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A festival that’s been around for almost 20 years and one that we feel is definitely starting to get the recognition it deserves. Taking it’s place as one of the UK’s best family festivals with some of the best toilets we’ve seen at any festival and an amazingly beautiful short walk from not only the carpark to the festival site but also to the campsite. All this while still hosting to a large capacity of about 25,000.
IT BEGAN WHERE FRIDAY ENDED
Arriving late Friday night I parked my car, got my wristband, and entered the festival, all within about 15 minutes… Amazing!
Being late in the evening one of the first things spotted was everyone with a smile on their face enjoying a beer or other refreshing beverage.
I caught the end of Hadouken on the main stage and a tiny bit of Dreadzone in the distance, I was then fully prepared to have a sherbet while watching the headliners of the evening, Orbital.
Surrounded by computers and wearing their well known glasses modded with torchlights they really kicked off the beginning of the Guilfest weekend. Many of the crowd may not have known Orbital, and many could probably only think of them famous for one thing… The Dr. Who themetune remix. Yet for many others, including myself, this was definitely not the case. They played their most famous classics such as Halcyon, Chime and Satan!
After watching Oribital we decided to get some drink down our gullets. Most of the photography needed was now over and so drunken conversation could take its place.
We headed over to the Funky End Dance tent and caught a bit of Sub Focus. The tent at this hour was overflowing, very hot and steamy, but a great atmosphere!
Following our visit here we troddled over to The Rocksound Rock Cave where they were playing some old skool rock classics such as Nirvana, Rage Against The Machine and System of A Down. Typical classics to get the crowd going but great fun! Reminded me of being young again.
To finish we ended up in the VIP bar drinking spirits and making very bad conversation with the people we met.
FRIDAY’S HIGHLIGHTS
Sub Focus, The South (formerly The Beautiful South), Fucked Up, Dreadzone, Hadouken, Orbital
LOTS OF MUSIC, ALCOHOL AND PICTURES
The day started with a killer hangover! Plan for the morning was to take a walk in to the towns centre, which was only a 10 minute walk from the festival, and grab a McDonalds breakfast (sausage and egg mcmuffin)!
It was then over to the car to have a little nap, some music and refreshing air conditioning. Following the sleep we had a can of lager and headed over to the main grounds.
Today was to be a day filled with music, drink and lots of pictures.
An amazing electic mix of music was what we witnessed on this day from 70’s blues act Mungo Jerry, to 80’s synth pop The Human League, and all the way to the other side of the spectrum with acts such as N-Dubz, and Tinie Tempah.
Saturday was for me the best day as Guilfest had almost everything to offer for all ages of all backgrounds and tastes.
The younger members of the audience had acts such as Just Jack, N-Dubz, Young Guns and Tinie Tempah.
For the older folk and also those with a knowledge of earlier music there were amazing acts such as Alvin Stardust, Mungo Jerry, The Human League and Hawkwind.
Headline act The Human League really took Guilfest back to the 80’s and had a mix of people dancing and raving at the front to people chilling in their camping chairs quietly admiring music from their past. They played songs such as Don’t You Want Me, All I Ever Wanted, and Tell Me When.
SATURDAY’S HIGHLIGHTS
Subterra & Lon-d, Tinie Tempah, Young Guns, Mungo Jerry, Alvin Stardust, Hawkwind, Kid Creole, The Human League, Just Jack, N-Dubz
GOODBYE GUILFEST
Unfortunately lunchtime of Sunday we had to return home due to other commitments.
Leaving lots of happy festival goers to enjoy the delights of Guilfest’s final day of activities.
So we woke up, packed away our gear whilst trying not to succumb to the dizzy sickening feelings that was being brought on from the previous nights debauchery. We said goodbye to some of the punters and made our way off the site… Joyous was the 5 minute walk from pitch to car!
SUNDAY’S HIGHLIGHTS
Chase & Status, The Dirty Disco, Simon Friend, The Young Knives, The Blockheads, Level 42, Status Quo, The Twang
IN CONCLUSION
Guilfest, definitely a festival that is on the up for party goers and families alike. Especially if they can keep to the diversity of their 2010 lineup, catering for the young and old, and those inbetween.
With a capacity of about 25,000 you almost always feel like you have some space to move around, and yet at the same time it’s not so small that any section of the festival feels uncomfortably quiet.
It’s very clean, relaxed and well policed. I think all it needs now is to host a couple more big name acts and it will be a festival that people will rush to buy a ticket for.
Thanks to everyone we met. |
