The third outing of Rob da Bank’s family-friendly Camp Bestival Shropshire delivered a range of experiences and music from across the decades for audiences, from Dick n Dom to Paloma Faith, to two dogs playing in a small shed to a lone dog mining his “we’re just normal men” catchphrase, and with strong performances from the likes of The Magic Numbers, The Darkness and, completing the “the” bands, THE Rick Astley.
The hardier campers braved the rain and gathered on Thursday night for a catch-up, beer and some great music in small venues, not least da Bank himself DJ-ing.
After a too-late night and too many Thatcher’s ciders, Friday saw the festival proper start, a little creakily for some, with a chance to view the arts and crafts activities, circus performers, the world’s biggest bouncy castle, old time fairground rides and the variety of food outlets.
We caught the Beatles Dub Club (Beatles hits mixed by a DJ to add reggae beats, ok in small doses), Hacker T Dog, he who invented the highly memed “We’re just normal men … just innocent men”, a phrase he repeated at volume every time he took a selfie with a fan.
Rick Parfitt Jr came on like a cliched wannabe rock God but unexpectedly turned out to be really good, the best wedding band you’ll ever see, playing a medley of rock hits including one of his dad’s, “Rockin All Over the World”.
“My dad’s no longer with us,” he said pointing heaven-wards, “But he’s probably not up there, given the way he lived.”
Say She She dropped some “discodelic soul” before the big names came on: McFly, attracting an enthusiastic fanbase and sounding rockier than expected, and Orbital, reportedly good … but missed by us because they clashed with the legend that is Rick Astley.
He played a slick set of soul tunes and took to the drums for an AC/DC cover. But poor Rick knew there was only one song the crowd had come for, “Never Gonne Give You Up”, a proper moment for all music fans.
I went to sleep to the sound of Old Time Sailors, dropping some sea shanties.
Saturday was a day for DJs: apparently everyone is an expert behind the wheels of steel now. First up were Dick n Dom, as energetic as expected and very entertaining, with double entendres for the adults, silliness for the kids and the promise of a beefier show later that night. They created – to their surprise as much as anyone’s – the new festival tradition of dancing with a chair on one’s head, some parents hoiking seats aloft with small children still attached.
Also DJ-ing was Gok Wan, not someone I thought I’d ever see let alone see playing live, but who did an acceptable job.
Live bands included The Amy Winehouse Band, her original backing band keeping her music alive but fronted by a new singer. Bestival regulars The Cuban Brothers, led by Miguel Mantovani, played lively soul and funk and singer, and up-and-coming rapper / indie musician Hak Baker (worth further investigation) played before a proper mixed bag of headliners: The Darkness, Jake Shears and Paloma Faith.
The Darkness were, well, The Darkness, Justin Hawkins an iconic frontman and with a wit and verbal dexterity that could have seen him a stand-up comedian were he not so handy on the guitar. He asked the crowd – mainly families with kids – if they wanted the clean or dirty version of “Get Your Hands Off My Woman” (the clean version includes the words “melon farmer” apparently). The audience went dirty, the kids looked delightedly shocked as the words came out.
Jake Shears did his job. Paloma Faith was excellent, not someone I would listen to before or after but a powerful live performer and with some strong messages for fans on male violence and bigotry.
We also caught The Magic Numbers, who have matured from a pop folk band into proper rockers and were very impressive.
Wandering the site last thing and considering a last Thatcher’s we came across The Dog Show. Two talented musicians decided the way forward was to play electric dance tunes sat in a small shed on wheels and wearing dog heads, with a cat circling. Late at night after a long day and several ciders, this was just what was needed, a surprise show and a smile to end the day. (Sunday on the main stage: less successful, it has to be said).
By Sunday everyone was tiring (day ticket holders aside). Horrible Histories were on for the kids, and somewhere Mr Motivator. We spent some time chilling in the zen zone, where the koan was not “What is the sound of one hand clapping” but “If you queue an hour for a coffee are you still thirsty?”
Back on the main stage, Craig Charles, looking less svelte than in his days as Lister, dropped a lively set of soul and funk classics; he knows his music.
He was following by Level 42, who delivered an excellent, tight set of their unexpectedly large number of hits. Mark King made the classic error of getting the wrong crowd (he was not at Bestival Dorset), corrected himself and then talked about New Forest ponies, which left the mysteriously small crowd – anyone who missed the set, missed out – a little baffled.
Faithless closed with a set packed with hits to the backdrop of a laser show while paying homage to the late Maxi Jazz, but sadly work beckoned and we had left.
With Rode Hall’s Just So – on the same weekend – taking a break next year, local families with a free weekend could do far worse than Bestival, which is as much a family festival as Just So; just bigger.
Hopefully it’s back on: Bestival Dorset tickets are already on sale, the Shropshire leg not thus far, so fingers crossed.
JMC
Photo: Hello Content
