G
Gazzer
Ok so this was my 1st time having wanting to attend for years. Lots of my mates go each year and this year I tagged along. Horror stories of mud were of course not founded this year but i can well imagine what it would be like if it had rained.
It was an early start for us as we met on the wednesday before the festival at the services on the M5. It was about 3am and the services were packed....All on the way to the festival. The staff in the shop ...well i say staff ...It was actually one guy on a till and about 40 customers waiting. While there the tills crashed 3 times and the card payment services was playing up. I was people watching, people walked in and filled their pockets with stuff and walked out.
Anyway we arrived on site at 5am and it was already busy but gates didnt open until 8am. As we pulled on, my mates got directed to one car park and me to another so i was lost. Eventually found them 2 car parks away and we settled down for a snooze.
8am arrived and we got in a queue but dint get to the camp siite until after midday. It was scorching where we were having to wait but we finally got in , wrist bands on and tents up at the chosen pitch.
We were feeling worse for wear as were others due to having to wait around in the sun so we decided food was in order. My mate and myself set off and food the 24hour cafe on site and had a bacon butty and water. It was the worst food all weekend and we never used the cafe again.
The next day after lots of drinking on the evening followed my a good nights sleep we woke to more tents around us but still plenty of room for us to sit in the sun on chairs. That night more drinking was had including a mooch around the festival site taking in various bars including the Pimms bus, Real ale and Brothers Cider. Well that was pretty much teh end of the night
.
The Friday was 1st real day for music and was kicked off by Rolf Harris...Now i reckon the guy is a legend but some wernt so sure but he had them converted by the end of his set. Highlight for me was when he sang a John Williamson song called "Raining on the Rock" This brought back so many memories of my time in Oz. Actually i think i could have cried if it werent for 2 people hopping through the crowd with kanagoo costumes on....had to laugh.
Next up after a walk to another stage was The Stranglers, pretty good but no shade so headed to a beer tent and listened from there.....I prefer to watch and listen really but hey ho....didnt want my beer getting warm.
I had decided that i wanted to see Frank Turner in another tent so i left my mates and they would catch up later. I was early so managed a good postion to view from and he was awesome....really need to get some of his stuff to listen too now. My mates arrived too late and had to sit outside to listen, they were impressed too !
After more food It was time for Vampire Weekend, another band to cross off my "must see" list. Very impressed with the sound.
The night was finished off on the Pyramid stage by Gorrilaz but i wasnt into it so I once again did my own thing and headed of to the Avalon Stage where New Model Army were playing and i sat outside just listening and getting oh so slightly drunk.
My mates caught up with me and at midnight "Hobo Jones and the Junkyard Dogs" came on in the Avalon Cafe....pure magic and what a laugh. Got to see them twice during the weekend and bought CD and T-Shirt.
After more cider it was back to the tent to find even more tents around us and it was hard to get to your tent without falling over guy lines....or was that the cider ?
Saturday started withthe Lightning Seeds on the Pyramid stage, I hadnt realised how many hits they had but they played them all and so well too. they finished off of course with "3 Lions" and this is where I really felt emotion as the whole crowd sang along and I think they really believed it could happen.
We caught a bit of Reef before the awesome Seasick Steve. During his set he had just started playing "Walking man blues" when he stopped and said " i needs me a woman"...so off into the crowd he goes and they go wild....He gets a young woman up onto the stage and sits her down next to him...she is waving to the crowwd and he tells her " Dont look at them, look at me" he then proceeds to sing to her and his eyes never left hers... The man is a genius and so humble. As he finished his set he said "thank you for the job".
The rest of teh day was walking from bar to stage and bar to stage etc etc, during this time we saw Muse, Imogen Heap, The Dead Weather and George Clinton with Parliament. the evening was followed once again at teh Avalon Stage for more Lightning seeds...A repeat of their earlier set but still great music ...oh and the odd beer or 3 .
Sunday was more of the same but less drinking as we were planning leaving at 3 am on monday.
Bands for the day were Stevie Wonder, Ray Davies, Lcd Soundsystem (respect ), Gang of Four, Holy F***.
