Bestival - Robin Hill Country Park, Isle Of Wight - 6th-9th September 2012 (Live Review)
Friday, 21 September 2012
Written by Ryan Crittenden
Set up in 2004 by DJ/Sunday Best Records founder Rob Da Bank and his wife Josie, Bestival has cemented its position as the festival to end the summer. Despite the poor weather that has engulfed many of the events over the 2012 summer, including a near wash out on the very Isle of Wight where Bestival resides, it is not just the star-studded line up that shines through over the 4-day festival.
With Mr Da Bank referencing Glastonbury as one of the influences for Bestival, and the massive Worthy Farm event taking a year out, it offered the more modest sized festival a chance to step up, and step up it did. The meticulous attention to detail across every square inch of the Robin Hill Country Park just made the four-day festival one to remember for all 50,000+ in attendance. With over 20 stages listed in the programme boasting one of the most eclectic line-ups possible, the entertainment did not stop there. Everything from a roller disco to the visually spectacular mechanical cabaret in Arcadia was covered; no stone goes unturned as the Bestival team try to offer something for everyone and everything.
So, as hoards of revellers flood into the sun drenched country park on the Thursday, the atmosphere is brilliant. The sun seems to put everyone in high spirits and as happy campers settle in, the day of scorching sunshine becomes night and this offers some very merry people the chance to explore the main arenas for the first time. With the main stage closed, it appears that every man, woman and child have descended upon the Big Top tent to see some big names so early on in the weekend. An entertaining set from The 2 Bears is followed up by a show from Alabama Shakes and with the tent now spilling out it does not detract from the truly phenomenal vocal performance of front woman Brittany Howard. The huge crowd lap up everything that the band offers as they play through some of the hits from their debut album 'Boys and Girls'. The only disappointment coming at the end where many expectantly waited for normal set ender ‘Heavy Chevy’ which never comes, a very minor blip on an otherwise excellent performance of modern blues. To end the night on the Big Top tent, Hot Chip, who have returned this year with their very impressive new album 'In Our Heads'. They have clearly had some time away and have been influenced by the projects that some of the members embarked upon, notably Joe Goddard’s 2 Bears project who played earlier on in the night. Their electro set is just what the crowd want, despite the tent being crowded there is still plenty of room for high spirited dance lovers to throw some shapes to some old and new numbers alike. A great way to end the first night.
It is clear that many are nursing sizable hangovers as the sun-drenched campsite begins to wake on the Friday morning. Ambling through the site allows you to take in the quite beautiful / odd / absurd decorations that you half-remember seeing in the dark stumble back the previous night. The Wishing Tree field, which hosts an inflatable church and a truly remarkable life size model of a hollowed out tree just two of the things I didn’t just dream about. Anyway, a very early afternoon slot is taken on by Adam Ant & The Good, The Mad and The Lovely Posse, well the recognisable Adam Ant and his band really. Looking like an extra from Pirates of the Caribbean, Adam Ant delivers a distinctly average set on the main stage. The few high points come from his more recognisable older material, ‘Stand and Deliver’ mainly but aside from this it feels a bit like “too many cooks” as his two drummers fight it out amongst a stage full of musicians. From the old or mature to the very young as a good size crowd greets 18-year-old up and coming star Jake Bugg on the replay stage. This young man is super talented, boasting a voice that many strive for, the lad from Nottingham, alongside a bass player and drummer, play a good show that pleases those in attendance. Upcoming single ‘Two Fingers’ is brilliant, such a simple song lyrically but like most of his set Bugg’s voice does not fail to impress.
Warpaint, the band who produced the best album of 2010 had an afternoon slot on the main stage to fulfil and being their only UK show in 2012 it was a real privilege to be there. Debut album 'The Fool' is a true work of art and sitting alongside one the best EP’s in modern music, 'Exquisite Corpse' the band have so much potential to be ‘that’ girl band. I, along with many others, could not wait to see what new material they had to play and they did not disappoint. The unnamed new tracks had that same dark, moody vibe that the four girls from America have mastered and they sit beautifully next to songs like ‘Undertow’ and ‘Bees’. I cannot praise this band enough, musically they are exceptional and the shared vocals of Emily Kokal and Theresa Wayman will never grow old. An extended rendition of ‘Elephants’ ends the magnificent set and leaves the crowd wanting more, the sooner these girls return the better. Still in awe of that performance over at the replay tent/stage, a massive crowd was beginning to form for one of the biggest success stories of 2012. Alt-J have gone from strength to strength in the last 12 months and this is demonstrated by the massive audience they pulled in who spent the whole set singing back every word at the quartet. Their debut album 'An Awesome Wave' got critics and fans swooning and for good reason, it is an LP full of songs right from the top draw. It was a real Bestival moment and one that the band seemed to feed off, as their 45-minute set just seemed to fly by. In a set full of audience participation 'Breezeblocks' took the title of loudest sing-along but it is ‘Something Good’ that takes best performance, a great band destined for great things.
