Beautiful Days Festival 2009

[saucisson]

I went, first festie I have done in about 10 years, took the kids for the first time, saw it though their eyes, they loved it Izzy (7) said I loved everything about it except the toilets (but even they wherent too bad). I am with El Jefe on the music...it was all reasonably meh....but it was a great site for the kids with puppet shows, story telling, games etc the subhumans were ace (nice to hear religious wars for the fist time in about 25 years) and the blockheads also rocked the big top while some other band were playing on the main stage. Finally.....Never ever ever ever mix bagpipes and jazz fusion (yes thats you peatbog fairies) two worst things in the world put together to make a truly awful noise , it was a toss up between them and the saw doctors as to the worst music I have ever heard.

 

[El Jefe]

we spent about 20 minutes trying to direct an EXTREMELY drunk Saw Doctors drummer to where his tour bus was parked. I was tempted to lie (cos then he might get lost forever and they'd split up) but he was very sweet.

 

[8ball]

. . . only other band I watched was the Subhumans, who were ace.

Yeah, the Subhumans were great fun.

I'm sure I wasn't all that drunk but I don't think I noticed a single tankard.

Work tomorrow . . .

 

[El Jefe]

i saw LOADS. I have tankard-dar (??)

mainly on blokes in leather trousers, waistcoats wearing tophats.

 

[rich!]

I think that's the first festival I've seen gluten-free veggie quiche for sale.

Food stalls really good, in fact. Bands were great, although I'm not allowed to talk about the band on sunday night. Audience were lovely, Urbanites in sufficient number, and we got stalked by the lovely Miser Bill.

Would Go Again.

 

[colacubes]

Sounds like it was a good'un from the excitable call I got at 1am on Saturday night

 

[editor]

Sounds like it was a good'un from the excitable call I got at 1am on Saturday night

That was positively calm compared to where I was an hour later

 

[colacubes]

That was positively calm compared to where I was an hour later

Christ!

 

[8ball]

My Beautiful Days tan has come off in the bath.

 

[moose]

I bet Hawkwind were brilliant.

 

[8ball]

I bet Hawkwind were brilliant.

Mental trippy lightshow thing going on and fortunately no one toppled over and broke a hip.

 

[rioted]

i saw LOADS. I have tankard-dar (??)
mainly on blokes in leather trousers, waistcoats wearing tophats.

So, for an idiot like me, explain exactly what is naff about a drinking vessel it is VERY hard to knock over, doesn't litter the site and keeps your beer/cider cool? And I don't possess a pair of leather trousers, a waistcoat OR a top hat.

I had a great time. Thought Peatbog Fairies were great.

 

[editor]

A few pics:

http://www.urban75.org/festivals/beautiful-days-festival-2009.html
http://www.urban75.org/festivals/beautiful-days-festival-2009-1.html

 

[Biddlybee]

That was the best Beautiful Days I’ve been to yet… everything just seemed to run so smoothly, can’t fault anything, and wouldn’t change anything… except perhaps getting a cable car fitted between the two hills

Loved our little camping spot as always, weather held out with only a few showers, enjoyed most of the bands I went to see, had fun pootling around people watching and visiting random little stalls and shows (the Insect Circus Museum was ace!), and spending time with some lovely lovely people The set up, the vibe of the place, seeing so many people enjoying themselves… it was loads of fun! And we won the ashes!

Imelda May was amazing, such a powerful voice and a great performer. The Wonder Stuff took me back to my early teens and put on a top set. Hawkwind were funny… bit before my time, but fun to watch. Didn’t see Les Truttes but listened to them from our tents and had a massive sing-a-long Broken Family Band were ok, loved hearing their old tunes, but not so keen on the newer rocky ones. Really liked the Levs closing set, played their first album rather than random new tunes.

Bimble Inn was bimbley all the lanterns were cool... there was so much going on I can't remember it all, but all was good

 

[Biddlybee]

Great pics ed! I was trying to get this shot for about 10mins... all I got was blur

but i fell out of the van about 6am this morning and fucked my leg, it's only now i'm home and sober that the pain - and how badly i've fucked it - have become apparent.

Shit, hope it's not too bad. Sorry didn't see you over the weekend. I didn't make it into Pussy Parlure once

I bet Hawkwind were brilliant.

They were so funny, I think they were taking the piss a little bit

 

[Beanburger]

They were so funny, I think they were taking the piss a little bit

I thought they were extremely mediocre. How the mighty have fallen. Or perhaps it's just hard for a generation that's never read Michael Moorcock to take them seriously. I mean "We are the warriors on the edge of time...." kinda reminds me of that Harrison Ford quote from the set of Star Wars. "George, you can write this shit, but you can't expect people to say it." Don't get me wrong - I do love a bit of Hawkwind, but the sell-by date is starting to seriously show. Shame really. Mind you, Nick Turner's been better at being Hawkwind than Hawkwind for years now. Oh yeah, and Gong owned 'em.

 

[El Jefe]

for the record, and i know i moaned about this last time i went, but i still find it outrageous that everything else gets shut down when the fucking Levellers are on

 

[Biddlybee]

I'm sure there was still a bit of music down by the bimble inn? (ask wiskey).

 

[El Jefe]

I'm sure there was still a bit of music down by the bimble inn? (ask wiskey).

but all the other stages were shut.

You might be an old folkie who loves Beautiful Days but doesn't like the Levs. You've paid your money like everyone else but are condemned to spend the final throes of the festival either with nothing to watch or watching someone you don't like.

Does that seem fair to anyone?

 

[Biddlybee]

Might not be fair, but it's their festie

I like them, so don't mind

 

[bouncer_the_dog]

Perhaps you could take an iPod and sit by the tent listening to brick music?

 

[Stig]

but all the other stages were shut.

You might be an old folkie who loves Beautiful Days but doesn't like the Levs. You've paid your money like everyone else but are condemned to spend the final throes of the festival either with nothing to watch or watching someone you don't like.

Does that seem fair to anyone?

Uh-oh, don't get rich! started. He sat down for most of it in protest, *and* shouted 'hawkwind!" at them.

 

[El Jefe]

Uh-oh, don't get rich! started. He sat down for most of it in protest, *and* shouted 'hawkwind!" at them.

quite right too. We protested by erm.. having to leave at 7pm.

 

[Voley]

I can confirm that my non-attendance at this festival was a protest at the continued existence of The Levellers.

I like to think I made my point.

 

[rich!]

Uh-oh, don't get rich! started. He sat down for most of it in protest, *and* shouted 'hawkwind!" at them.

*restrains self*

Though, to be fair, I think I managed to shout "Hawkwind" at Hawkwind. Or maybe it was "Turner"...

 

[Voley]

I didn't shout 'Hawkwind!' at anyone, though. I'm beginning to think I should've.

 

[Biddlybee]

I can confirm that my non-attendance at this festival was a protest at the continued existence of The Levellers.

I like to think I made my point.

You probably have made your point, but also missed out on a nice festie

 

[Voley]

Hawkwind!

My work here is done.

 

[wiskey]

I'm sure there was still a bit of music down by the bimble inn? (ask wiskey).

I was part of the anti-levs collective propping up the backstage bar . . . the music was so good we were planning on asking the fools on stage to turn it down a bit. Couldn't locate my feet at the time though.

 

[editor]

This site owes The Levellers. They bought me a modem when I was running the Footie Fans vs the CJA campaign.