The Big Chill 2008
While many unfortunate souls were still setting up tents as night fell on a rain-swept Friday evening (we were feeling pretty smug after overcoming the fact that our double mattress didn't initially stand a chance in hell of squeezing into our mini self-erecting tent), 4Music took in a disappointingly bad Martina Topley Bird in the Club Tent before forcing some tissue into our ears and heading to the Castle Stage for the end of Little Dragon, a Swedish band whose passion for electro soul is only matched by their love of beards.
On the main stage a little later, following punk reggae crossover pioneer Don Letts, was the ever entertaining Roisin Murphy, who gave a typically polished performance with her usual crazy levels of energy which make you think of a child let loose in a sweet shop. While dropping new versions of some of the favourites from her excellent 'Overpowered' album, the former Moloko singer even treated the crowd to classic breakdance move The Running Man, but thankfully managed not to crack her eye open headbanging again.
Over on the Castle Stage (which we have to admit looks nowt like a castle) The Orb did admirably after being drafted in a month before to replace antipodean dub kings Fat Freddy's Drop. Ambient pioneers are an obvious choice for Big Chill and drew a large crowd no doubt hoping for early nineties classic 'Little Fluffy Clouds', which is what we were there for, although we must have been in the loo when they played it as we missed it. But aren't the loos always the best place to be at a festival anyway?
Come Saturday and the clouds had cleared to leave beautiful blue skies over Herefordshire as the forty-odd thousand lucky punters at the sold out festival made their way from the camp sites the short distance to the festival site. Lykke Li was the first highlight of the day, as the Swedish singer-songwriter (is everyone from Sweden these days?) delighted many a couple in the crowd with songs from her debut album, 'Youth Novels', including the delicate 'Little Bit'. Although the sight of so many couples singing 'I think I'm a little bit in love with you' could have occasioned vomiting in an observer with a more delicate constitution.
Portico Quartet and then Rachel Unthank & The Winterset saw out the rest of the afternoon for the more discerning music fans, with Rachel and co's English folk sounds going down well with an audience sprawled on the hill that leads down to the Castle Stage as people thanked the gods of festivals for stopping the previous night's rain. On the main stage Hot 8 Brass Band were entertaining the more party-hungry music fans with their horn-led take on hip hop, which culminated in take on 'Sexual Healing', a version which seemed to be baring out of most of the DJ tents all weekend long.
While you couldn't get within several hundred metres of the Comedy Tent for Bill Bailey, organisers kindly broadcast his song-heavy set over the festival radio station but with no one anywhere near as popular on the main stages it seemed a waste of a good act. But that didn't stop the hordes of people outside the tent straining to catch a glimpse of the crazy-haired comedian as they stared in the direction of the outdoor speakers.
While many people complained of being disappointed by The Mighty Boosh on the Open Air stage as the comedy act offered a shortened version of the rock pantomime that they debuted at their own festival earlier in the summer, the two main protagonists, Noel Fielding and Julian Barratt, at least seemed like they were having fun and there were undeniable touches of genius before DJ Tom Middleton took the Eastnor Castle crowd back to the heady days of rave with his 'Summer of Love – Classics Set'.
As Sunday rolled around, the usual festival ennui was setting in as people rose from their slumbers realising that not showering for three days really isn't something that is natural for anyone over the age of 19, others contemplated the long drive home and the horror of work on Monday. But for those who stayed, there was still plenty of good music to follow.
While Norman Jay did his usual afternoon DJ set with soul and funk classics interspersed with more contemporary house sounds to a muted response, the rain threatened to unleash itself, perhaps dulling his good times vibe. But the weather held until French lunatic Camile had baffled the crowd with her bizarre mix of beat box and absurd (possibly unintentional) comedy. The former Nouvelle Vague singer ran around the stage in circles clucking and hooting in an orange poncho as she played songs (possibly) from her latest album, 'Music Hole', although she could have been singing anything as much of it was unintelligible. But she was at least rewarded for her exertions with a rainbow curving over the sky facing the stage though.
The main talk of the Sunday line-up was the appearance by 73-year-old crooner Leonard Cohen whose return to the live circuit after a 15-year break was reportedly due to him taken to the cleaners by a former accountant to the tune of $5m. But those who turned out to see him got their money's worth as he ran through tracks including 'Tower of Song', 'Suzanne' and 'Goodbye, Marianne', before leading the crowd in a tuneful version of 'Hallelujah', which sounded just a little odd in Cohen's half-spoken tones to those of us who grew up with the Jeff Buckley version.
After a giant wooden tower had been burned to the ground in what can't have been the most ecologically sound stunt, The Bays with the Heritage Orchestra were left to complete proceedings with their bafflingly clever improvisation.
More over at the official Big Chill site.
