The next time I hear someone shout Alan I might just go crazy! Alan was the most popular name at the Isle of Wight festival this year, with just about everyone shouting it out all day and all night… Other than that very little managed to annoy me and I had an absolutely brilliant weekend to celebrate the end of my A-levels!
I was lucky enough to see some amazing bands including Bon Jovi, The Killers, Kodaline, Bloc Party, The Stone Roses, Paul Weller and the amazing Emeli Sandé! Unfortunately I missed Jaguar Skills on the Thursday evening as that became the time to walk around and get to know the arena. I thought the layout of the festival was a bit silly personally, the walk to the main stage was far too long for my liking and I always had to have a stop off and get some food or go in the Hipshaker on the way down – so I suppose it wasn’t all that bad! Hipshaker was the place to be for me!
I was really pleased to see lots of wheelchair users when I was at the festival and I like to think they found my festival review helpful. I didn’t go and check out the disabled access campsite but just from walking around the site itself it seemed alright; I mean, very bumpy surfaces because there weren’t any paths put down (as far as I saw) but fortunately the weather was pretty good so there were no really muddy areas.
My festival highlight has to be the Friday night! I stood (mostly) in the same spot from Jake Bugg until The Stone Roses. I think that Jake Bugg is an incredibly talented young man but I did feel his set started to drag out and it became my opportunity to go to the bar for another stupidly overpriced cider! Isle of Wight need to sort that out I reckon…. Anyway, it pretty much goes without saying that Emeli Sandé was awesome! I think she had one of the best voices I heard all weekend, although Kele Okereke from Bloc Party had a lovely voice too!
For me Paul Weller and The Stone Roses are seriously cool and I loved every single song and minute of being there when they were playing! What a brilliant atmosphere and I was relieved that Ian Brown made it onto the stage! Whilst we’re on the subject of cool…Bon Jovi! They are all-American and very, very good live but I wasn’t pleased with their choice of songs or them coming on half an hour late and going half an hour early… Definitely not cool! Where was Always??
On Saturday I saw Bastille, Bloc Party and The Killers after a long session in the Hipshaker… I know I went for a whole festival but that tent was great! Really great, wouldn’t you agree?! I think it’s pretty safe to say that, obviously The Killers were phenomenal and had a great choice of songs. The arena was rammed! And, to be honest, I’d say Bastille were also pretty amazing, I really enjoyed their set. You know it’s a good set when you’re dancing and singing along to songs you’ve not even heard before… I did unfortunately miss Ben Howard and I got a lot of stick for that from a friend who is a massive fan but, you know, I was having a great time elsewhere!
Kodaline: Amazing band! What a voice, what great lyrics – I saw a bit of their set in The Big Top and I thoroughly enjoyed them!! Might have even got a bit emotional… And after that I made my way to the main stage to see…… The Boomtown Rats. In all honesty, I think they were a bit tragic and I say they should hang up their ‘£350 snake skin suit’ ASAP! Sorry Bob (Geldof) but it just wasn’t OK! Luckily Paloma Faith came on and saved me from that tragedy! I’m not her biggest fan but I think she is really funny and she has a good voice – so I did, unexpectedly, enjoy that! She was followed by The Script and I think the nicest word for them is disappointing. I’d say Sunday was my least favourite day thanks to The Script and the Boomtown Rats… I should have stayed in the Hipshaker… I unfortunately, missed Newton Faulkner and most of Blondie. However, we managed to catch Blondie’s last two songs, she still has a good voice but I’m not 100% sure what she had on her head…
Overall, I’d say the Isle of Wight festival was fabulous! I had a great time regardless of The Boomtown Rats and ‘Alan’ – who was slashing tents and robbing them! As worried as I was about being robbed, my main concern was obviously the guide ropes… In my opinion they will always be one of the biggest hazards at night, at a festival, especially when you have consumed more cider than you should be allowed to!! But watching your friend fall over is always a highlight (and so is watching random drunk strangers fall!)
I love a festival and this one was no exception, saw some amazingly talented people and struggled to comprehend how some of them can even be human! There were a few moments of (natural) euphoria and so many of laughter. If you didn’t get to the Isle of Wight this year try get there next year, I’m sure the line-up will be just as amazing! Well done to the bands and organisers!! I hope your festival experience will be as memorable as mine!
