10 things we learnt at Benicassim 2012
- By Craig Jones -
- Jul 19, 2012
Now that the tens of thousands of Brits who invaded the delicately small Spanish coastal resort of Benicassim in search of sun, sea and song have finally, just about, made it back to Blighty here is what we learnt during FIB 2012.
10. Pay the extra and find a hotel:
Cards on the table early doors. I know it is sacrilegious to do anything other than camp at a festival and it is all part of the experience but I couldn’t have been happier feeling the slight sting to the wallet for staying in a hotel as it meant I wasn’t one of the many, many sunstroked revellers lining small islands of shade throughout Benicassim trying to stay out of the light, the morning after the night before, living a Dracula-like existence throughout much of the festival. Plus, you can’t create great golden moments such as sitting in the hotel hot tub sipping €1.50 bottles of Cava in the middle of the afternoon waiting for the festival to kick off if you are living in a tent.
9. The best thing to do if a friend loses their phone during the festival:
Go down to the nearest tat shop you can find and buy them a €1 plastic toy phone as an ample replacement.
8. Stepping up to the plate:
Anyone would find it tough following the living legend that is Bob Dylan onto the main stage but The Maccabees took it in their stride with an intense brooding performance by Orlando Weeks and the boys which left the hairs on the back of your neck standing on edge on Friday evening. The same kudos needs to be heaped upon gothic punk rockers The Horrors who were bumped up to headliners on Thursday evening to open the festival after Florence and The Machine pulled out when Florence Welch was struck down with a throat problem. They effortlessly took responsibility to ensure the opening night of FIB wasn’t an anticlimax which it easily could have been.
7. Andreas Iniesta loves an ice cream:
We are all fully aware that the diminutive Spanish midfield maestro has won all the game of football has to offer but there’s nothing the Barcelona star seemingly loves more than an ice cream. This is, if his saturation endorsement of the tasty treat plastered all over Benicassim’s billboards, is anything to go by. He lovingly cradled the cone like it was a World Cup winners’ medal in what is easily the greatest bit of patronage by a footballer after Pele’s love of Viagra.
6. Bob Dylan’s still got it:
The 71-year-old who has been making music for more years than he’d probably like to remember (or actually can) took to the stage on Friday evening to do a rousing two hour set equally suited to a dingy whisky bar or the Spanish festival’s main stage. Wearing cream trousers, a blue blazer and a matching trilby he looked suitably dapper too but the same can’t be said for Miles Kane earlier in the evening with the scouser wearing black and white tight trousers which left little to the imagination during his high tempo performance.
5. Beni security get frisky:
There’s mixed feelings of unbridled hilarity and impending dread when you are standing behind your friend in the queue to get into the arena area witnessing him take a swift Hayemaker to his private parts for trying to sneak vodka and orange, down his pants, into the festival knowing you are doing the same. Thankfully, yours truly got away with it (although the same cannot be said for the following night. Ice please).
4. FIB knows how to rock n roll:
Benicassim might not get going until late in the day but it doesn’t disappoint when it does with great artists playing long into the early hours and once the guitars have been put back in their cases the party doesn’t stop there with dance tents and DJs at the outdoor FIB Club sending revellers into a craze of electronica, indie and rock. There’s even the mandatory fairground rides too.
3. I apparently look like Roger Federer:
Having long hair and a slight beard you tend to hear them all but this was a new one on me which was brought up on numerous occasions surprisingly. After being taken back by this call I then decided to embrace it and savoured the fact I have a passing resemblance to someone that has won Wimbledon more times than I’ve had hot dinners.
2. Beni is just better:
In a year when Glasto isn’t on the menu Benicassim surely served up one of the year’s best musical portions with amazing performances by established big hitters and rising stars. As well as that it also had a great friendly chilled atmosphere in the arena area and the town centre amongst the international and local festival goers who weren’t put out of place by pasty-faced Brits taking ownership over their annual musical treat.
1. North west is probably best:
Organisers of Benicassim surely surpassed themselves with this year’s line-up but it was the additions of northerners Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, New Order and The Stone Roses which were the icing on the delicious cake. To close the festival on Sunday evening reformed synth legends New Order brought Beni to a storming conclusion with hits ‘Blue Monday’, ‘True Faith’ and ‘Bizarre Love Triangle’ wowing the crowds. But it was main stage Saturday which stole the show with Noely G’s flock of birds bringing the crowd into a nostalgic singsong playing his new ensemble’s hits as well as some Oasis classics. This suitably warmed FIB’s fans up for the return of Ian Brown, John Squire, Reni and Mani who emphatically proved to the thousands they are ‘friends’ once more. Brown’s voice even sounded fresher than it has in recent years (which probably wasn’t hard) as the band navigated their bulging back catalogue with excellent ease. Anyone who failed to be impressed by Benicassim 2012 must have been made of stone.
By Craig Jones. Tweets at @cjjournalist
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