Apart from drinking, eating , Music and Sunburn there were traders selling handmade products. i came across a "Make a mosaic " tent but it was mainly kids having a go , Then i came across a shop selling Mosaic mirrors which looked great from a distance but close up they were nothing special really...took a few piccies and they were priced at £400 each
All in all a fantastic weekend and i will be hopefully there next year too
It was an early start for us as we met on the wednesday before the festival at the services on the M5. It was about 3am and the services were packed....All on the way to the festival. The staff in the shop ...well i say staff ...It was actually one guy on a till and about 40 customers waiting. While there the tills crashed 3 times and the card payment services was playing up. I was people watching, people walked in and filled their pockets with stuff and walked out.
Anyway we arrived on site at 5am and it was already busy but gates didnt open until 8am. As we pulled on, my mates got directed to one car park and me to another so i was lost. Eventually found them 2 car parks away and we settled down for a snooze.
8am arrived and we got in a queue but dint get to the camp siite until after midday. It was scorching where we were having to wait but we finally got in , wrist bands on and tents up at the chosen pitch.
We were feeling worse for wear as were others due to having to wait around in the sun so we decided food was in order. My mate and myself set off and food the 24hour cafe on site and had a bacon butty and water. It was the worst food all weekend and we never used the cafe again.
The next day after lots of drinking on the evening followed my a good nights sleep we woke to more tents around us but still plenty of room for us to sit in the sun on chairs. That night more drinking was had including a mooch around the festival site taking in various bars including the Pimms bus, Real ale and Brothers Cider. Well that was pretty much teh end of the night
.The Friday was 1st real day for music and was kicked off by Rolf Harris...Now i reckon the guy is a legend but some wernt so sure but he had them converted by the end of his set. Highlight for me was when he sang a John Williamson song called "Raining on the Rock" This brought back so many memories of my time in Oz. Actually i think i could have cried if it werent for 2 people hopping through the crowd with kanagoo costumes on....had to laugh.
Next up after a walk to another stage was The Stranglers, pretty good but no shade so headed to a beer tent and listened from there.....I prefer to watch and listen really but hey ho....didnt want my beer getting warm.
I had decided that i wanted to see Frank Turner in another tent so i left my mates and they would catch up later. I was early so managed a good postion to view from and he was awesome....really need to get some of his stuff to listen too now. My mates arrived too late and had to sit outside to listen, they were impressed too !
After more food It was time for Vampire Weekend, another band to cross off my "must see" list. Very impressed with the sound.
The night was finished off on the Pyramid stage by Gorrilaz but i wasnt into it so I once again did my own thing and headed of to the Avalon Stage where New Model Army were playing and i sat outside just listening and getting oh so slightly drunk.
My mates caught up with me and at midnight "Hobo Jones and the Junkyard Dogs" came on in the Avalon Cafe....pure magic and what a laugh. Got to see them twice during the weekend and bought CD and T-Shirt.
After more cider it was back to the tent to find even more tents around us and it was hard to get to your tent without falling over guy lines....or was that the cider ?
Saturday started withthe Lightning Seeds on the Pyramid stage, I hadnt realised how many hits they had but they played them all and so well too. they finished off of course with "3 Lions" and this is where I really felt emotion as the whole crowd sang along and I think they really believed it could happen.
We caught a bit of Reef before the awesome Seasick Steve. During his set he had just started playing "Walking man blues" when he stopped and said " i needs me a woman"...so off into the crowd he goes and they go wild....He gets a young woman up onto the stage and sits her down next to him...she is waving to the crowwd and he tells her " Dont look at them, look at me" he then proceeds to sing to her and his eyes never left hers... The man is a genius and so humble. As he finished his set he said "thank you for the job".
The rest of teh day was walking from bar to stage and bar to stage etc etc, during this time we saw Muse, Imogen Heap, The Dead Weather and George Clinton with Parliament. the evening was followed once again at teh Avalon Stage for more Lightning seeds...A repeat of their earlier set but still great music ...oh and the odd beer or 3 .
Sunday was more of the same but less drinking as we were planning leaving at 3 am on monday.
Bands for the day were Stevie Wonder, Ray Davies
, Lcd Soundsystem (respect ), Gang of Four, Holy F***.Apart from drinking, eating , Music and Sunburn there were traders selling handmade products. i came across a "Make a mosaic " tent but it was mainly kids having a go , Then i came across a shop selling Mosaic mirrors which looked great from a distance but close up they were nothing special really...took a few piccies and they were priced at £400 each
All in all a fantastic weekend and i will be hopefully there next year too
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