#IoWFestival2019 a Sunday day ticket - Keane especially xxx

I am writing this short blog as much as anything as a personal diary record. Sunday was Fathers Day and the ticket was a present. I am going to Glasto in a couple of weeks - but the IOW Festival is relatively on our doorstep and we can hear the base boom from our house with a good prevailing wind. As I have explained before the scale and variety of Glasto knocks the IOW into a cocked hat so to speak but that does not mean the IOW is not a top festival and very important to the Island. It is certainly hard to resist when it is just a few miles down the road and we need to support it.

Some boring housekeeping! As with all festivals weather can have a major impact and the rain coming in cast a shadow over this years IOW. However I was amazed on site. There was no mud to speak of in and around the main arena. The reason for this is the festival organisers have learned lessons from the past. The IOW has been at the same site for years and they know where the problem areas can be. They laid carpets of wood chips in areas which could churn up before they churned up. They did well.

Another couple of changes noticed. The festival organisers really have cut through on paper and plastic waste. Festival goers now using bins to a much greater extent. The other one - flags on long poles in the audience. This nuisance has largely been curtailed by some way or another. An improvement.

So the music - this was not a vintage year - certainly Biffy Clyro not my idea of a closing headliner - but each to his/her own.

We saw - Bjorn Again - an Abba tribute band. It was good fun because the audience were determined to enjoy it and of course everyone knows their stuff. For me the Bjorn Again get away with it because they look so like the band originals - rather than because their musical rendition is anything special.

It was then Tom Walker. His performance reminded me of seeing John Newman a few years back now and I think there is a Rudimental connection. Tom Walker is talented and being on stage at the IOW meant a lot to him. I really enjoyed his set.

I have had the opportunity to see Madness a couple of times before - but passed them up. Daft really. They put on a great show - would be hard to find a more professional outfit. Suggs is so easy on the mic and his engagement with the audience is so natural and spontaneous. One quip he made that made me chuckle - he looked up at the sun breaking through - and said " they would never understand this in Africa - its brightening up this afternoon !".

Jess Glynne didn't turn up at short notice - which was controversial. Poor old John Giddings had to face the crowd. I wasn't devastated like some as I had seen her before at Glasto but it was a shame.

I mentioned Biffy Clyro wasn't for me - so we passed on Richard Ashcroft too even though he is great on the big stage - and went to The Kashmir for some real ale before heading over to the Big Top early to see Keane. That was a good decision as many people had similar thoughts. Keane did a fantastic set - the crowd totally engaged. I didn't know Keane had split and reformed. They were blown away with the reception they received. We were close - had a tremendous view. One to remember. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3s5GhkE-ic&feature=youtu.be

So a day ticket - not the same as immersing yourself in a full on festival but I really enjoyed it. The music was middle of the road - not what you would call edgy - but it didn't matter. It was easy and fun - so what more do you need?

Thank you Isle of Wight. Early bird tickets are already up for sale for next year.

#etc

It is early Saturday morning and I am just back from a jog to Ryde. I leave for Glasto on Tuesday so there is a lot to do. My intention is to have a clean living weekend in the knowledge that 5 days under canvas at the Festival will be anything but - ha!

Anyway I haven't really got time available for too much blogging - but it is a sort of discipline and a few things came to mind while out there this morning that I would like to commit to paper so to speak - albeit in precis format. Here goes - it is pretty random :

