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Bearded Theory Festival - news and discussion

Been doing bits of packing since the weekend so I don't have to do it all tomorrow night after work. Mostly done now, even did the food shopping today.

Did you get a bog seat then Kaka Tim ?
 
sojourner said:
Been doing bits of packing since the weekend so I don't have to do it all tomorrow night after work. Mostly done now, even did the food shopping today.

Did you get a bog seat then Kaka Tim ?
Click to expand...
I'm pretty much exactly here
Done most of the packing, haven't chucked any clothes in but the basics are done.
 
sojourner said:
I've packed all my base layers and hat. Forgot last year and was fucking baltic :D
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I'm in this strange position where for the first time in my life, aged 51, I've suddenly decided to wear skirts and dresses. I felt like I was in drag at first but now I love it.
I'm known for my androgynous style and dread comments, so torn between packing for past Stig or future Stig.
 
Stig said:
I'm in this strange position where for the first time in my life, aged 51, I've suddenly decided to wear skirts and dresses. I felt like I was in drag at first but now I love it.
I'm known for my androgynous style and dread comments, so torn between packing for past Stig or future Stig.
Click to expand...
Bollocks to comments mate, you wear what the fuck you like. I'm taking my smoking jacket and red beret :D
 
ddraig said:
Go see Panic Shack!
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When and where are they on? I'll be performing/pitching tent on Fri, then raving, and compering daytimes Sat and Sun.

Also hoping to see Yard Act Fri night at the Pallet. I have no idea where the fuck it is and I'll be trying to find it whilst, err, in a pre-rave state :hmm:
 
Not doing Bearded this year, but the bands I wouldn't miss are

Lovely Eggs
Grace Petrie
Menstrual Cramps
iDestroy
Muddy Summers (obv)
Gogol Bordello (but only cos I haven't seen them for years)

Have fun everyone.
 
sojourner said:
When and where are they on? I'll be performing/pitching tent on Fri, then raving, and compering daytimes Sat and Sun.

Also hoping to see Yard Act Fri night at the Pallet. I have no idea where the fuck it is and I'll be trying to find it whilst, err, in a pre-rave state :hmm:
Click to expand...
 
That was such an ace weekend! Might review it once I feel like I'm back in the land of the living a bit more, it's mostly sleeping on my agenda today, esp after yesterday's 8 hour car breakdown saga, I'm beyond knackered. Worth it though :D

Great to see Stig too :thumbs:
 
Yeh I've been mostly sleeping, eating, doing laundry and recharging today.

Couldn't not mention him and Keef tbh. Glad that everyone paid close attention to that poem too.
 
chainsawjob said:
Might review it once I feel like I'm back in the land of the living a bit more
Click to expand...

Ok, I'll attempt a review.

I thought it was better than last year, which was the first year with new owners. It felt, this year, that it had returned to what it used to be a bit more, whilst also being better organised in some respects. The bottleneck into the woods was resolved, and having the 2nd large stage helped with overcrowding in the other venues. I didn't manage to get into the woods at all last year, the queues were always too long. This year it was nice to spend time in there in the shade, and not have to queue to get in. Also last year it felt more 'commercial' than it did this year. Hard to put my finger on exactly why, but this year it felt more low-key and friendly again. I think they got the mood/tone right.

Highlights: Gary Numan was unexpectedly good, with his newer 'industrial' stuff being very enjoyable. He's a true performer and still very fit. Ditto Chrissie Hynde. Primal Scream also impressed, what a brilliant set and great ending to the final night. I enjoyed the main stage offerings more than I have in previous years. I like to be up close to performers and don't feel like I've really connected with the music if I haven't seen the whites of their eyes. But despite not always doing this at the main stage (I did go for a closer look at Gary Numan), I still felt involved. The main acts were really consummate performers.

Other non-main stage highlights - stuff in the Something Else tea tent, Laura Taylor and Darren Poyzer. Beans on Toasts 5 yr old daughter coming out on stage with him and singing a song was very sweet and very impressive. The replacement for the Pirate Ship, Big Ed, was great, and lots of good dancing was done there. Conversely, whenever I went in the dance tent, Magical Sounds, I didn't hit on anything that really appealed. Just struck unlucky.

Bars were good and not busy. Beer selection good, although I mostly drank my own. Food choices seemed better this year, and the stall placement seemed better. Prices hadn't gone up appreciably on last year, for either beer or food (but food especially is still pretty darn steep, compared to pre-Covid), but I think on the whole people were being careful and spending less. The new Meadow stage caused sound bleed to the things around it though, esp Something Else, I think they need to angle it differently or something. As a stage I didn't like it much, but it certainly wasn't unpopular, it was often full.

The best thing about Bearded for me is being there with a big bunch of mates (about 50 or so), and the general friendliness and considerate-ness of everyone. I had the best chats with random strangers as well as with my own mates. It was a real weekend of connection, and well as music, fun and dancing. I feel more invested with it again, compared to last year. Couldn't be bettered really.
 
chainsawjob said:
Ok, I'll attempt a review.

