Festival Review: Bestival 2011

James Massoud enjoys a weird, wonderful and truly epic weekend at the hands of Rob Da Bank's carnival-esque Bestival.

Following an amazing 2008 personal debut experience of a rain-soaked Bestival, the bar was raised considerably for this year’s revisiting. After conversing with people who had been for the last two years and had higher expectations than myself, and learning that last year Bestival won the award for Best Major Festival, giddy butterflies were multiplying quicker than Duracell bunnies in mating season as we crossed the Solent to the Isle of Wight on a bouncy ten-minute hovercraft journey.

Having settled into our yurt in the boutique camping area, otherwise known as ‘Glamping’, my party and I ventured forth into the excitingly colourful arena to familiarise ourselves with our unusual surroundings. Upon our travels we discovered an impressive BMX/skateboarding show, an inviting roller disco, colours, a fabulously camp club called Cocktails and Dreams, a Sailor Jerry’s stage that contained Ink City, more colours, cabaret shows, comedy acts, cool art deco pieces, costumed crowds and a wishing tree that looked like it had been snatched right out of Pan’s Labyrinth. 

The butterflies that had begun multiplying during the journey had by now reached the euphoric stage of their rave upon the realisation that we were in for one hell of a memorable weekend.

Santigold was one of the acts to play on the first night, and having been there in 2008 she was back with a vengeance carrying out a great set to get the crowd moving. When she finished, some chose to stay in the Big Top while others continued on to seek the delights hidden in the Bollywood tent, or find out what sweet treat one would meet at the Red Bull arena. Some people though were unable to control the buzz generated by the butterflies (so that's what they're known as these days?! - Ed) and simply peaked too soon, slumping to terra firma in a state of surreal intoxicated dreams as flocks of festival goers passed them by.

The sun shone magnificently upon the Isle of Wight on the first proper day, which was perfectly accompanied by the glowing free spirited atmosphere Bestival is notorious for, leading to bright smiles and contented warm feelings all round.

Beardyman brought a brilliant balance of beatboxing and blended humour to the main stage, while Benji Boko, known for mixing the unmixable, increased his fanbase with a sublime set; think Missy Elliot’s 'Work It' and Thomas the Tank Engine hand-in-hand and you get an idea of the strange couplings that shouldn’t work but oddly do. 

Public Enemy’s Chuck D and Flavor Flav have a combined age of 103 but that didn’t hold back these veterans of hip-hop in persuading the crowd not to believe the hype, even if Flav earned himself some boos with his extended self-promotion of his new book in which he treated the crowd to a tantalising snippet of how he lost his virginity at the age of 6; a beautiful moment resulting in the hankie being withdrawn and pressed gently to the corner of one’s eye. 

Photo: Andrew Whitton

The behemoth bass of Magnetic Man, the lyrical genius of Mr B the Gentleman Rhymer and the innovative electro sounds of Boys Noize into the wee hours left the head feeling like the trodden ground in which dancing feet had mashed.

So what better way to rouse aching bodies and revitalise swampy minds than with a workout session with the one-and-only Mr Motivator followed by an educational and eloquent lesson by Howard Marks in the Ambient Forest on the freedom to shit wherever you like. With this insightful knowledge I felt like a Macho Man and so decided to Go West where who should we discover dancing away on the main stage with the fascinated sea of people copying their every move but none other than the Village People. The day was getting better with every step taken and more bizarre than the mind of Alice’s in Wonderland, so the only thing needed to top it off would be for everyone around to be in fancy dress - perhaps to the theme of rock stars, pop stars and divas - and a piano player peddling his instrument sideways through the arena…

After a heady mix of A-Trak (DMC's World DJ Champion at the age of 15), Crystal Castles and Carte Blanche (RIP DJ Mehdi) a cure was needed… and it came in the elixir that is Robert Smith. An epic and memorable two and a half hour set with the unforgettable vocal magnificence that could soften a raging Minotaur.

Photo: Andrew Whitton

Jadedly wandering the slushy mud, a result of some heavy downpour over night, on the Sunday the cult hero Omar Souleyman played at midday while fans frantically waded between the Big Top and the main stage to capture live performances from James Blake and The Maccabees respectively. Bjork’s interesting finale was finalised with a firework display and what looked like some giant sperms swaying in the distance. For those brave enough to have one final sweaty dance, Fatboy Slim was on hand to pump out the tunes.

Nine hours to get back home. Caked in mud. Exhausted. Images of the weird and wonderful, the odd and beautiful replaying in my mind. Bestival 2011 was simply life changing! OK maybe that's taking it a bit far, but it was bloody good fun. And it’ll take some beating to the award for Best Major Festival 2011.

Bestival 2011, 8-11th September, Robin Hill Counry Park, Isle of Wight

Find out more about Bestival

Read our review of Bestival 2010