• Diesel vehicle pollution. Part of my run is along the Seaview Duvver. It is by the sea. Passing vehicles are rare. The air is clean. However when it happens (it happened this morning) - boy do you get a whiff of diesel fumes. I am not talking about clapped out vehicles - any vehicle. I guess the fact the air is clean makes the introduction of fumes a stark contrast - as a few grains of salt in your coffee! Goodness knows what we are breathing in urban areas - but the sad thing is it is less apparent and as a consequence possibly less of an issue for many. Roll on electrification!
• Mark Field - the Government Minister that manhandled a woman gate crashing a speech at the Mansion House to make a Climate Change Protest. Here is the video https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-48717002 . What happened has proved highly controversial. What would you have done. It is too dismissive to say it was only a peaceful demonstration. It is easy with hindsight. The debate is highly politized and he has as many supporters as detractors. 
• The Woman's Football World Cup.The BBC are promoting it big time - screening matches prime time. Should they be complimented or condemned. Why complimented - they are promoting equality. Why condemned - it is a decision based on political correctness rather than fuelled by established public interest. Is it social engineering? Woman's football has a minority following at the present time. That might change - I guess that is the point.
• The Tory Leadership and who will be the next Prime Minister. Johnson or Hunt - a dubious choice. I want Johnson - am I really saying that - can he really be our Prime Minister!? I have no doubt he is not suitable and it will end in tears. However he gets my support because he is not afraid of his own shadow and he is an optimist. We need someone to say we are a great country and not fall over in a politically correct neurosis every time the liberal elite say boo. Hunt is clever - but he is a snake. He is the safe establishment figure. I know who I would prefer to led by - and certainly have a few laughs on the way. I am sure Boris will win. He has got to the point where the more remainers, the left , the establishment and liberal elites try to undermine him the more determined his electors will be to give him their vote. I guess it is similar to the Trump phenomenon. Supporting Boris is a way of putting up 2 fingers to all those who are trying to rob the majority of their democratically won Brexit decision and this pretty much all it comes down to.
• My brother Rob posted a fantastic article written by Andy Shaw for Spectator Life in 2016. When I read it I thought WOW - how inciteful - how perceptive - how intelligent - it summarises my views much more succinctly than I can do myself. I commend it to you - here is the link - https://life.spectator.co.uk/articles/a-handy-guide-to-left-wing-people-for-the-under-10s/

A handy guide to Left-wing people for the under 10s

Andy Shaw

28 October 2016

• Finally - remember to look on the bright side. My son James goes to the IOW Running Club every Thursday. Recently I have been thinking - as I am there I might as well do a run rather than go to the pub. This Thursday was the Club Championship 10k. While there are prizes for the fastest mainly it is running against your nominated time - with emphasis on running for all - not the Olympics! I did it. Out of about 70 runners I was close to last - which was annoying not because I was close to last but because it was such a grind - and while I kept going it felt like a battle all the way. But a quick reflection - I did it - I can do it - and I should be thankful for that. I was pleased to put the effort in and everyone at the Club are really nice - really supportive. They call me Papa Shoulder - which says it all I guess.

#CanadianGP2019 Vettel & Hamilton

Like most blokes I know I take an interest in most sports.

I am not a motor head or an F1 devotee - but I follow the F1 races and have an opinion - albeit a lay opinion. - (while I admit to not being an expert I do think my opinion is objective!)

WHY AM I WRITING THIS BLOG TO GIVE MY OPINION WHEN I ACKNOWLEDGE I AM NOT AN EXPERT? SIMPLE  - BECAUSE I WANT TO MAKE THE POINT THAT SO OFTEN OBJECTIVE AND FAIR DECISIONS ARE CRITICISED BECAUSE FANS AND PUNDITS LOSE THEIR OBJECTIVITY THROUGH PARTISAN BLINKERED SUPPORT. THIS IS A CLASSIC EXAMPLE.

Yesterdays' race had a controversial outcome. A quick summary :

• Vettel led from the start - his Ferrari was faster on the straights.
• Hamilton in his Mercedes kept close and pressured throughout and threatened to overtake in the latter part of the race as tyre wear became a bigger factor.

What happened next?

A quick summary :

• Vettel under pressure made a mistake and veered off the track onto the grass.
• Vettel got back onto the track in front of Hamilton but Hamilton had to brake hard to avoid a collision.

What happened next?

