Bestival 2012 Album

More information on Bestival here.

http://www.bestival.net/

Read TMM’s full review here.

Thoroughly Modern Milly travelled to Bestival with Wightlink on its 35-minute ferry service from Lymington to Yarmouth, one of three routes. Car ferries also operate from Portsmouth–Fishbourne (40 minutes) and there is a foot passenger catamaran service between Portsmouth Harbour and Ryde Pier Head (approx 20 minutes).

Call 0871 376 1000 or visit www.wightlink.co.uk for details.

Wightlink sells ferry-inclusive packages for the Isle of Wight Festival (June) and Bestival (September).

Bestival 2012, Isle of Wight

I’m not sure I am quite cool enough for festivals like Bestival, I certainly don’t have the stamina to make it through a whole five days unwashed and living off a few hours sleep. Not any more anyway, not as a sophisticated 24 year old. Wandering round the dusty fields among hundreds of inebriated teenagers, I felt like I should be scraping them off the grass and guiding them back to their tents, even if that is where their stashes of cheap beer are kept. In fact my younger brother was in attendance at this huge Isle of Wight jamboree along with a large group of friends, none of whom I was allowed to meet, well not without bribing him with free food.

Bestival is not the easiest location to travel to, but the island site is idyllic and spacious, ideal for a music festival. We arrived on Saturday (I was desperately sad to have missed Django Django on Friday), once inside the fencing I was totally amazed and overwhelmed by the raucous energy, the endless groups of giggling friends and most alarming… the eccentric wildlife costumes that almost everyone was wearing. I arrived un-costumed, without even theme-specific nail art to justify my embarrassingly bland clothes choice. After the long drive, we were already in hysterics, and putting up our £20 neon pink tent provided further fun when the pop up function flew into the air and into our faces… this easy to use temporary accommodation in fact provided very well for us for our one night of camping, being roomy and weather resistant. Thanks must go to Sports Direct.

It was difficult to navigate our way round at night, music blaring from every quarter. The main stage glowed in the centre, and we watched some of the energetic ‘Two Door Cinema Club’ who managed to really motivate the swaying crowds playing songs from their recently released new album and a few older favourites. Every year festival food seems to improve and Bestival 2012 secured some of London’s most popular eateries: hugely popular Meat Liquor had a stall, Byron were selling their deliciously juicy burgers, and even Wagamama made an appearance.

We were ridiculously lucky with the weather, most of Sunday morning was spent sunbathing and munching on breakfast treats from the Breakfast club bus. The bands seemed to thrive in the heat, Rizzle Kicks consumed the stage with their hilarious, infectious set and Krafty Kuts was a brilliantly wild DJ act to dance crazily to in the roller disco arena – their sound is expansive and atmospheric and fully involved the audience. I really enjoyed some of the other entertainment too, in particular the dance lessons marquee and the Bollywood themed area.

Venturing into the woods and we found further thrills. A special mention must go to the Dukesbox band, a unique little group who play and sing from an enlarged jukebox, following the requests of their audience and providing renditions of popular numbers with gumption and humour. Better still they are actually very talented musicians, and bring something special to every cover. The perfect entertainment for a wedding or big party.

Stevie Wonder provided the climactic finish we had all been hoping for… taking to the stage unusually punctually, he gave a staggering performance. Dressed in a vibrant red outfit, he looked valiant and impressive. Performing hit after hit, the audience danced, jumped, sang and smiled. Almost every one of the 46,000 attendees (the most ever) turned up at the main stage to see the star of soul and it felt like a once in a lifetime moment. Favourites ‘Don’t you worry bout a thing’, ‘For once in your life’ and ‘Superstition’ were especially electric… not a note off-key not a beat missed, Stevie is still as magical as his very first record and it seems age has only bettered him. It helps too that his punchy band support him with charm and charisma and give the melody a dynamic vitality.

