Music festivals are an important part of the British summer time. And the Brits do them like no one else. This weekend it was the Dumfries, Scotland-based Wickerman Festival, (which draws it's name from the classic cult film, set in Scotland) a new and very different kind of music festival.
For our American readers I should probably explain the difference between a music festival in the UK and one in America. In the UK a music festival is a whole weekend – in The Wickerman Festival's case it was Friday and Saturday – during which time you do not leave. There is no going home at the end of the night – which isn't usually until around five a.m. anyway (this is Britain for fuck sake, we party all night all long here).
Music festivals, of which Glastonbury is the most famous example, are held in the country, on farms usually,taking up many hundreds of acres of land. You are fenced in and once you arrive you can't just leave and come back, you stay all weekend! It's a fabulous party that lasts for three full days during which time you camp, drink, listen to fabulous music, drink, rarely sleep, and do things with strangers that would generally cause your mother to cover her mouth in wide eyed astonishment that such things even happen, except on the pages of Penthouse Forum (but I'm sure your mother doesn't know what that is).
There are many tents which feature music and/or preforming arts and then a large main stage for the big/famous bands and a smaller second stage for lesser known bands. Then there are five or six smaller tents which are frequently themed – i.e. acoustic tent, indie tent, far out and funky music tent, that kind of thing; there are also carnival rides, hundreds of trade stands selling everything from beads and tie-dyed t-shirts to African wood carvings and vinyl records along with any kind of food you can imagine.
The General Idea
It's a good idea to arrive sometime on Thursday if you want a good camping spot. Or show up on Friday if you have press passes and camp in the VIP area (smug self-satisfied smile). To get your tent all set up, it's helpful to have a friendly guy from a great local band to help you with this part. If you wait too late you will camp in the overflow camping, and no one wants to walk half a mile for the toilets. And believe me after two days of nothing but a bit of fruit, some chips (french fries in the US), and enough alcohol to poison a college frat house you want to be as close to the toilets as possible.
Article comments
1 - Snarkattack
I would have been there in spirit form were it possible. You capture the feel of these shindigs so well - there's nothing quite like the seediness of partying hard for 2 days straight with people you hardly know and great music. Oh, to be there!
You made it to the VIP area, eh? Nice!
2 - duane
What, no human sacrifices? Party ... ha!
3 - Snarkattack
duane - perhaps that's why they had to clear off so early at the end, sneak in all those sacrifices. They can't do it during the festivities now, can they?
4 - A.L. Harper
Snarkattack - Thank you very much! I was indeed an amazing time. I have never had that much fun at a music festival before. The atmosphere was so laid back. And I got press passes so I was in the VIP area and didn't have to walk a mile to get to the fun.
Duane - Human sacrifices? I guess it depends on what is being sacrificed. *wink*
5 - emma
You're right about Big Strides! They're great live I saw them at Glastonbury last year. can't wait to see them again.
6 - Snarkattack
A.L. - boy am I jealous! Nah, it's good :)
Though after reading Stewart Home's '69 Things To Do With a Dead Princess', I'm more inclined to believe the whole human sacrifice thing. I can't recall whether or not he's Scottish, but that book is set in Scotland. I do recommend it if you come across it.
7 - A.L. Harper
Emma - They have new album out in September. Check out the MP3 of their new song on their site.
Snarkattack - I have not heard of that book but I will look for it. Glad your jealous! *smile*
8 - Scott Butki
Great review
9 - A.L. Harper
Thanks Scott!
10 - Anna Creech
Hm. Sounds a bit like a Brit version of Burning Man.
11 - A.L. Harper
Oh no it much more fun than that. It's not about self reliance or self expression at all. It's about getting pished, shagging strangers and maybe listening to a little music while your doing it.
Actually you maybe right - that is how the Brits express themselves
12 - Chuckstah
I've been to all the Wickerman festivals so far, apart fom last year when I broke my leg the week before(!).
It's definately getting noticably bigger each year, but as the review says still has a counterculture feel to it.
Music wise, the highlight for me was the Sensational Alex Harvey Band, mad as ever 'n tight as hell, with a real character standing in for Alex,(r.i.p.). System 7 and New Model Army both did sterling sets and there was some great stuff in the other stages/tents.
I think it was only the festival site that had to be vacated by mid-day, as we left about then and there was still hundreds of people and tents in the campsite.
Anyone going next year should remember to bring some warm clothing. After a scorching day on saturday, after dark it was freeeeezing!
13 - A.L. Harper
Hey Chuckstah - I know you! It was freezing Saturday night and it blew a gale and pissed. But I thought it was refreshing after the intense heat of Saturday. But it put Jim off! Thank God.