One of the best parts of the festival was the Bollywood Fields, complete with a cocktail bus and dance tent, the Bollywood theme in the tent was as detailed as you would imagine. Inside the sweltering dome, David Rodigan MBE gave an absolute master class in how to be a jungle DJ, his unrivalled energy and enthusiasm for what he does is what makes his shows so good. The hot and sweaty tent were going mad for everything Rodigan touched and the great man even played Johnny Cash’s ‘Ring of Fire’ much to the delight of those in and around the Bollywood tent. In a somewhat contrast to the jungle/dance music at Bollywood, the second overwhelming crowd was gathering at the main stage. Despite The xx not being billed as the headline act, many considered the band’s only UK festival appearance of the summer just that. Over the course of the hour-long set the three piece took the vast crowd on an emotional journey, playing a good mix of songs from their self-titled debut album along with a number of new tracks from 'Coexist', the show really did have it all. Tracks like ‘Infinity’ and recent single ‘Angels’ put you in an almost trance like state as the sunsets and darkness takes over allowing the impressively basic light show to dominate. Things really do become too much as the spine tingling intro to ‘Crystalised’ kicks in and an acquaintance of mine cannot hold back the tears, it was an emotional moment for all. Songs from the new album do follow the pattern of their debut effort but they have a formula that works, they produce songs that no one else can and for that reason, they are one of the best British acts in the industry and their set at Bestival will live long in the memory.
Bestival at night means that more things come alive, namely Arcadia’s Mechanical Cabaret, where visitors witness a light show of epic proportions that accompanies a constant thumping bass line. This along with a mechanical fire-breathing dragon and a mad man who climbs up a massive pole only to sway side to side and climb back downs means it is a spectacular but bizarre experience. With the night still young a short but impressive glimpse of Summer Camp satisfied the happy indie boy inside me, tracks like ‘Better Off Without You’, ‘Losing My Mind’ and personal favourite ‘Welcome to Condale’ would probably be more at home during a mid-afternoon set, however the two-piece play the situation and play it well. All of this and still enough time to enjoy an energetic set from Sbtrkt, whose electronic wave provides a good end to a great day.
Wandering around the various campsites on Saturday morning you could be forgiven for thinking you had stumbled into some sort of Wildlife Park. The reason for this…it was fancy dress day at the Robin Hill Country Park and with a wildlife theme it is fair to say that people really did put the effort in. From penguins to flamingos, everyone kind of creature/animal was covered, like Noah’s Arc gone wrong thousands of tigers and two goats basked in the glorious sun that once again covered the Bestival site.
First up at the brilliantly named Psychedelic Worm stage were Zulu Winter who came appropriately dressed for the occasion. Covered in foliage and donning black masks the five-piece looked the part and credit has to be given to drummer Guy Henderson who played the entire show with a whacking great branch from a tree on his back! As for the set itself, it really was fantastic. The energy oozing from lead singer Will Daunt was infectious and his vocal performance was one of the best of the entire weekend. Working through a number of songs from debut album 'Language' tracks like ’Let’s Move Back to Front’ and ‘Never Leave’ seemed to draw people into the tent to get an early groove on. Despite an odd stage invasion from a bear (not a real one), the ever impressive Daunt continued to shine particularly during set highlight ‘We Should Be Swimming.’ A great start to the day and some huge live potential shown by the band. At the Big Top tent, it appeared that every man and his dog, lion, giraffe and parrot were squeezing themselves into the tent for the much-anticipated early afternoon show from another great success story of the last year Ben Howard. The London-born singer songwriter looked overwhelmed as hoards of fans sung every word back to him with the biggest sing-alongs rocking the tent. ‘Keep Your Head Up’, ‘The Fear’ and ‘The Wolves’ all engulfing the tent and making almost impossible to actually hear Howard towards the back of the tent. As far as sing-alongs go nothing even came close to ‘Only Love’, the passion in Howard’s voice is clear for all to see and the more he gave, the louder the crowd would sing along. He has mastered the festival crowd and will look to return with a second album that follows suit.
