Festival Fever/Frenzy

A recent email from D highlighted problems with the recent All Tomorrows Parties festival at Butlin’s in Minehead that he and his posse attended. There seems every indication that the organisation may have overstretched itself on moving from the cosy, slightly ramshackle but extremely enjoyable Pontin’s at Camber Sands. When my cohort and I went to ATP a couple of years ago, there were no queues to speak of, one was able to drift between arenas and see who you wanted, when you wanted and, generally, chill. This appears not to be the case now. The articulate D maintains, ‘I hope they (ATP) can recover what they had,’ and if they can, I am quietly tempted by either of the Easter festivals when, inter alia, Echo and the Bunnymen, Shellac, Nick Cave, Joanna Newsom, Sparklehorse, Cat Power and Low are due to appear.

I was with S last night (not that S, but another one who is dear to me) and early negotiations took place regarding us attending next summer’s Green Man Festival. I await others’ views.