Saint Etienne weekend: Nothing Can Stop Us Now

A mere slice of the mighty Nothing Can Stop Us Now from Bestival 2006:



[Part of the Saint Etienne weekend]

Bestival battered by blustery blows

Bestival has been suffering an almost Glastonbury-like weather battering: the BBC Introducing stage has had to be axed in the face of storms.

Rob Da Bank is confident everything will turn out alright:

"Obviously people are going to moan about the rain but but I've been to enough muddy Glastonburys to know that things always come good in the end. I've had loads of people come up to me and say this is actually the best Bestival they've ever been to. Onwards and upwards!"

Bestival attempts to capture the original spirit of Glastonbury; Da Bank is even chanelling the insane optimism of Michael Eavis.

Festivals band together

Another sign of the festival over-supply: A bunch of smaller events, including Bestival, Creamfields and Summer Sundae, have come together to find a way to make their events "more cost-effective":

James Barton, owner of Creamfields, said the alliance was a “real opportunity” to help “deliver exciting business ideas.”

This could be the festival equivalent of Happy Shopper or My Mum's branding, where independent grocers combine to challenge the multiple retailers through co-operation. Or, on the other hand, it could be like local radio, where everything becomes templated to keep costs down.

Given that festivals tend to feature much the same bands - just shuffled into slightly different orders - the stuff that makes the smaller players successful is their individual approach. It's hard to imagine that this sort of price-down driving collaboration is going to encourage that individualism to any great extent.

Bestival scoops the lot

Bestival - when it's not smiling gently at Glastonbury and going "what happened to you, Dude, you used to be cool?" - is actually managing to pull together a pretty impressive line-up, headed off with My Bloody Valentine.

Rob Da Bank: Can remember when Glastonbury was all fields

Rob DaBank has paused to brush a nostalgic tear from his eye and recall the good old days of Glastonbury - all of ten years ago:

"When my wife and I used to set off on the spur of the moment and go fence-jumping into Glastonbury 10 or 11 years ago, it felt so crazy and exciting.

"I think, unfortunately, Glastonbury's lost some of the feeling now. It's still the best festival in the world, but it all has to be planned and organised."

Actually, we were there ten years ago, and the rot had already set in. Mobile phone companies flogging their wares in the market place and ATMs set up next to the toilets.

But still, Rob, if the vibe has left Avalon, is there, perhaps, somewhere we can still recapture that feeling?

Why, yes:

"With the fancy dress and the inflatable church and just our general crazy, eccentricity, I think we've got that old vibe back at Bestival."

How fortunate!

Bestival fake warning

Organisers of this weekend's Bestival are warning you to check your ticket closely:

[I]t is very important you arrive at Bestival with an official ticket bought from an official outlet. We are aware of fake tickets in circulation and all tickets will be carefully scrutinised before entry to the festival is permitted. Anyone holding a fake ticket will be refused entry.

All tickets are non-transferrable and cannot be re-sold... and its especially important that you don't buy from a tout as these are liable to be fakes. If you can no longer make the event you should contact the outlet you bought your ticket from to request a refund.

See you on the Isle of Wight!!!

x Bestival

NB: There are two types of official Bestival tickets in circulation... colourful security tickets and smaller blue and white hologrammed tickets.

We're not sure that having two sorts of tickets in circulation is especially helpful, and we do love the touching idea that ticket sellers are happily going to refund your ticket money without question if, for example, you've decided to spend the weekend at your grandma's house instead.

Kissaway announce trail

More tour dates - although they are mainly festival based and, thus, probably only of interest if you're going to the fests anyway. These are the Kissaway Trail's current summer plans:

14 June Wireless Festival London
15 Wireless Festival Leeds
16 Luminaire (Clash Magazine party) London
11 July Royal Festival Hall London (Bella Union 10th Anniversary Show)
13 Latitude Festival
7 September Bestival (Rock’n’Roll tent)