An entertaining set from Beardyman excites the people that haven’t seen the human beat box machine before but for those who have heard it all before were left disappointed. There were no innovative cover songs from the more overgrown-stubble man; the same cannot be said about The Cuban Brothers who graced the Main Stage at the hottest point of the day. The stage was full of people having a blast and with covers of ‘Seven Nation Army’ and ‘Ace of Spades’ it was a real party/carnival atmosphere with synchronised dance moves and colourful suits the attire of choice which drew in an enthusiastic crowd. Although they turn up a good 30 minutes late for their set on the main stage De La Soul bought the party to Bestival. The show flies by as Posdnous, Dave and Maseo interact brilliantly with each other and the crowd, dipping in and out of their back catalogue they never look back from opener ‘Me, Myself and I’. The fun the guys have on stage resonates through the crowd and it is such a disappointment when the plug is pulled as they cue off ‘The Magic Number’. If they did not arrive late, the set could well have been the highlight of the weekend, as it was the show was cut too short and there was plenty more fun to be had.
Continuing the trend of a busy stage setup, the Earth, Wind and Fire Experience feat Al McKay were the next to rock up on stage. A variety of men dressed in matching pristine white shirts and black trousers brought some real soul to the festival. The vocal harmonies shared by the lead men were right on the money and with a collection of hits to call upon the evening slot was just perfect. I don’t think there is a doubt in anyone’s mind about the highlight of the show, ‘September’ was a sing-along/dance-along ball of joy that put a smile on people’s faces as the sunset over the park. With the looming green eyes of the Owl that defines the main stage looking out, a sea of people had gathered for Two Door Cinema Club. The Northern Irish trio should be used to big crowds at festivals though, spending the last few years growing in popularity to a point I don’t even think the band believed they could be at. Showcasing tracks from new album 'Beacon' the material still has the upbeat tempo that you associate with the band but it seems they have matured more. Everything from Alex Trimble’s new hairstyle to the lyrics show signs of growing up and the progression is welcome. Although numbers from their debut album 'Tourist History' like ‘Something Good Can Work’ and ‘Undercover Martyn’ get massive responses, recent single ‘Sleep Alone’ gets as big a reaction as any track. A pumped up band and audience feed off each other as the hour long set never loses momentum from start to finish, on the back of their second release the band will just continue to grow in popularity and stature.
The headline act for the Saturday night certainly didn’t draw in the size crowd that many were expecting, nonetheless New Order took the stage just after 10:15pm to an audience of animals that looked a little worse for wear after a day in various onesies and costumes. In truth, Bernard Sumner’s voice was just not up to it. The frontman was in obvious discomfort, coughing throughout the set and with streams of people heading away from the main stage after just a few songs you had to fear for the band. Credit to Sumner and his band mates though, they carried on and played a reasonable set which including hits like ‘Blue Monday’, ‘True Faith’ and ‘Regret’. It was however, the encore that made the headline performance worth it, a raucous rendition of Joy Division number ‘Transmission’ was greatly received as the thudding bass of Tom Chapman (still no Hooky, but an able replacement regardless) shook the crowd into life. Following this up with ‘Love Will Tear Us Apart’, Sumner’s voice was pretty redundant as the still vast crowd echoed the lyrics of the late great Ian Curtis. A good end to the main proceedings and it set things up nicely to enjoy the rest of the night’s action.
Sunday, spirits are low (in both senses). The last few days have been a real treat and the realisation that it would be the last day set across the downbeat campsites. It did not take long however, for people to perk up once they thought about how the show was going to end tonight…it was Stevie Wonder day! Before this though some very promising new acts were dotted around the stages to enjoy.
First up on the more dreary looking Sunday was BBC Sound of 2012 winner Michael Kiwanuka. The man who was tipped by the BBC at the beginning of the year promised a lot and to be fair to him, he has delivered. His debut LP 'Home Again' is a good debut album but it never really got tongues wagging and this was shown by the smaller than expected crowd. Considering at a similar time the previous day Ben Howard had filled the tent, Kiwanuka can consider himself unlucky not to be in the same boat. His fantastic vocal range and ability is clear for all to see and tracks like ‘Tell Me a Tale’ and ‘I’m Getting Ready’. The problem being that the tracks just do not get the sing-along treatment, saying this Kiwanuka and his band are brilliantly professional and deliver a good set. 2:54 – a band that have played with the likes of The xx and The Maccabees have musical fans in high places and their set in the Psychadelic Worm tent first draws people in to get away from the unexpected rainfall, these people then stay and enjoy the Thurlow sisters fantastic sound. The thrashy guitars are ever present in the set and the moody atmosphere and female led vocals means obvious comparisons to bands like Warpaint are complimentary. Songs like ‘Scarlet’ build up brilliantly but it is set closer ‘Creeping’ that oozes excellence, the strained guitar riff draws you in and with a simple drum beat in the background the song takes you on a real journey. I expect 2:54 have gained a few more followers after this performance and for good reason too.
