Bestival

Unfortunately Besitval had to compete with The Garden Festival this summer, but despite the weather courtesy of the tail end of hurricane Katia the Isle of Wight gave Croatia a pretty good run for its money with wigs, glitter, amaaaazing tunes, and disgraceful behaviour a plenty!

Going Back To My Roots

Three years after first hearing about this magical place of incessant sunshine, funky beats, and all round goodtimes a ticket was bought, flight purchased, and accommodation found for 2011's instalment of Croatia's The Garden Festival.

Situated on the tip of a peninsula, shaded amongst crowd-weathered pines is a rehabilitated 60's hotel, which was at one time a series of pools and sunbathing terraces and is now dotted with beds and cocktail bars. A Terrace 'stage' juts out towards the sea, it's wooden floorboards withstanding a constant pumping bass and the appreciative stomping of a 2000 strong clientèle over the course of a week. The main stage hosts live funk and disco bands from the afternoon until dj's step in to keep the mood strong throughout the night til the early hours when party moves inside the discotheque Barbarella's in order to keep the peace with the locals who live in the surrounding fishing village of Petrcane.

The intimate atmosphere cannot be praised enough as, in light of growing UK festivals, the friendly, live feel of outdoor, 3-7 day long music events is what makes them so special. I am nevertheless looking forward to returning with glee to Glastonbury come 2013, but this summer has convinced me that Croatia can have my 2012, my body, mind & soul. Take them tan them, infuse them with glorious music, relax them and send them home happy. Again.

Pre-Bestival

Channelling Audrey in the run up to Bestival, because this is what I want to look like!

This years theme being Pop Stars, Rock Stars, and Divas I have run through a multitude of possibles from Ziggy Stardust, one of the 4 Non-Blondes, Adam Ant, Blondie, and most recently Almost Famous' Penny Lane as Rock Star Groupie. But will probably end up mish-mashing the lot in some horrifically uninspired get up complete with Oxfam tent shearling jacket (fingers crossed), shiny leggings, black sequinned hot pants, pink wig aand Red Indian headdress, face splattered with sparkles and layers of ill-fitting tops...neither interesting nor comfortable. At least there's the dreamworld of the festival to lose myself in once again. Oh Festival how I've missed you. Bring on the Trumpets!

Why did't I see this pic earlier?! That's a costume right there!

Mmm, the Dandy Highwayman.

Daddy Cool

One of those things happened to me this morning that really makes me smile. My dad recommended a band to me that I hadn't heard of. And they're good (and, incidentally, if I'd have been at Glastonbury I could've seen them live).

I'm not surprised he likes them though, their sound really is his proverbial cup of tea. Another reason I'd be proud to take him to Bestival with me in September. Although he'd have to leave the fluorescent pink polo shirt & lace up (but undone) boy-band boots at home. You can only be so cool on the inside to pull that off.



Little Dragon - Ritual Union (Live at Glastonbury 2011)

Thou shalt not wish you girlfriend was a freak like me

Unfortunately for me I can recall less of my most recent soujourn to the Isle Of Wight than the first, which was 19 years ago, when I was three. Thankfully, by utilising the limitless potential of the internet I can piece together a timeline of events from this weekends Bestival 2010, my ticket to which was sort of bought as a mistake. Now fortunately for me a very happy mistake, like my little brother, because what I have pieced together is actually one hell of a weekend. Including...

Breakfast on a sunny hillside set to the soundtrack of Gaggle:

This video, although visually indicative of their angry-girl outward vibe, does little to convey how haunting the aptly named gaggle sounded as their soothing choir tones pulsed through the stillness of a Sunday morning at a festival. This made them one of the stand-out highlights of the weekend for me.

Another was undoubtedly dancing like a tree-stump-possessed to the infectious melodies of Dan le Sac Vs. the bearded, yoda-like Scroobius Pip, who I quite happily would've wed in that great big inflatable church! The pip that is. No offence Mr Le Sac.

I am also soo glad that I cajoled my tent-fellow into ditching Ellie Goulding in favour of Darwin Deez at Arcadia. Their set complete with choreographed dance sequences in between songs was so awkwardly brilliant as if we, the crowd, were no more than their bedroom mirrors. But instead of cutting the cord it served to underpin the tenderness of songs like Radar Detector and Constellations which were brought to life through the medium of Deez's perfect bouncing ringlets bopping along to his distinctive voice.

