10 things we learned at Camp Bestival
- Aug 05, 2011
1. Debbie Harry didn’t know she was there
Debbie Harry led her Blondie boys through a barnstorming greatest hits set list that got teenage boys alongside aged punks whipped up in to a like-minded frenzy – such is the power of their 30 year old post punk pop. Despite this, Debbie admitted to not really knowing where she was… uh, big clue in the dirty great castle you’re performing in front of! Bless. We love her. We even love her drummer – the esteemed and learned Clem Burke who we bumped in to backstage for a bit of a chat...
- Read our interview with Clem Burke from Blondie who tells us what he really thinks about the 70s British punk scene ('It gets kind of dull') and what the future plans are for Bondie (Touring India? A covers record?)
photo: copyright Dan Dennison
2. We don’t know what Laura Marling was like
We were very much looking forward to lovely Laura Marling’s set – particularly for the chance to hear songs from her new album. But she was only scheduled up against Blondie and, very sorry, but Blondie beats all others in our world. All of our little team of Camp Bestival Virgin scouts NEEDED to be down the front for Debbie to be able to worship her efficiently. Maybe someone else here can tell us how utterly brilliant and beautiful Laura was...? Please?
photo: copyright Victor Frankowski
3. Primal Scream’s Sreamadelica legacy is ensured
The whole of Camp Bestival seemed to descend upon the main stage on Sunday night for Primal Scream’s Screamadelica set. It was heaving with the old and young – actually the very, very young. There were babies who were bouncing up and down and gargling with blissful joy to ‘we just want to get loaded’. That’s what we love about this particular festival. The chance to get ‘em hooked young.
photo: copyright Dan Dennison
4. Ed Sheeran makes girls scream even when he fucks up
He may have clumsily kicked his loop machine in to stony silence during his spine tingling rendition of Wayfaring Stranger, but even when he fucks up – Ed Sheeran still commands a devoted audience of besotted teenage girls. He accidentally kicked his loop machine off twice and he still styled it out with ginger cool. By the way, did we mention we discovered him? Yes we did – here is our video proof: Ed Sheeran as Red Room House Band and here is his acknowledgement: Ed Sheeran Red Room video interview
photo: copyright Victor Frankowski
5. Groove Armada make us dance when they fuck up
A similar stony silence fell upon Camp Bestival when someone accidentally pulled Groove Armada’s plug out, twice, a short while in to their Saturday headlining set. Oooops. They’d got us all infected with dancing fever so we headed over to PlayStation’s Cocktails & Dreams tent for some grooves of a different kind… and we weren’t disappointed
photo: copyright Victor Frankowski
6. How to Love Easily in Cocktails & Dreams
The (near) legendary Philip Bailey (him off Earth, Wind & Fire, who then sang Easy Lover with that Phil Collins) didn’t take his sunglasses off once when he appeared on stage in the after-hours club Cocktails & Dreams with the (very) legendary Barry Peters Halifax Hospital Radio (ie: The Cuban Brothers in lycra body suited disguise). Bailey’s Easy Lover duet with Skipton’s finest was a Camp Bestival moment to treasure. We’re not entirely sure that Bailey knew exactly what was going on, but it was fun to watch. We weren’t shy, we showed our pies and danced, danced, danced to Derek Japan’s 80s classics. This is the real reason we love this festival and we’re already looking forward to seeing who Barry Peters and co dust down and coax out from yesteryear next year…
photo: copyright Victor Frankowski
7. The Wonder Stuff had sore pipes
The reformed eight legged groove machine that is The Wonder Stuff livened up our Saturday afternoon nicely. Miles Hunt apologised for having sore pipes after his 45th birthday celebrations the day before, but the crowd filled in for him, sang along and loved the rocked up version of Golden Green.
photo: copyright Victor Frankowski
8. The Selecter play the best Amy Winehouse tribute
Mark Ronson was obviously going to pay tribute to his mate Amy Winehouse and did so in the form of inviting Zutons singer Dave McCabe on stage to sing Valerie. Neat and touching but we found the most heart-warming tribute came from the unsuspecting quarters of Sunday afternoon ska heroes The Selecter. Two Tone had released their version of Back To Black on the day Amy died. The release was pulled but Pauline Black and co played it nonetheless and it was perfect. Time will hopefully allow the rest of the world to hear their brilliant skanked up rendition – just as Amy would have no doubt loved.
photo: copyright Victor Frankowski
9. Smiffy’s dress us up, Kiehl’s feel us up
Smiffy’s are the best fancy dress people ever. Official. We were pitiful in our attempts to go medieval before we rocked up late on Friday, so we were rescued by the delightful Chrissy from Smiffy’s who sorted us some top Dark Age clobber. Thus we were able to parade with the best of them on Sunday afternoon. We were then also rescued, in a different manner by the gorgeous Gillian and co of Kiehl’s who treated us to much needed facials and festival survival kits. It’s all about achieving (and keeping) the look nowadays you know. We now declare that having a facial at a festival is equally as rock n roll as moshing down the front and then finding yourself at an impromptu tent party at 3am with complete strangers… all under 12 years old.
photo: copyright Victor Frankowski
10. We can do ballet – with the ZingZillas
We suddenly came over all poised and graceful on Sunday afternoon and joined in the ballet flashmob led by the English National Ballet. We were a bit shy and reluctant at first; after all we’d just had our facial and didn’t want to come across too fey. But when the ZingZillas came on stage to join in some deft Swan Lake moves – we couldn’t resist. We were pretty darned good as well…
@BobFear, Kiersty Long, Andrew Johnson
photos used by kind permission of Get Involved Ltd