I thought it was better than last year, which was the first year with new owners. It felt, this year, that it had returned to what it used to be a bit more, whilst also being better organised in some respects. The bottleneck into the woods was resolved, and having the 2nd large stage helped with overcrowding in the other venues. I didn't manage to get into the woods at all last year, the queues were always too long. This year it was nice to spend time in there in the shade, and not have to queue to get in. Also last year it felt more 'commercial' than it did this year. Hard to put my finger on exactly why, but this year it felt more low-key and friendly again. I think they got the mood/tone right.

Highlights: Gary Numan was unexpectedly good, with his newer 'industrial' stuff being very enjoyable. He's a true performer and still very fit. Ditto Chrissie Hynde. Primal Scream also impressed, what a brilliant set and great ending to the final night. I enjoyed the main stage offerings more than I have in previous years. I like to be up close to performers and don't feel like I've really connected with the music if I haven't seen the whites of their eyes. But despite not always doing this at the main stage (I did go for a closer look at Gary Numan), I still felt involved. The main acts were really consummate performers.

Other non-main stage highlights - stuff in the Something Else tea tent, Laura Taylor and Darren Poyzer. Beans on Toasts 5 yr old daughter coming out on stage with him and singing a song was very sweet and very impressive. The replacement for the Pirate Ship, Big Ed, was great, and lots of good dancing was done there. Conversely, whenever I went in the dance tent, Magical Sounds, I didn't hit on anything that really appealed. Just struck unlucky.

Bars were good and not busy. Beer selection good, although I mostly drank my own. Food choices seemed better this year, and the stall placement seemed better. Prices hadn't gone up appreciably on last year, for either beer or food (but food especially is still pretty darn steep, compared to pre-Covid), but I think on the whole people were being careful and spending less. The new Meadow stage caused sound bleed to the things around it though, esp Something Else, I think they need to angle it differently or something. As a stage I didn't like it much, but it certainly wasn't unpopular, it was often full.

The best thing about Bearded for me is being there with a big bunch of mates (about 50 or so), and the general friendliness and considerate-ness of everyone. I had the best chats with random strangers as well as with my own mates. It was a real weekend of connection, and well as music, fun and dancing. I feel more invested with it again, compared to last year. Couldn't be bettered really.
Click to expand...
Hmmm. Maybe I'll give it another go next year......

Thanks for that.

The new Meadow stage caused sound bleed to the things around it though, esp Something Else, I think they need to angle it differently or something. As a stage I didn't like it much, but it certainly wasn't unpopular, it was often full.
Click to expand...
Last year, I remember the Tea Tent constantly competing with the Dance Tent. It was a bit distracting trying to listen to Attila with a "thump, thump, thump" in the background. Often an issue at multi stage festivals though.
 
mx wcfc said:
Often an issue at multi stage festivals though.
Click to expand...

And yet, if it's done right, sound bleed/clash can be avoided. Boomtown last year had all the stages down in the bowl, and I didn't experience any sound clash at all, they really seemed to have got it right despite all the many stages being in quite close proximity. There's obv an art to it.
 
chainsawjob said:
And yet, if it's done right, sound bleed/clash can be avoided. Boomtown last year had all the stages down in the bowl, and I didn't experience any sound clash at all, they really seemed to have got it right despite all the many stages being in quite close proximity. There's obv an art to it.
Click to expand...
yeah, it doesn't happen at Wickham - the stages all face the same way, 100 yards or so apart.

we'll have to catch up about Boomtown nearer the event.
 
Nice review chainsawjob !

I never went in the Meadow stage, wasn't fancying any of the sounds coming out of it. And yeh, sound bleed is a right arse ache to contend with.

Magical Sounds had drum and bass in it loads on Fri night, and I fkn hate it. Can't dance to it, it's unimaginative shite. Banco de Gaia was ace on Sunday night, and Empirion rocked it too. Big Ed was playing some stonking old rave and house/dance classics, remixed a lot of them. Boss. Danced there loads.

Only food I bought was chips on Sunday night, took all my own stuff cos I knew the prices would be sky-high. I don't drink, so that wasn't a problem.

When I'm working/performing in the Tea Tent, I tend to gravitate to it, cos all my mates are there, and the atmosphere and acts are reliably excellent. Plus fire.

Only saw 2.5 acts on main stage - She Drew The Gun, who were outstanding, and great to see a scouse bird as frontwoman (she was amazing), Yard Act (blew me away), and a bit of Elvana. They weren't great, a mate had recommended them, but fierce sun plus tons of chair knobheads forced me back to the Tea Tent. I was THIS CLOSE to kicking over loads of those stupid fucking chairs. You can't move for them!

Never went near the Glade either this year. I don't do queues and couldn't be arsed going there if there was a queue.

Had a fab weekend anyway, old and new mates, hugs, smiles, massively middle class crowd but at least they put their litter in the bins! :D
 
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