In 2006 a slightly younger looking version of myself packed a bag (that was roughly the same size as him) and embarked on an adventure that would shape his future. The adventure involved attending a little known festival called Farmfest in its debut year.
That was my first festival and five years on, at last returning to my roots, I was eager to see how it had changed. The venue is now Gilcombe Farm near Bruton, Somerset and on arriving I noticed one thing – like me, the festival had gotten bigger.
Farmfest, for those not in the know, is a festival that strives to showcase some of the best up and coming bands and DJs around whilst at the same time ensuring that it gives something back. In fact it’s an exceptionally altruistic affair with profits going to Practical Action, a charity whose primary objective is to find simple technological solutions in less developed countries, as well as to other local causes.
And the giving doesn’t stop there. The festival was started by a group of young locals who still today, as they did five years ago, endeavour to provide for their community. The food stalls are run by locals who provide top quality local produce for the festive-goers and not at Glastonbury prices either. For £3.50 you can get your Somerset cider clutching mitts on a hog roast bun with locally sourced apple sauce.
Farmfest has a palpable community feel to it and just by attending you feel like you are giving something back. They’re even ticking the green box too - the plastic cups are 100% biodegradable – they aren’t actually made of plastic at all.
Although the festival has moved to a bigger farm from the one that I frequented in 2006, making this years maximum capacity 5000, many of the unique original qualities remain. For example the dress code hasn’t changed - hats should be worn at all times and this year the prize for the most extravagant hat won a Farmfest Golden Ticket, a lifetimes free pass to all Farmfest’s, obviously.
So, we’ve established that it’s for a good cause and your heart will shine a little brighter if you go - but is it actually any good?... yes, very.
Farmfest caters for everyone. If you want to dance into the night in a scent filled dub tent then you should go. If you want to alternate between being lazy - laying in a field and watching Punch and Judy and being a little active - playing crazy golf or skittles all day then you should go. If you want to swagger in front of the reggae marquee all afternoon with your top off in the sunshine then you should go. If, on the other hand, you want to stay firmly in front of the giant inflatable cow donned main stage and listen to some exciting and brilliantly varied bands then you should go. If you want to stand at the back of the acoustic tent all weekend sipping organic cider and enjoying cleverly crafted lyric around simple melodies until later on when the DJs take the floor then you should go. Or, if like most, you want to sample a little bit of everything then you probably should go too.
The festival played host to over 30 artists, bands and DJs, some of whom I’ve been lucky enough to see play before and others which I hope to see in the future. And although I cant review them all I’d like to tell you a little about a couple of particularly excellent performances.
After a dry but slightly overcast Saturday morning, Boy Mandeville, a four piece from North London took to the main stage. They played instantly memorable indie-pop songs that, for me, sounded like Vampire Weekend but without the occasionally annoying staccato drone (if such a thing were possible).
Their songs, including 'High Road' and the devilishly catchy samba drum ending 'Rose At Sea' burst the clouds apart and got the crowd onto their feet. And as the boys of Boy Mandeville said, “if you love us with your feet then we will love you with our voices,” and love us with their voices they did. Boy Mandeville’s single 'Raisin Snake' is currently available from Rough Trade on 7” vinyl and on i-Tunes.
The second band who I’d like to give a particular mention to is one who I could easily have missed. It wasn’t until after their showcase of talent that I found out Blue Skin Fever were originally supposed to be playing at four o’clock in the acoustic tent but due to a cancellation they got moved up to the half-nine slot. This, it dawned on me afterwards, is only credit to the organisers for booking such a depth of talent that one of the lesser known bands could move into one of the bigger slots and play to a crowd who by the end of their set are incessant on hearing more.
Blue Skin Fever, a five-piece rock band with a twist, are a particularly difficult band to categorise not least due to the variety of music that their set contained. The somewhat risqué outfits and one liners between songs reminded us that this lot were here to have fun - but when the song writing is this good and the musicians are this talented one cant help but be impressed - the lead guitarist knew the way around his instrument better than I do my bedroom and played a number of chin-dropping solos to the packed tent.
The set contained ten or so original pieces including the 'Dazed and Confused'-esque 'Broken Bluesy Whisper' and 'Okavango', whose chorus I found myself singing hours later, “I got, you got, we got the great outdoors, why’d you wanna stay indoors, twiddle thumbs and get bored?” Why indeed? Top off this indie-blues mixture with a cover of The Specials’ 'A Message to You Rudy' and throw in an out of the blue crowd-pleasing rock-rap version of Jay Z’s '99 Problems' and you've found yourself something quite special.
What both bands had in common, which is certainly something you don’t always get with more established bands at more corporate festivals, is that every single member seemed honoured to be playing and looked like they were having a great time. They reminded me that there is no better job than being a musician, especially during the festival season, and left me partly filled with jealousy but mostly filled with awe.
The Sunday Times called Farmfest “one of the best bargains of the festival season” this year and the London Evening Standard awarded it a similar accolade last. The trouble with labelling something with the value-for-many sticker is people think of Safeways before they do Selfridges, however, Farmfest deserves better. Forget the £35 price tag; there’s no better way to spend a weekend, full stop.
Posted In Festivals, Jul 08 2011.
Words - Lewis Dalgliesh