day 3 overview

Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrghhhhh is about the only thing I can say after a night of a load of gorillas being real loud in the tent behind us and refusing to shut up! It was 6am before they quietened down. God, it’s times like these when I really hate camping.

But we get packed up before the real heat kicks in and get the car loaded up early enough to go back to the Spectrum for another cooling swim as outside temperatures start to soar again. Before heading back for what for me is by far the best day of the three musically.

We manage to just get back into the arena in time for the end of the girls Irish dancing which starts off a debate on how to pogo properly, should it be in a arms still at your side in a Riverdance style or with arms moving?

Talking of debates there’s a vox pop going on at the Unison tent we said we’d attend. But The Ukulele Band of Great Britain have just started. They’re fantastic as ever and play loads of crowd pleasers and create a fantastic atmosphere for the start of Sunday’s entertainment.

The heat and dust are getting unbearable, and we discuss the possibilities of B&Q sponsoring a festival – one covered in decking, with huge swathes of gazebos and patio heaters to keep us warm in the night and the possibility of four helicopters flying in to cover the site with a large sun canopy. Cold water goes warm in minutes and sun cream is being liberally applied but seems to just make me bake!

It’s the first time I’ve seen the acoustic supergroup Three Men and Black and it seems a great idea to get three accomplished musicians from a bunch of bands also on the bill or your mates and then front the thing with Pauline Black from The Selector and play a bunch of everybody’s hits.

The highlight has to be the dedications, one to the late Syd Barrett and ‘See Emily Play’ and another to the recently deceased musical star, Desmond Dekker and ‘Israelites’. Plus lots of other old song writing gems from members of the band. What a fantastic idea and I hope to see 3M+B again with a different line up, the possibilities are endless.

Now I’m not sure whether to see Donovan or not as there’s also the option of gothic rockers Velvet Razors who have a large following wandering the arena dressed in VR Tees. But the PA plays Gram Parson’s ‘Return Of The Grevious Angel’ and there’s no way I’m leaving now!

I’m actually pleased I didn’t. Donovan is a bit of a surprise highlight, playing songs that seem perfectly suited to our time still, strong anti war songs and feel good hippy tunes to warble along to in the hot summer sun. Neither he nor his music sounds as dusty as the air which is making my eyes water!

Next up is Stereo MCs who start off with a huge sound and get the crowd up for ‘Breakthrough’, ‘Connected’ and ‘Deep Down and Dirty’. They sound really good the ground is shaking and groups of dancers are dashing up to the main stage and merging into the crowd to dance.

Then they unwind my favourite Beatles’ cover ‘Tomorrow Never Knows’ and Rob Birch is clearly enjoying himself on mic. Nic Hallam (keyboards) and Owen If (drums) are providing a great noise – shame many of the bands on the previous two days didn’t achieve this. ‘Step It Up’ finally hits and the girls Rachel and Cath really sound great and the Stereo MCs are back and sounding better than ever! Funk-hop rules!

Simon Friend, of the Levellers is playing at Ents24 stage and Nik Turner’s Galatikos are playing psychedelic jazz funk in the Rocksound Tent – what to choose? Damn Guilfest has a clash on the bill! It’s still scorchio and Simon is nearer!

Okay I’ve seen him loads of times and it would appear most of the crowd have seen him loads of times, but he’s such a great songwriter and musician and a classic soloist of my generation. There’s no surprises in the set with all the usual suspects getting an airing ‘Sell Out’, ‘The Boatman’ and ‘Cardboard Box City’ being my favourites. Simon says he tried to get some people on stage to sing with him (The Levellers?) but they were all too drunk backstage. He leaves the stage to a standing ovation and I head back to see Sparks only for him to return for an impassioned ‘Battle of the Beanfield’ which has him almost snarling the line, “They’re laughing at you and me.” A great set but it appears I’ve erred again as Sparks sound superb to my cider addled brain!

