Beautiful Days 2009
Friday 21st to Sunday 23rd August 2009Escot Park, near Fairmile, Devon, EX11 1LU, England MAP
adult weekend camping £100 - SOLD OUT
The weather gods have promised us a nice clear day today although its start is a bit overcast. The queues for the toilets are not knee-crossingly, insane-jiggingly bad. In fact they're pretty short and they're pretty clean. Although it sounds like an odd thing to comment on, it's pretty important when you've got nippers at festivals and the Beautiful Days toilet crew must be working pretty hard all weekend as I don't see a duff one. It probably helps that there are trailers containing urinals either side of the main stage too.
Edward II is a really interesting band. Imagine traditional folk played with reggae dub beats. The effect is quite brilliant. The band split about 10 years ago and reformed only this year and I can see that the majority of the field swaying around and tapping feet are glad that they did! As they clear the stage, our children are getting restless and we go for another walk around the kids field. The number of children at the festival seems higher than last year too, and I think thats a good thing. There are new activities aimed at older children which look interesting.
Dub Pistols are an amazing and accomplished band. Having recorded with Terry Hall of The Specials and Rodney P, their profile is pretty big and although already fans, I don't own their latest album 'Rum and Coke'. On this performance, its purchase is sealed. The highlight of their set for me is when Lindy Layton joins them on stage and they perform the Beats International Classic 'Dub Be Good To Me'. Very few people are left seated and the infectious sway sweeps across the audience. Lindy Layton stays on stage with them to sing her part in their new single 'I'm In Love' which after the previous track goes down a storm too.
Comparatively speaking, The Saw Doctors make little impact upon me. To be fair, I've never really been into them and my time seems better spent catching up with friends who I haven't spoken to in a while. Their set provides a few moments where a little bounce about feels right but not more than that.
Kids safely tucked up in their sleeping bags, we hear Swans In Flight from the tent. Although their sounds are slightly jumbled in the distance from the Big Top to our position, they and The Imagined Village might have been a better bet, rather than The Pogues. We turn in after a few beers.
review by: James Tayler
photos by: Andy Pitt / Danielle Millea / Karen Williams
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