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.
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.
No comments:
Post a Comment