Eh-Teee-Peee - Wheee!
Another year, another ATP. Number Seven for me (I worked it out) in fact. Yikes.
I love ATP, and last time really made me think its glory days were gone. Thankfully this wasn’t the case. It felt relaxed and the crowd was friendly. Strangely, there didn't seem to be many people around at times (although it was sold out) but all of these things made it a really nice trip away and I feel a bit like I have been on a bit of a holiday.
The weekend began on Thursday when Joe and I headed down to Taunton on the train, where we stayed overnight (but not before doing a small pub crawl). Friday morning began with cheese toasties in a local café, some wandering around the shops, a visit to a pub, and heading back over to the train station to pick up the coach to Minehead. We arrived at the festival in good time, happily running into our friends (and our chalet-mates) right away. There were so many fun things this weekend:
+ Holy Fuck ruled. Full Stop.
+ Gang Of Four's Microwave Destroying
- Madlib completely bombing on the last night - it was funny to see a room empty that quick. Shame really, as everyone was up for it.
+ Watching a bit of Eurovision (Ukraine was robbed!)
+ The dancing in Crazy Horse on Saturday night. The DJ playing Windowlicker into Isolation was rather inspired.
+ X being actually really good (though the perma-grinning Les Dennis face on the guitarist slightly frightened me)
- Not getting to see Tricky perform (I was enjoying The Breeders set too much)
+ Seeing Tricky selling his own merch
+ The mobile massage people - the knot in my shoulder is fixed!
+ Foals. I take everything back, so much fun.
++ Shellac of North America (can they do no wrong?!)
-/+ Throwing Muses - I liked them, but it wasn't quite as amazing as I'd hoped.
+ Blood Red Shoes admitting that they were shit scared about playing ATP as they’d always been there as punters (good set!)
+ Dianogah- a bit of banter goes a long way (especially if it’s about snowpants and jump starting The Breeders van).
+ Wire made my jaw drop with their beauty and were incredible despite the lack of Bruce Gilbert
- CSS left me a bit underwhelmed. Nice balloons though.
+ Times New Viking - on a bit too early but I’m so glad I dragged myself over to their gig on Sunday morning
- The Bronx were okay but others do it better
+++ Hanging out with Steve Albini and Todd Trainer in their chalet - very lovely, friendly chaps. I still can't believe this happened!
+ Knitting with Kelley Deal - what a sweetheart! We discussed cast on techniques.
- Missing Stryofoam. I knew Juan Son had cancelled (couldn’t travel from Mexico because of Swine Flu restrictions) but I didn’t know they’d moved the whole Reds stage times forward on Saturday.
+ Being constantly entertained by the antics of the seagulls on site.
- Only managing to get one of the two ATP TV channels in the chalet. The Breeders watch the most depressing TV ever!
+/- Bon Iver. Twas lovely music, but a bit lost on the Pavillion stage and not really what I want to hear headlining the opening night of a festival.
+ Yet, Deerhunter worked on the same stage and did a great set (and a lovely duet with the Deal sisters).
+ Being right down front for Melt-Banana and raving rather hard
++ Melt Banana covering The Specials
+ Stumbling out of Wire’s set to hear Teenage Fanclub playing “Star Sign”. Sublime.
++ Mr Lif - I met him too. What a champion!
+ Meeting people - not just the artists, but the nice Glaswegian chap wearing a Superchunk t-shirt, the couple who danced with me during Saturday’s Shellac set, wigging out with Spiderman and others in the Crazy Horse, the security guards at Holy Fuck handing out their rider to the crowd…
- Weather. Did it ever stop raining? My shoes are still wet now.
I wish it could be ATP every day.
LJ catch-up (my posts and yours!) will resume tomorrow.
I love ATP, and last time really made me think its glory days were gone. Thankfully this wasn’t the case. It felt relaxed and the crowd was friendly. Strangely, there didn't seem to be many people around at times (although it was sold out) but all of these things made it a really nice trip away and I feel a bit like I have been on a bit of a holiday.
The weekend began on Thursday when Joe and I headed down to Taunton on the train, where we stayed overnight (but not before doing a small pub crawl). Friday morning began with cheese toasties in a local café, some wandering around the shops, a visit to a pub, and heading back over to the train station to pick up the coach to Minehead. We arrived at the festival in good time, happily running into our friends (and our chalet-mates) right away. There were so many fun things this weekend:
+ Holy Fuck ruled. Full Stop.
+ Gang Of Four's Microwave Destroying
- Madlib completely bombing on the last night - it was funny to see a room empty that quick. Shame really, as everyone was up for it.
+ Watching a bit of Eurovision (Ukraine was robbed!)
+ The dancing in Crazy Horse on Saturday night. The DJ playing Windowlicker into Isolation was rather inspired.
+ X being actually really good (though the perma-grinning Les Dennis face on the guitarist slightly frightened me)
- Not getting to see Tricky perform (I was enjoying The Breeders set too much)
+ Seeing Tricky selling his own merch
+ The mobile massage people - the knot in my shoulder is fixed!
+ Foals. I take everything back, so much fun.
++ Shellac of North America (can they do no wrong?!)
-/+ Throwing Muses - I liked them, but it wasn't quite as amazing as I'd hoped.
+ Blood Red Shoes admitting that they were shit scared about playing ATP as they’d always been there as punters (good set!)
+ Dianogah- a bit of banter goes a long way (especially if it’s about snowpants and jump starting The Breeders van).
+ Wire made my jaw drop with their beauty and were incredible despite the lack of Bruce Gilbert
- CSS left me a bit underwhelmed. Nice balloons though.
+ Times New Viking - on a bit too early but I’m so glad I dragged myself over to their gig on Sunday morning
- The Bronx were okay but others do it better
+++ Hanging out with Steve Albini and Todd Trainer in their chalet - very lovely, friendly chaps. I still can't believe this happened!
+ Knitting with Kelley Deal - what a sweetheart! We discussed cast on techniques.
- Missing Stryofoam. I knew Juan Son had cancelled (couldn’t travel from Mexico because of Swine Flu restrictions) but I didn’t know they’d moved the whole Reds stage times forward on Saturday.
+ Being constantly entertained by the antics of the seagulls on site.
- Only managing to get one of the two ATP TV channels in the chalet. The Breeders watch the most depressing TV ever!
+/- Bon Iver. Twas lovely music, but a bit lost on the Pavillion stage and not really what I want to hear headlining the opening night of a festival.
+ Yet, Deerhunter worked on the same stage and did a great set (and a lovely duet with the Deal sisters).
+ Being right down front for Melt-Banana and raving rather hard
++ Melt Banana covering The Specials
+ Stumbling out of Wire’s set to hear Teenage Fanclub playing “Star Sign”. Sublime.
++ Mr Lif - I met him too. What a champion!
+ Meeting people - not just the artists, but the nice Glaswegian chap wearing a Superchunk t-shirt, the couple who danced with me during Saturday’s Shellac set, wigging out with Spiderman and others in the Crazy Horse, the security guards at Holy Fuck handing out their rider to the crowd…
- Weather. Did it ever stop raining? My shoes are still wet now.
I wish it could be ATP every day.
LJ catch-up (my posts and yours!) will resume tomorrow.