My review (for what's it worth).

[liarliar]

Right, straight off the bat, I just want to say that I thought this year's festival was the best I've been to so far. This is my fourth...and while other years had Okkervil River, this was overall the best so far.

Stand out bands for me were:

Grandaddy

Patti Smith

Deer Tick

(that's some festival finale right there!)

First Aid Kit

Doug Paisley

Robyn Hitchcock

Jeffrey Lewis

TOY

William Elliott Whitmore

The Deep Dark Woods

Veronica Falls

Cashier No 9.

[and Robin Ince - favourite comedian - always makes me laugh stupidly even though I've seen the same routines over and over!]

I think there was only one weak band for me and it was The Stepkids. A jazz funk abomination. Gawd it was bad. Though my other half would probably add Frank Fairfield to this. I quite liked him - looked like Kevin Kline, too.

Would liked to have seen more of Creature With The Atom Brain and Hurray For The Riff-Raff. Both appeared to be really entertaining from the snippets I saw. I also listened to Woods and Grizzly Bear from a distance and perhaps should have made more of an effort as they sounded really good, too. Could never get into Veckatimest but sounded good live!

I did have a couple of minor niggles. One is the beer staff. I appreciate that there is a premium to the price because it's festival and all that but please tell them at just under £4 a "pint", 20% of it should not be head. It didn't happen every time but I did have to ask for a top up 3 or 4 times which is a little annoying.

Food prices are a little high, too. Again, I know there is a premium and I guess the "pitch" at the festival is costly, but while Bhatti Wraps are very nice, £8 for a snack is a little too much. I'm not singling Bhatti Wraps out here...I just felt that I was rarely getting a "meal". I suppose the Rotisserie Chicken was an exception...

Experiencing this over-pricing over the last few years has led to the gf and I bringing a lot more of our own food and alcohol. I spent a lot less this year because of that...and swigging my own sloe gin from plastic bottle was very enjoyable...and meant a lot less trips to the loo.

...which leads me onto Andy Loos. Why do we think we ought to tip bar staff and not these Andy Loos people? I found the toilets absolutely spotless right up until the end. And that work is deserving of a tip, right? Anyways, if anyone from EOTR actually reads these posts, then I'm giving thanks and massive positive feedback to the Andy Loos people. Although, I don't care too much for his sister, Rebecca.

What else?

The site was still beautiful, as ever, and managed to hold up to the weather prior to the festival and those little bits while we were all there.

The path of doom has been whipped into shape - thanks!

The extra field of family camping was welcome - it seemed a little less busy in the general camping area.

Folk were kind and friendly. Experienced very few people who came to chat during performances, thankfully. Although I do welcome years of misfortune for the posh-sounding ginger-haired girl who was camping with two other girls in a large green tent in "general camping". Although I'm sure she was just chatting to her friends, it did sound like she was selling newspapers from a stand at 4am. Mouthy cow!

Anyways, that's about it. Will be spending £260 tomorrow morning!

C.

[liarliar]

Actually, did anyone find the Farm Shop? Not the one near the entrance selling mostly bread, but a farm shop. It was supposed to be "in the campsite" selling bread, cheese, chutney etc?

[Infinite Jest]

I agree with almost everything you wrote (down to the list of bands, mine would be very similar). I don't find the beer prices high, but then I live in London - beers in my local pubs can easily be more expensive than EoTR beers.

[Stooza]

Folk were kind and friendly. Experienced very few people who came to chat during performances, thankfully. Although I do welcome years of misfortune for the posh-sounding ginger-haired girl who was camping with two other girls in a large green tent in "general camping". Although I'm sure she was just chatting to her friends, it did sound like she was selling newspapers from a stand at 4am. Mouthy cow!

[liarliar]

You're definitely in the right area, but not sure about a northern accent. Then again I'm not good with accents at 4am in the morning...and to be honest I was with others and one of them described the hair colour.

I think she had to be told about 4 or 5 times to shut up around 3-4am on Sunday morning.

C.

[ronan from corksongs]

you were right about the snacks as meal problem, not all of them a fair few of them were a bit sneaky about it, I felt