A quick summary :

• Hamilton claimed immediately over his radio - Vettel had lost control under pressure from him and left the track. He stated Vettel against the rules of racing had immediately rejoined the track on the racing line - which was both dangerous and stopped him from overtaking to lead.
• The matter was immediately referred to the stewards by the Mercedes team and during the race the stewards decided Vettel had broke the rules and penalised him with a 5 second time penalty.
• Vettel was incensed when he heard the decision. His argument - once on the grass he battled for control of the car and it took him in front of Hamilton - there was nothing he could do about it - he had no options - it was a racing incident.
• Hamilton was able to stay within 5 seconds of Vettel and while Vettel crossed the finish line first Hamilton was awarded the race.

Now my objective lay analysis - ha! :

The decision was controversial in my view not because of the interpretation of the rules but because of partisan determined lack of objectivity - as so often is the case in sport.

Certainly passions run very deep in F1. 

The Tifosi (Scuderia Ferrari) are some of the most fanatical and partisan fans that exist in the world - in any sport. They are ultra Ferrari biased.

Lewis Hamilton is disliked by many - loathed by some. The reasons are unclear to me. He is quite clearly the most brilliant driver of his generation - probably of all time - but many want to contest that. He has an unorthodox life style too - maybe that is a factor. Clearly jealousy of his sustained and phenomenal success is the biggest factor. 

There are also churlish past F1 drivers throwing in their tuppence worth. Very often their take is F1 is not like it used to be - too many rules - in their day men were men - you sorted it out on the track. (they also got killed!) 

The decision of the stewards :

The rules

A number of F1 regulations apply to this sort of incident. One says: "Should a car leave the track the driver may re-join, this may only be done when it is safe to do so and without gaining any lasting advantage."

The question here being, did Vettel gain a lasting advantage by doing what he did?

Another says: "Manoeuvres liable to hinder other drivers, such as deliberate crowding of a car beyond the edge of the track or any other abnormal change of direction, are strictly prohibited."

And another: "It is not permitted to drive any car unnecessarily slowly, erratically or in a manner deemed potentially dangerous to other drivers at any time."

How the stewards saw it

Hamilton was piling on the pressure, always within a second of the Ferrari. And then Vettel made a mistake.

He went in to the Turn Three/Four chicane too fast, had a snap of oversteer, took to the grass and rejoined the track. As he did so, he had another snap, caught it, and continued to drift wide out to the kerb. Hamilton, whose front wheel was in front of Vettel's rear, had to back out of it and Vettel retained the lead.

The stewards investigated the incident and decided to penalise Vettel, saying they "reviewed video evidence and determined that (Vettel) left the track at Turn Three, rejoined the track at Turn Four in an unsafe manner and forced (Hamilton) off track. (Hamilton) had to take evasive action to avoid a collision."

How Vettel saw it :

He raged about it on the radio during the race: "You need to be an absolute blind man to think you can go through the grass and then control the car. I was lucky I didn't hit the wall. Where the hell am I supposed to go? This is a wrong world I tell you. This is not fair."

How Hamilton saw it :

Hamilton said: "The Ferraris were really quick. I just had to put him under pressure and force a mistake because they were so quick on the back straight that even if I got close into Turn 10 he would just pull away. And he made a mistake.

"Ultimately the rules say when you go off you have to come back on in a safe manner and I was alongside and I had to back off to avoid a collision and I guess that's why they made the decision."

It is very clear to me the stewards got it right - both in terms of the rules of racing and in terms of fairness and commonsense.

Clearly Vettel made a mistake. Clearly he in effect barged back across Hamilton on to the racing line and if Hamilton had not taken evasive measures there would have been a crash. If Vettel had not cut Hamilton up Hamilton would have taken the lead. Vettel did break the rules.

The mute point (and Vettel's defence) is Vettel's car was out of control from going onto the grass (where traction is lost) and Vettel did not deliberately drive back onto the racing line in front of Hamilton to prevent him overtaking. The reason why this is a mute point is whether it was deliberate or not it was caused by an initial mistake of driving off the circuit onto the grass - by Vettel under pressure from Hamilton. How he dealt with that mistake and any down side from it (deliberate or not) is clearly Vettel's responsibility. 

