Tag Archives: Valleyfest

Over and Out

Posted on by
Reply

The second day at Valleyfest dawns dry and much more promising. We’re not early risers- almost always the last to surface on a campsite- and today is no exception; neither do we eat breakfast, so we’ve plenty of time to loll around and observe the occupants of the two motorhomes in front of us cooking and eating a ‘full English’ on an outside grill. One of the women clearly enjoys holding forth on a variety of subjects but not in subdued tones… Our van has the advantage of dark, smoked windows, providing ample opportunities for snooping. Fellow motorhome and campervanners beware of parking up next to a van like ours…

So it’s not until after lunch that we prepare, then amble across the fields and trudge up to the festival site, behind most others who’ve already arrived. The rocket-inspired, gothic DJ platform has been emitting its insistent beat for hours by now but we head right towards the stages, where various acts are underway, We set up on the hillside above the main stage. An energetic band of numerous members is on, playing a vibrant mix of genres I’m at a loss to describe- drum n bass/jazz/rap? The band’s singer is charismatic and colourfully dressed.

Having lowered into our beach chairs I’m able to scrutinise the garb of our fellow-attendees and it’s clear that this year’s must-have is something sequinned. Sequins are not a thing I’m ever drawn to in any circumstances, but here in the bright sunshine of a hot afternoon they are not a great look. There’s a range of sequinned garments- shorts, jackets, tops, trousers and skirts, looking garish and tawdry in the sunlight. I wonder what will become of them post-festival? As far as I know they are not especially recycle friendly-

There’s a hiatus for a change of musicians but it’s warm and we’re settled. It’s mid-afternoon and I feel a strong desire for an ice cream. I don’t eat dairy but these days dairy-free ice cream is widely available and is delicious so I leave Husband and go on a hunt, figuring that if I’m going to get a vegan ice cream it will surely be easy at a festival, with such a plethora of food stalls. I begin at one end and walk…and walk. I find one stall that sells ice cream [dairy] but is awaiting supplies. I try the children’s area- even here there isn’t an ice cream to be found. Yes- there are sweets. Yes- there are pancakes. No- no ice cream. I’m astonished- and very disappointed, Husband gets me a crepe as consolation.

We move to the other stage, down by the lake, where folk musicians are warbling to a sparse audience consisting mainly of parents, babies and toddlers, a collection of prams occupying the central area. We try the [supposedly] Simon and Garfunkel-like duo and we’re underwhelmed.

Later we queue for meals based on brisket. They are nice but pieces of chilli lurk amongst the other ingredients and have to be rooted out before I can eat. Then we wander a bit but don’t stay late. As the sky darkens, the rocket-construction-DJ platform becomes hyper-exciting with light beams penetrating the dark to the throbbing beat.

Later we amble back through the twinkly tent lights and to the van, where I’ve just enough energy to get down to the mobile shower unit.

There’s more to come on Sunday but nothing we’re gagging to see so in the morning we do a leisurely pack-up and wend our way back down the lanes towards home.

Novels by Jane Deans [Grace]: The Year of Familiar Strangers and The Conways at Earthsend. Visit my website: janedeans.com

Fest and Eye Fest

Posted on by
Reply

So- we [the OLD couple] have settled in on the festival campervan field at Valleyfest. It’s Friday afternoon and we prepare to walk to the main fields and see what’s happening. Preparation includes hats, water and beach chairs [although foolishly, as it turns out, we omit rainwear].

The camping field covers a large area so we must walk a bit to get to the ticket entrance but once there our bags are checked [for bombs? or alcohol?], we’re braceleted and in. Then it’s past the tents, up quite a steep hill and in. The first thing that grabs attention is the striking, rocket-like structure on top of the hill, flanked by gothic structures at each corner. This is where the insistent, throbbing base beat is coming from. It’s manned by DJs and is to become spectacular in the dark.

Beyond this there’s the bar, which is impressive, having embraced shabby chic, Victoriana and a plethora of other styles. Half of the entire area is covered and there are booths along one side, the wall sporting old pictures and photos. Strings of lights with old-fashioned lampshades [the sort with fringes] festoon the edges of the roof, which is then open to the outside. True to type, we settle ourselves here first. It’s a great place to people-watch, enabling me to scrutinise the wide array of festival outfits- about which- more later!

