Wake up with a stonker of a headache, covered in mud and damp as ya like.
Complain about position of tent to Tangerine Field man. He apologies profusely and offers to lay down a fresh ground sheet for us. Thanks. Don ‘Nemo’ looking fish hat, yellow and black stripey tights, Blue Peter homemade gold lobster medallion – I am colour co-ordinated to the max. Join my team, Sedusa (Medusa’s raunchy sister), Mimi Diver and Captain London Webb of HMS Ravy and make our way into the madness. Discover the Bestivale tent and drink myself into oblivion, even though it’s only 4%!
Have fun in the woods, climbing up trees, dancing on giant acorns, elephants and zebras (no, I am not tripping). Come back to continue with the blog before I get so inebriated I forget what I’ve done or start writing gibberish. Walk through crowd and feel like I really am at home…surrounded by thousands of freaks. Bestival really brings out the child in everyone. Continue to slide my way through the mud toward the Main Stage where Gary Numan and his band are half way through ‘Cars’, which is great, accept their stage outfits and make-up make them look like they’ve just attended a funeral and kids are crying all around me.
Come across Captain London Webb who isn’t making any sense so feed him Pot Noodle. Leave London Webb to munch on his noodles to start on this blog before the very special guest appears. There are rumours of Dolly Parton and Candi Staton but no one is giving anything away. 30 mins later, no Candi and no Dolly but Grace bloody Jones!!! She looks utterly incredible on stage and blows everyone away. I am totally transfixed, if not a little scared by her. She’s fierce!!
Head back to the other end of the site and stop off at ‘Lost and Found’…not somewhere you go if you’ve lost your phone but your marbles. Dance on a mini stage to Spandau Ballet and The Rolling Stones. Head off to the Big Tent for some Count and Sinden action. The bass is pounding and I feel like I’m 18 again in Camden Palace at a garage night. ‘Beeper’ gets everyone going and then it’s off to The Hidden Disco, where I am greeted by a security guard telling me I have fantastic dimples and that I can come in as only people who smile are allowed to enter (not that anyone at Bestival doesn’t smile, even if it has been raining for 3 days solid).
Spend next couple of hours bumbling around and head back to the Big Top for what is to be one of the highlights of Bestival so far – Hercules and The Love Affair Live. So original with their sounds, the HATLA collective blow everyone away. The last 48hrs finally takes its toll so I make my way to the Black Dahlia cocktail bar, where I start to fall asleep and instead of holding out to see the Aphex Twin VJ/DJ set – having been a huge fan since the age of 17 – I regrettably go back to the tent for some well earnt rest.