I give The Guillemots another try in the hope they’re not as bad as the last time I saw them live, they hold it together slightly longer before collapsing into freeform jazz fusion which doesn’t sounding a patch on their recordings, so I dash away from the large crowd.

The margarita making smoothie machines have packed up in the heat so I thought I’d resort to cider and now I’m a bit wobbly and Sparks just plaster a huge smile across my face. I’ve no idea what they played but have been reliably informed their set included ‘Never Turn Your Back On Mother Earth,’ ‘Dick Around,’ ‘Perfume,’ ‘Let Me Invade Your Country,’ before I get there and hear ‘This Town Ain't Big Enough For The Both Of Us’ and ‘Amateur Hour’ and ‘Suburban Homeboy.’ They sound in terrific form, Russell’s in a red and white stripy top and they make me laugh out loud and I have no idea why! They’re odd and hugely accomplished, bristling with energy and make sounds that litter albums made today, even their new stuff sounds terrific! They are touring in September and October and having caught a little I’m hungry for more.

The Stranglers are here again! With yet another front man and that distinct bass/keyboards sound. Opening with ‘All Day And All Of The Night’ before the classic ‘Peaches’ where I reveal that someone way back told me Keith Floyd was once in The Stranglers much to the amusement of those who know better.

‘Strange Little Girl’ and ‘Golden Brown’ are classics and have the hallmark sound of the Stranglers but none of the voice of Hugh Cornwall, who I caught a little of yesterday. For me it is his voice that makes the Stranglers songs more than the music. That’s not detracting from the wonderful ‘Always The Sun,’ ‘Walk On By.’

For their encore they can’t resist a pop at Hugh, saying this is how it should be done properly and launch into ‘Heroes’ but again I prefer the fact Hugh crowbarred in Zinedine Zidane and his famous Head Butt – it made it more current.

The crowd are excited with anticipation for Billy Idol to the extent that it becomes palpable as Billy sings from off stage. “Always the sun…. no more heroes, anymore... golden brown...” before breaking off into maniacal laughter.

Then the Generation X, Punk Elvis of the Eighties with that lip curl sneer and platinum blond hair is before us and a rammed pit with a hundred or so photographers snapping wildly. Billy still has the spiky hair and the sneer and looks well for a man reputed to have been in ‘drug hell’ a few years ago and ‘Dancing With Myself’ has the crowd all bouncing.

‘Flesh For Fantasy’ has the bad showing what they can do behind Billy and Steve Stevens has a huge rock guitar legend grin across his face as his fingers do the talking. I realise it’s 8.30 and I haven’t eaten yet so I go in search of food as Billy plays ‘White Wedding’ the track alongside ‘Rebel Yell’ which propelled him to instant superstar.

It’s all rather good, but having missed The Waterboys at Cornbury because they couldn’t make it I head for the second stage where most of the ‘real’ festival crowd have congregated and it’s full of the usual suspects once again.

The band are clearly wanting to put on a great show, and they’re tight and in great form. They open with ‘Tumble’ and straight away I know that I’ve made the right decision to see them rather than Billy Idol. By the end of their set I feel this festival has indeed delivered, and I’ve realised how you feel about Guilfest all depends on what you do.

The organisers do cater for all tastes, but it’s up to the festivalgoer to see them, and consider carefully the line up. There are probably many great bands I missed, particularly the up coming local bands on Andertons Live Stage and The Surrey Advertiser Stage, but I don’t know my Surrey bands well enough, clearly the fact the tents were busy with local kids means that they were good choices.

We say our goodbyes to friends and start off on the journey home, little realising just how long and exhausting it would be. Come Monday morning and work, I was considering not going back to Guilfest again. But I realise now it was the nightmare journey home and not the festival that had so coloured my perception of the festival.

I’m hoping for a little more entertainment available to make use of the late licence next year, a bit more festival décor to give it that special feel and some more gems that are a bit different to your usual festival next year. Oh and perhaps a bit less heat would be nice!

I was greatly saddened to hear that a lad died in the campsite on Sunday through natural causes. My heartfelt condolences go out to his family and friends.

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