[How was it for you?]

Good stuff:

Music - Most of the bands I saw were great, only a couple let me down a bit.

Lightspeed Champion on Sunday in particular - that fella was charming, funny, and musically sublime. Not to mention the violin player who looks like a cross between comedian Stewart Leee and Phil Mitchell from Eastenders. And to think he was only on my 50/50 list originally! Highlights of Fri n Sat were probably Blood Red Shoes and The Subways.

Most people - met some really cool people, chatted so some fella about football during Pendulum's set which was obviously bit strange, but gave me some company when I couldn't get in the tent. Also many thanks to the young couple who stood next to me and my mate Paul during The Killers, we're not great fans, and were pretty drunk, so sang lots of very wrong lyrics over the top of several songs, and were generally probably just a little bit of a pain, but when we apologised after it had finished, they were laughing and said we'd made their night rather than spoiled it, so that was nice. Generally I found most people were friendly, helpful, happy to chat, sensible etc.

My drinking - this must be my first festival ever where I can actually remember pretty much everything I did. The 'not having a bottle of wine for breakfast' is a revalation! Altho that said, I still did manage to lose my T-shirt early Saturday evening so had no top to wear until leaving the arena several hours later, brrrr that was nippy.

Hotel I know it's not considered 'the done thing' to stay in a hotel when at a festival, but given the events in the campsite last night I'm really glad we did, and will definitely do the same next year.

NME / Radio 1 stage - perfectly out of the way, beer nearby, a suitable 'urination fence' nearby (no harm in that in my opinion as long as people are discreet and sensible - no point having even more people wandering around the site unnecessarily making even more traffic). Spent most of my weekend there (the NME Tent, not the urination fence ).

Covers - some interesting covers, including Scroobius Pip and Dan Le Sac using 'Rock The Funky Beats' on Friday night, and TWO Prodigy songs in the space of a couple of hours yesterday (by Hadouken and Pendulum) - it was like last weekend at V-fest all over again!)

Travelling - dunno how everyone in cars got on, but the train journey was a piece of p*ss both journeys. There was a huge queue this morning about midday at the station, yet within about 10 minutes we were through it and on a train! Station staff were directing people clearly, barriers were open to avoid unnecessary delays, we even got a seat on our train! All surprisingly smooth.

Not so good stuff:

Some people - a few people have mentioned the chavvy types who seem to be growing in attendance numbers each year. I still don't think there are anywhere near as many of them as at V-fest in Chelmsford, but still too many. I didn't see much trouble, but any amount is too much, and when drunk young lads are pushing people around in tents etc it's a shame.

Campsite 'fun' - utter madness. Went back for drinks with friends between about 1am and 3am ish last night and, as usual, it was like a jungle. It's NOT harmless fun, it's f*cking dangerous and something needs to be done.

Gaymers - £3.90 - that's a joke. I paid it, and so did most people as nearly all bars ran out of cider nearly all weekend, but I can't believe cider is about 20% more expensive than last year, talk about inflation...

Queues (?) - only once or twice I got stuck in a total deadlock - obviously that's not great, but maybe it's unavoidable, hence the '?' for this one. I guess whatever order and stage they use for bands, someone is gonna get screwed over by it. Also I never had to queue very long for drinks anywhere (except when waiting for that scarce commodity called cider, but that was stock problem, not about queues per se).

Food - dunno what I was expecting, but I never seem to get excited about any of the food any more. Thai Green curry and veg tempura all days, just couldn't find anytihng else that took my fancy, maybe I'm just getting too fussy!

Might add to this later if anything crops up from the depths of my memory...!!!

[Has Anyone Lost A Camera]

hi

my sister lost a camera on sunday evening

it was a canon ixus 5

the colour was ruby red

there was a scratch on the front of the camera

it had pictures of her family on it

either way good for you for bothering to try and help someone out

thanks

S/.