Friday 1st to Sunday 3rd July 2011 The Great Tew Estate, Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire, OX7 4AH,
EnglandMAP £140 or £160 with camping
The third and final day of the Cornbury Festival would be concluded with a set from none other than Status Quo and the fans were out in force. Yet, first on the agenda would be performances from Alice Gold, Jon Allen, and Olly Murs.
Hundreds of screaming girls greeted Olly Murs which made me feel intimidating. A finalist from the X Factor, Murs gave his audience exactly what they wanted, in terms of thrusting, flirting and obviously singing the songs which his fans knew word by word. Although finding his path through reality television, Murs has carved his way into the current music scene and has gathered loyal fans. Murs clearly loved the attention he was receiving from the crowd and his performance was sharp, electric and highlighted his enthusiasm for his job.
A medley including hits from Stevie Wonder including Superstition and Signed, Sealed, Delivered, Murs converted even the biggest of Quo fans who found themselves tapping their feet and nodding their heads I saw Quo fans! Murs captures his audience and makes many of the women fall to their knees in sheer ecstasy.
Playing before Status Quo, Murs seemed delighted with where he was and now the wait had ended. Status Quo walked onto the stage to rapturous applause and cheering which continued as they steamed through their set showing the elegance yet determination which they have become known to have as musicians. Playing songs such as 'Rockin' All Over The World' and 'Down Down', Status Quo provided an excellent ending to a fantastic weekend with the crowd screaming for more and more wishing the set and the weekend would never end.
The best thing about the weekend was how friendly and homely the festival felt. Being an independent festival, the care and attention which went into every aspect of the weekend was evident everywhere in the music, the stall and the location. After declaring how the last year had been an nightmare the outcome was outstanding. The atmosphere and the weather contributed towards an unforgettable experience and a weekend which showed that independent music festivals should not be overlooked or disregarded because of the larger festivals because they can stir emotions and memories just as strong, if not stronger than any other festival around and that is what Cornbury Festival did.