This part of the site does not house any stages, so it’s time to go and find out what’s on and have a look. To do this we must walk through an archway and down a lane lined with myriad food stalls- mostly, as I predicted, cheese and/or chilli orientated. When dinner time approaches I’ll have a job to find something to eat.

The main stage is down at the bottom of the hill. At this time, late afternoon/early evening, although there are many people milling around the entire site, there aren’t huge numbers watching the stage, but there is a band on this evening, Tankus the Henge, who we’ve seen before and liked. They’re described as ‘gonzo’ rock and roll- which is ok by me!

I like a range of musical styles- rock and roll, pop, soul, blues and I’m partial to a smidgeon of heavy metal on occasions, too, mainly for the drama. Genres I haven’t taken to include , drum and base, some types of electronic music and rapping- which rules out ‘Tiny Tempah’ who is scheduled later in the weekend.

Annoyingly, the weather is deteriorating and while we’ve brought our chairs, there’s no fun in sitting in the drizzly rain that’s sweeping intermittently across the field so we decamp to the nearest bar, along with many others. There’s only so many beers I can imbibe [2 is the limit!] and there’s no seating in this stage-side beer and cider tent, meaning we stand under the dripping canvas.

A stallholder selling plastic ponchos must have gambled on the weather and won, as festival goers swathed in them are everywhere, concealing their carefully curated outfits [more in a later post].

We stay a little longer, out then in a couple more times, then call it a day.

Novels by Jane Deans [Grace]: The Year of Familiar Strangers and The Conways at Earthsend. Visit my website: janedeans.com

You’re not Old til You’re Told

Posted on by
Reply

I was just 17 years old when I went to see Pink Floyd play in London’s Hyde Park. At that time there weren’t ‘music festivals’ as we know them today, although they had begun in the sixties and developed in the seventies, with Woodstock [1969], Isle of Wight [1968] and several other iconic ones. Isle of Wight continues to thrive, although after the explosion of festivals we’ve seen in recent years, many won’t run again, including Valleyfest in Somerset.

I was lucky to see as much live music as I did, growing up. Nowadays it’s a rarity to get to see any musicians I’m interested in. But Husband has a yen to attend a festival this year, something we’ve done once or twice in our dotage. Can you be too old to attend a music festival? No- but you can certainly feel old when attending one. For a start- it’s likely you will not have heard of most of the musicians playing. For another thing, the music, while starting early, goes on later than I can cope with these days. Another issue is food. While the array and variety of food stalls seems impressive, most are, by nature, and of necessity, ‘fast food’, they are also heavily dependent on spice [in particular, chilli] and cheese. Chilli and cheese are two foods that I’m not able to eat [a great source of sorrow!] since getting ulcerative colitis 10 years ago.

Another thing- we’re great walkers. Regular readers will know that we are habitual hikers and can manage fair distances and steepish climbs. But standing for long periods is not as easy as it once was. Our method of dealing with this is to take tiny, portable beach chairs, which have backs but are very low on the ground, making getting up and down out them tricky, also comical for anyone watching, but not insurpassable.

And so- armed with chairs, comestibles, rainwear and the rest, we set off towards Somerset and Valleyfest. It’s on a farm about 9 miles from Bristol and next to a lake, the ‘Chew Valley Lake’. I have to be honest here and say that, of those performers I’ve actually heard of [Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Tiny Tempah, Sister Sledge] I find nobody irresistable, but then I’m always prepared that we will see someone new that we love and besides, there is lot’s more than music to enjoy.

The first difficulty is that we cannot find the place, or rather, our SATNAV cannot find it. The signage is lacking, except for one on a lane where we’re about to turn which declares ‘no access to Valleyfest’. Hmm…

After backtracking, we do find our way, although there are the inevitable narrow, country lanes to navigate. The campervan field we enter is already three quarters full. When we reach the first steward we stop and wait to be directed. He’s an elderly, grizzled hippiesque character with a bedraggled plait and tattoos. He speaks into his walkie-talkie.

‘Can you find a space for this old couple?’ he says…..

Novels by Jane Deans [Grace]: The Year of Familiar Strangers and The Conways at Earthsend. Visit my website: janedeans.com