One thing is for sure if the roles had been reversed the Tifosi would have brought the house down in indignation. 

Objectively the stewards made the correct decision - although I would have preferred not to give Vettel a 5 sec penalty but to have ordered Vettel to allow Hamilton to take the position that would have been his if Vettel had not broken the rules.

Long live controversy in sport - ha!

#Glasto Clashfinder

Tis early morning. A big birthday. My original plan was to be away (mainly to avoid fuss) but have let head rule heart and I have stayed around - (a change of manager at my business - so the wrong time to be up a mountain without a signal - ha!). (I try to rail against reasons not to do things- but this time I have succumbed.) Of course I love being with my family - not being with them is the down side of being away - I can be with my family today xxx.

I woke early and had already planned to go for a decent run. I view it as putting something in the bank to draw down on later in the day - when no doubt I will have a beer or two. This time last week I was doing the London Vitality 10k. This morning I did a similar distance - but it was a huge contrast. Last weekend it felt like I was in a race and I was surrounded by thousands of people. This morning there was no one around and I just plodded along oblivious of time. Consequently I had plenty of time to think - and that usually turns into a basis for a blog.

Where did my thoughts take me this morning? Thinking about age - I started off by being a bit reflective - how things have changed - concerns over the future that might affect my darling grand children - but I quickly realised that could be a bit heavy for a birthday - so I parked it - for another day.

I started thinking about Glastonbury which is coming up towards the end of this month. Once again I have been jammy enough to get a Glasto ticket - that is three in a row. I am going with the same group of school mates - 7 of us - two of which I went to infant school with. Amazing really.

The Glastonbury line up has just been finalised. Within no time at all the Glastonbury "clashfinder" app is published. If you are going to Glastonbury I recommend you use Clashfinder.

Glastonbury is such a vast festival - huge by comparison to other UK festivals. The challenge Glastonbury offers is its greatest asset - choice. There are so many stages (79 this year) - so many acts performing (2800 performances this year) at the same time - you might want to make decisions about who you are and are not going to try and see. Clashfinder is an app - basically a spreadsheet - that aids you in making those decisions more easily.

I am going to set out in bullet points the considerations I use when making choices. I do so now in order to remind myself of my past strategy before I delve into this years Clashfinder! Here are my tips :

• Relax. You cannot do it all. Be flexible. Pace yourself!
• Be reconciled to missing some you plan to see - and look forward to seeing some you have not even thought about. That's Glasto!
• It's great to see bands you know and like but every year you will come across performers that you hadn't considered and they turn out to be memorable.
• Some people see part acts and move on to catch another. That has never worked for me.
• Don't underestimate the time it takes to move from one arena to another (or how tiring it can be.) Obviously at the end of a performance there is an exodus so walkways can get busy.
• I am going with a group of mates. It's good to have a personal Clashfinder plan but I will temper it with what others have in mind. We are together a lot - but we do our own thing too. We use Avalon as a base. Usually start and end with beers there.
• Glasto is mainly about music of course - but there is so much more. People watching is amazing. The whole spectacle is amazing. Food choice is massive. Take your time - take it all in - and chill - ha!

So I am going to get stuck into Clashfinder next.

I have a limited list of must sees. The Cure, Kylie in the legend tea time slot on the Sunday, Interpol - an old favourite that I have never seen live, Slaves, Idles, Hot Chip if I can, Courteeners who I keep missing! and probably The Killers because they put on such a big show even if they have become a bit cheesy. I have seen them several times before including last year at the IOW - and they never fail to deliver because the audience know every song so well and get stuck in to singing them.

There are loads of others to juggle around.

Enjoy your Glasto and try not to tie your self in knots with Clashfinder - ha!