On Sunday morning, about 18,000 festival-goers gather for the communion service at mainstage which follows the theme of the weekend ‘Heaven in Ordinary’. It’s a pretty impressive turnout and the organisers do well to ensure that everyone is roughly in groups of 20 and receive a goody bag with a helium-filled balloon attached, containing bread and wine, paper chain links, spare balloons and activity sheets for the kids (and some of the adults!). The balloons are released en-masse with prayers written on to float away in the blue Cheltenham sky. We’re assured that they are biodegradable. The sun stays out for the duration of the service and many stay behind afterwards for a picnic.
The Rising after the service features Michael McDermott, Sarah Masen and Andy Yorke, brother of Thom and former frontman of Unbelievable Truth.
This is followed by Denison Witmer, an understated but talented solo performer, who plays gentle, soothing songs on acoustic guitar. Some are taken from his new album ‘Are You a Dreamer?’ which features Sufjan Stevens as a guest artist. He tells us about the website which he set up after his 30th birthday which contains lots of songs for free download, although donations to his favourite charities are welcomed in exchange.
The next set in the Centaur is Aqualung who are a last minute addition to the bill, having replaced Rosie Thomas who was ill. There’s been a gap between albums as they had found some unexpected success in America but finally their long-awaited new release ‘Memory Man’ is out tomorrow. The two brothers Ben (guitar) and Matt Hales (keyboard) play mostly melancholic but beautifully melodic tunes. The excellent set features ‘Strange and Beautiful’, perhaps their best known track used in the VW Beetle ad a few years ago, ‘Brighter Than Sunshine’ which was apparently a big hit in the US, a cover of Abba’s ‘SOS’ and a new “fast” song called ‘Outside’ from the new album. They finish on ‘Good Times Gonna Come’.
After attending an eye-opening seminar by the best-selling author GP Taylor about the media (and the mind-battle for our children), I catch Phil Pilot, one half of the Amazing Pilots and also drummer for Iain Archer, in the Tommy Atkins Bar which has been transformed into a venue called Underground for the festival. Phil is airing material from his forthcoming album ‘Love Like an Ambulance’ and seems slightly nervous, although a drummer singing lead vocals is inevitably going to look awkward. Still, he needn’t worry as the audience are quite excitable and give songs like ‘Hospital Radio’, ‘Fire in You’ and the title track a great reception.
Last Orders features Denison Witmer, the Psalters (a band of nomads who fuse many ancient folk traditions to create their sound), comedian Paul Kerensa and some weird and wonderful creatures - a tarantula, scorpion and a sugar glider, which is a small and very cute marsupial, brought in by Tropical Inc. who rescue exotic animals and seek to educate the public about them.
review by Helen OSullivan photos by Helen OSullivan
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