Arguably, the most anticipated set out of the plethora of up and coming acts playing at Bestival, was one from new Rough Trade signing Palma Violets. The four-piece have well and truly been caught up in the hype machine and you have to question how? With only one single released, the excitement comes from their manic live sets and obviously their signing to Rough Trade helped a bit! What the band give you is all out indie rock. Bass played Chilli marches round the stage with his bass and hair flailing in pursuit, lead singer and guitarist Sam Fryer’s voice sparks angst and with comparisons to Ian Curtis already there seems to be a lot of weight on the young man’s shoulders. Keyboard player Pete Mayhew is brilliant, he just sits and does his job in an almost ironically uncool fashion which is in contrast to drummer Will Doyle who can’t sit still at his kit. Anyway, the 30 minute set consists of free t-shirts being thrown into the crowd, Chilli crowd surfing, Mayhew’s keyboard stand replaced by their roadie and a girl at the front who shows appreciation by getting her Breastivals out. Musically it is fast paced and exciting, recent single ‘Best of Friends’ is received well as is ‘Rattlesnake Highway’ but it is ‘Happy Endings’ that steals the show. The church like organ keys and the simple drumbeat pave the way for a manically brilliant chorus full of shouting, thumping bass and thrashing guitars. There may well be a lot of hype around this band but they are good to watch and with the right choices could find themselves playing a bigger stage at next year’s Bestival.
Back over at the Psychadelic Worm, the fabulous Lucy Rose drew quite a crowd for her last festival performance of the summer. Opening number ‘Middle of the Bed’ is beautiful, Rose opens the song with a minimalistic intro before launching into the familiar number, a delightful track that captured many people’s attention when she burst onto the scene as a solo act. The rest of the set draws from her hugely anticipated debut album 'Like I Used To', with ‘Lines’ and ‘Scar’ the real standout numbers during an all-round brilliant performance. Lucy Rose is now not just the girl that sings with Bombay Bicycle Club, she is a bona fide solo artist who has a great band behind her.
Come nightfall the main stage was once again where it was at, the official programme labels Stevie Wonder as “one of the greatest songwriters and recording artists of the 20th Century”. Such high praise is appropriate for a man who has produced hit after hit across the last few decades and the excitement for Stevie’s show had reached fever pitch by the time he hit the stage. Appearing out of the smoke, cooly clutching his keytar in a red and black outfit over the next two hours the vast crowd enjoyed an absolute master class in headlining a festival.
The 62-year-old's dreadlocked ponytail may have receded but his vocal talent and ability to wow the crowd have certainly not. A classics-laden set just kept delivering, ‘Sir Duke’, ‘I Wish’ and ‘Higher Ground’ just a few examples of tremendous tracks the great man pulled out without even touching arguably his greatest hits. Stevie Wonder's 14-piece backing band, including daughter Aisha Morris on backing vocals (who he called over before playing 'Isn't She Lovely'), are all incredible musicians who follow Wonder’s every instruction. The legend would bark chord instructions at his band before launching into either a massive hit or a cover of a fellow superstar. Michael Jackson, Marvin Gaye, and Jay-Z all got the superstar treatment and a touching tribute to John Lennon’s ‘Imagine’ was a real treat.
‘Superstition’ kicked the atmosphere up a few notches; the unmistakable drum intro sent the crowd into a funky daze. ‘Signed, Sealed, Delivered’ was full of soul and with the master of ceremonies Stevie Wonder directing traffic from the stage, everyone in the crowd was invited to join in. Whether it be a clap along, a 3-part vocal harmony sing-along or just agreeing with the man’s views on Barack Obama it was impossible to feel detached from the performance. Personal highlight ‘I Just Called to Say I Love You’ was as cheesyily brilliant as I wanted it to be. By this time people who had gathered not just on the grass, but on top of catering vans and the bars just to get a better view of the pioneer of RnB.
Bowing out with a rendition of ‘Happy Birthday’, Stevie Wonder went from one end of the stage to the other to bow and show his appreciation for the crowd. As he left to a massive response a spectacular fireworks display signalled the finale to an incredible weekend.
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With Mr Da Bank referencing Glastonbury as one of the influences for Bestival, and the massive Worthy Farm event taking a year out, it offered the more modest sized festival a chance to step up, and step up it did. The meticulous attention to detail across every square inch of the Robin Hill Country Park just made the four-day festival one to remember for all 50,000+ in attendance. With over 20 stages listed in the programme boasting one of the most eclectic line-ups possible, the entertainment did not stop there. Everything from a roller disco to the visually spectacular mechanical cabaret in Arcadia was covered; no stone goes unturned as the Bestival team try to offer something for everyone and everything. 
