Fester-val part TOO

The first thing that usually hits you about a music festival is the scale of the operation. 85,000 people attended T in the Park, and a large number of them were queuing up at the arena gates when I arrived on Thursday. It's a lot to take in. People talk about huge numbers every day, and can say in a casual manner that 10,000 records being sold isn't much. In my opinion, accountants should go to a large music festival. A greater appreciation and understanding of numbers is instantly achieved (and everything is 10 times the normal price so budgeting can keep them on their toes). And what a large variety of folk. Aggressive people, happy people, teenagers, dance-music lovers, metal-heads, junkies, hippies, families, couples and of course, me. By myself. I wonder now, looking back on the thing if I was the only person there by myself. It seems possible saying as how I never really met anyone camping on their own (and good god, I met just about everyone else, I even saw at least two guys also wearing yellow wellies).

It's pronounced DEADMOUSE. You'll get a slap
for saying DEAD-MAO 5

Which is not to say I didn't enjoy the experience. I do prefer social situations, but I can cope on my own. There was no-one to drag me along to see a band I didn't particularly want to see, and I could leave my tent as god damn messy as I wanted it to be. On the Thursday, I befriended two sound English guys by the names of Matt and Andy that I queued with, and ended up camping beside them. After setting up the tents, they relaxed in their camping chairs. I got progressively drunker and ran all around the massive campsite talking to everyone and dancing like an epileptic at the 'boom bus'. Every now and then I'd come back to the tent drunker, throwing  handfuls of stolen cigarette papers like confetti, wearing a husky hat that looked like I'd decapitated a dog and stuck it to my scalp. God knows what they thought of me. But I had many fantastic experiences. I lifted a stranger up on my shoulders and we sung a word perfect but very out-of tune 'Underwear' along with Jarvis Cocker during Pulp's set. I got very baked during Crystal Castle's set from the surprisingly large amount of people smoking marijuana around me, and I just let myself get pushed about the place with nothing more than a stupid grin on my face. And I'm not usually one for fireworks, but they seemed almost magical as Deadmau5's set drew to a close with a triumphant, yet ambient and subdued set closer. What can I say? I'll tell you what. I'm not going by my bloody self next year.

In other news, finding work experience is going badly, and finding another job is worse. And unfortunately for all you horny bloggers out there, thehesitantcalamari is no longer single. No more wrapping my tentacles around a ship for company any more. Thanks for reading!

p.s Having problems with life at the moment (e.g family, where I'm going to live etc) and things, but I'm going to try and not let it get in the way of the blog

Fester-val

Today I'm going to a 4 day music festival. I got my ticket at the very last minute. I am not travelling with anyone, and I am not meeting anyone there. I am effectively going on my own, purely for the fantastic line-up. Surely this wouldn't be something I'd ever want to repeat? Well, the thing is, I'm getting a heavy dose of deja-vu. Because I did the exact same thing for a music festival last year. And out of a field of thousands of people, I  coincidentally met someone I knew. And I got on pretty well with a bunch of strangers too. I'm a little doubtful I'll have the same luck this year, but I'm just going to put my optimistic face (which very rarely comes out) and wear my newly purchased Wellington boots, which looked a lot less gay in the shop.

This is quickly going to be a familiar sight with all that
poorly cooked, over priced festival cuisine

If you've never been to a music festival, it's hard to sum up with one word. If you pick the right one, it can mean seeing a fuck load of bands you really like, live (which I'm not going to go on about, I made a post about it before). And part of the excitement is seeing a band you've never really listened to and being really impressed (probably my favourite way of discovering new music). However, 50% of the goings on has nothing to do with the music. The campsite itself cannot really be described as such. The word campsite reminds me middle aged couples enjoying salmon sandwiches and flushing toilets as they gaze onto a lake in their £500 waterproof jackets. It would more accurate to say it is a world outside reality. With little in the way of police, there's a lot of drug taking and peeing everywhere. The madness is hardly a utopia, but it's an amazing social experience nonetheless, if you can avoid certain groups of people. The forecast is set to be rain all weekend, so hygiene levels are going to be particularly low (the only time I showered last year was to get piss out of my hair that had been thrown in a bottle during Rage Against the Machine's set). And just before I leave, I can see that it's beginning to rain already, which can only be a good omen.

Sorry if this was a lazy post, I'm rushing to type this just as I head out the door. The festival is T in the Park by the way, it's got less hard rock acts than I'd like, but I'm pretty excited about seeing a lot of the bands. Have a nice weekend, and thanks for reading!