of my time at The Garden Stage. First Aid Kit were good, but whats with all the Bo Ningen hair flailing? It was somewhat ironic to see Justin Townes Earl playing there and remembering Steve playing the same stage in 09. Top Act of the festival without a doubt was Patrick Watson, great sound, great performance and loved the lighting. And yes RRR I did see Villagers, new songs The Waves and Judgement Call were enough to ensure that I will be buying the next album when its released. Oh and an hounourable mention to Pinkunoizu with the brilliant drummer.

Finally left the festival to the sounds of BoneyM drifting from the disco, ho hum!

[baroquepop]

To Maoster : I believe 'quiet camping' means the further away from noise the quieter it is. i.e. beyond the monument. Not much noise from the entertainments, plenty of space and impeccable neighbours. I was very happy this year, even though it meant being away from the 'happy campers'.

I loved it this year too, although there were fewer must-sees, more have-seens (NDH in June!) and fewer new discoveries. And of course disappointed by the lack of Peter Broderick, who seems to be developing cult following. Hope they try to get him for next time.

Highlights:

Grizzly Bear, totally did the business, and I was happy they played lots from Yellow House rather than Veckatimest. The new songs were pretty good too.

Patrick Watson, great show, making use of the old stage in the garden, and later at the piano in the woods, with a girl playing the violin and getting others to sing various lines. I'm already a fan but I think he picked up plenty more.

Abigail Washburn, what a lovely lady. Very interesting with all this bluegrass and mandarin speaking. Nice bit of clog dancing too with her former band-mate.

The Moulettes, great musicianship, sassy and fun. (Girl riding the bassoon like a witch's broomstick!)

Patti Smith, in the garden and then on stage. Eccentric and at times bizarre, but inspiring.

Lowpoints:

Rather too much Alabama Shakes. Heard her voice without microphone at the piano in the woods and it really isn't all that.

Film tent, damp and unwelcoming with a low screen and poles affection sightlines.

Nothing much new in the art installations.

The food village felt rather too predictable.

But really these are minor gripes in what is still a great festival. Thanks and congratulations to the organisers.

[acstalker]

The first of my recordings is available for download or streaming on the LMA.

The Deep Dark Woods (Woods Stage)

http://archive.org/details/DDW2012-09-01.flac16

[RedRockRick]

Hard to accept it's a week now since the car was loaded up and ready to head west, oh well.

i am handing out the following awards:

Most memorable performances of the weekend:

Patti Smith (reminded me of why her post-Xmas runs of shows at the Bowery Ballroom were and are such a vital experience)

Justin Townes Earle

Doug Paisley

William Elliot Whitmore

Hurray For The Riff Raff

Jonathan Wilson

Tardis Award for best performance from the 1970s:

Jonathan Wilson (when men were men and played loooong guitar solos...)

Best Breakfast:

Bacon & egg sandwiches at the tea bus, by far. Annie's docked points for rubbery sausages and unwarranted renditions of Nine To Five and other Dolly Parton songs

Most surly customer service:

The guy preparing the bacon and egg sandwiches at the tea bus

Most justifiably surly customer service:

The guy preparing the bacon and egg sandwiches at the tea bus

Best cake:

Coffee sponge from the tea bus. Mmmm.

Best feat of civil engineering:

The no longer rocky road

Relentlessly intense performance of the weekend:

Mark Lanegan Band

Best Performance Of A Song In A Foreign Language:

Abigail Washburn performing (so she claimed) traditional Mandarin songs.

(NB.This award has been withheld following the unexplained delivery of the take-away specials from the Shaftesbury Blue Dragon restaurant at the close of her performance)

Best Beard:

Warren Ellis

Most Irritating twats of the weekend:

A hard one to call with no shortage of chatty twatters, but I have to give it to the dickhead and his girlfriend with the monkey on the stick who cut across to stand in front of us during the Shakes at the Woods stage, and spent ten minutes discussing the best way of putting a hat on it. Third year at least of seeing them at EOTR, I think, but remarkably they've remained 12 years old

Most ill-considered feat of planning:

Sub-titled films in the film tent: I'm probably one of the fortunate few fluent in Korean, French, Flemish, Japanese and German, but if you weren't me, unless you were sat in the front row you had no chance of seeing the bottom third of the screen. The set-up of the cinema tent was complete rubbish this year, and seems to have got progressively worse each year, which is a pity because the films programmed have been good.

Best Camping Innovation:

The new family camping area: so much more room at Camp Red Rock than last year. Please don't use this as a pretext to increase capacity next year.

Honourable mention: my new tent.

[riverlodge]

Best cake:

Coffee sponge from the tea bus. Mmmm.

[paulwa]

Best Breakfast: Bacon & egg sandwiches at the tea bus, by far.

[Mardy]

Just put a Jeff Lewis album on and now have a fantastic recollection of being in the Tipi Tent on Saturday evening for Roll Bus Roll, a perfect moment, me and my friends swaying along to it. Brilliant.

[acstalker]

Justin Townes Earle set (Download or stream):

http://archive.org/details/JTE2012-09-02.flac16

[ljsawyer]

Justin Townes Earle set (Download or stream):

http://archive.org/d...12-09-02.flac16

[acstalker]

I've uploaded recordings of Hurray for the Riff Raff (Woods Stage) and First Aid Kit to Dime.

[acstalker]

Alabama Shakes (Woods Stage) to stream/download:

http://archive.org/details/AS2012-09-01.flac16