After the crowd had dispersed I was consumed with the idea I would ask the bands beautiful French sound guy to get me an autograph. Although my hour and a half wait during The Filthy Dukes, who frankly do not deserve a link, brought me a friend in a kindly mime who had (coincidentally) lost her voice, wanted my cider, and left me with only a lipstick kiss on my cheek as proof she ever existed I never got my autograph. And I only just managed to catch Mumford & Sons jangling out Little Lion Man.

Regardless, no amount of mud-that's-probably-poo, urinal mishaps, cash machine queues, nose whiskey references, extortionate pineapples or beardywomen could deter me. To borrow the sentiment of the weekends' for some reason ubiquitous 10cc song; I don't like Bestival, I love it.

Fashion Festival Frenzy

Asos, the online fashion store, has just sent me June's edition of their monthly mag-cum-catalogue. Boasting a £1.75 price tag for non-regular customers - for whom it is free, and they apparently class me - for the first time in my knowledge, my expectations were high. I mean, as well as providing an outlet for designer labels they've got Emma Watson for People Tree on board.

I have spent the hours since receiving this scrap of a magazine flicking pages with equal derisiveness and gleeful ripping - cut out and keep, recycle the rest, that's the spirit. It got me thinking (as though I needed a prompt) of festivals; their etiquette, essentials, and imminence. As Asos itself had noted, June is just around the corner. Plus the cover has FESTIVAL scrawled across it in computer-lipstick. So, obviously, I was getting comfortable for some original festival-guru top 10's, photo montages, at least a candid of Kate Moss.

Alas it seems Asos is geared a little more for peoples across the pond. Mimicking most high-end fashion bibles it hails outfits that are entirely inappropriate and ugly. And to title an article 'Camping Chic' is frankly an insult to our(collective) intelligence. Anyone who has called a tent their home for more than 3 days in a row knows it cannot be glamorised. Even +chic.

Soooo, I am battling between utilising Glastonbury (Bestival is instantly disqualified from the fashion stakes because I shall most likely be wearing Unicorn) as a largely anonymous platform from which to launch my fashion conscious alter-ego, or, forgoing any new/loved clothing for simply last years wellies, bin bags, and, if I'm lucky, a poncho (never know, birthday's coming up). Because you get grubby at Glastonbury, tents get damp, it rains, there is dirt everywhere (remember where you ARE), the clothes you are wearing will probably touch poo where it's caked on toilet "seats"and on cubicle "walls" (words used figuratively), where you're sitting is 90% of the year home to cows...it sets in pretty quick. But you know this, hopefully. You're going because it's so good you don't care.

And it really is that good.

So why not dress a la Ms Moss? Glastonbury style has a history of being featured in publications from Look to Vogue, make a statement, have a festival wardrobe, no one and everyone cares. Considering this I have a tip and general festival essentials, including wardrobe suggestions...

Tip: Take a maximum of 3 tops, keep one fresh and dry for the journey home on Sunday/Monday, trust me you won't want any more.

Essentials:

• Dry Shampoo (NASA or Batiste) OR phone your hairdresser and get a crop a day or two before you leave for your festival and ask them for heavy styling - it'll last a week without help!

• The wet stuff - Bin Bags, waterproof or poncho although you can pick up one for a pound at the site, Wellies.
• Wet wipes, razor, deodorant, toothpaste & brush.
• Communications - You could limit your phone useage and keep your fingers crossed, get walkie-talkies, or invest in a portable charger/spare battery.
• Jumping on the Bum Bag bandwagon this year - less cumbersome & encourage more upper body mobility...in this bag should be; toilet roll, hand sanitiser, disposable camera, money (you can't live off breadsticks. I tried. They mutate from stick to dust between the entrance and the camp site.), lighter. The first four are ESSENTIALS. I cannot stress that enough.
• Cider - as many plastic litre bottles of it as you can carry, and a cool bag to keep them in your tent in if you're extra prepared.
• Sun cream - put this on before you leave your tent, saves carrying it around and you're protected just in case.

And for the essential wear (imagine for a moment I moonlight as a sinister writer of advertorials...)

• Face - Sunnies.
• Neck - festival pass lanyard and some lengthy bling.
• Top - This layered over this.
• Leggings (H&M do a great pair with zips in light blue or grey jegging-style) and/or denim shorts of your choice.
• Feets - see above for aforementioned necessary wellies, but keep a pair of favoured flip-flops or gladiator sandals to hand, the sun can turn a mud pit to hardened terrain like you wouldn't believe.

That is my Glastonbury guide, from essentials to an outfit akin to what I would wear, have worn, and will wear in a few weeks time to the best festival around. Come sleet or shine I intend to enjoy every minute. Kuurch. Meet you in Avalon. Over and out.