Bestival is now one of the largest of the new festivals, offering a range of exciting events and exhibits for festival goers to enjoy, though it is definitely geared more towards the younger and hipper generations. For me it was Stevie’s wondrous set and inspiring musical talent that made this epic journey so worth the effort. I will never forget seeing this unbelievable legend in the flesh, and Bestival will struggle to match this headliner next year.

http://www.bestival.net/

Thoroughly Modern Milly travelled to Bestival with Wightlink on its 35-minute ferry service from Lymington to Yarmouth, one of three routes. Car ferries also operate from Portsmouth–Fishbourne (40 minutes) and there is a foot passenger catamaran service between Portsmouth Harbour and Ryde Pier Head (approx 20 minutes).

Call 0871 376 1000 or visit www.wightlink.co.uk for details.

Wightlink sells ferry-inclusive packages for the Isle of Wight Festival (June) and Bestival (September).

Best of British Festivals 2012 – A Preview of my Top Five

Music Festivals are always a summer highlight for me and with so many to choose from, I thought I would compile a list of my top UK festivals for 2012.

Everyone can be a festival-goer, there is something out there for you whether you like the music, the food, the camping, the fashion or just the general fun of it all!

Best all round: Latitude 12th-15th July

I am so excited about Latitude, a festival which never disappoints with its eclectic array of music, literature, comedy, cabaret and theatre acts. This year looks set to be bigger and better than ever with Bon Iver, Elbow and Paul Weller headlining. Somehow Latitude always manage to appeal to all ages and is a truly memorable event for the whole family to enjoy. The Word Stage have gathered up a group of first class performers including Lana del Rey, St Vincent, Explosions in the Sky and Lianne la Havas. And for those classically inclined, Lang Lang will be giving a performance by the Waterfront on Sunday 15th.

Best atmosphere: Hop Farm 29th June- 1st July

Hop Farm only began back in 2008 and yet it still manages to present some of the most exciting music festival acts. Last year they had Prince and, believe me when I say, it was a musical highlight of my life… it was electrifying. The year before, I spent the day fighting my way to the front to ensure rinside exclusivity for none other than Bob Dylan. This year they boast exclusive acts like Sir Bruce Forsyth who appears in his first ever festival, also performances from legendary artists like Peter Gabriel and The New Blood Orchestra, Bob Dylan and Suede. Other guests include Ray Davies, Billy Ocean, Patti Smith, The Psychedelic Furs, Bellowhead, George Clinton, Athlete, and a personal favourite of mine, Jose Gonzalez.

Best London festival: Lovebox 15th-17th June

This year Lovebox celebrates ten years of existence. Wild and wonderful, contemporary and cool, Lovebox is London’s hottest festival, taking place in Victoria Park, Hackney. Without the stress of camping, this day festival excels in providing Londoners with raucous music and fun. This year Lana del Ray is taking to the stage alongside Grace Jones, Hot Chip and Kelis, who I recently witnessed in Beirut! Last year I had great fun checking out the vintage stalls which offer gorgeous retro clothing and accessories for bargain prices.

Best food: Port Eliot 19th-22nd July

Alongside the awesome music and creativity, Port Eliot offers some inspiring grub for hungry festival goers. Now in its ninth year, this Cornwall-based Festival introduces a wealth of talent with more of an interest in the culinary than most festivals. Nathan Outlaw (2 Michelin stars, of St Enedoc Hotel in Rock) will be working his magic in the Port Eliot kitchen. Celebrated food experts, William Sitwell and Allegra McEvedy are teaming up to tell the tale of ten dishes that changed the world. And cocktail lovers should be excited as London restaurateur and writer, Russell Norman brings his renowned signature drinks to Port Eliot.

Best fashion: Bestival 6th-9th September

Every year Bestival encourages guests to dress imaginatively and the results are a field of psychedelic craziness. The boutique campsite caters for those guests wishing to sleep in more luxurious lodgings. This year musicians include Stevie Wonder, Florence and the Machine, Emeli Sande and 2ManyDJS, a variety of music stars from all genres.

There’s no excuse, dig out your wellies and prepare for a summer of festival fun.