It’s Sunday lunch time and I am sitting on a pretty blue bench enjoying a delightful cream tea with an old friend.  No I am not on holiday in Devon; I’m at the Big Chill Festival! 

The best way to describe the eclecticism of The Big Chill is to imagine if your Gran, your little sister and your highly music literate cousin have pooled all their ideas and created a festival.  It’s awesome, banging, random yet completely civilised. 

The site is split into the usual intriguingly named areas, has 2 main music venues – one, an outdoor stage and one, an intimate tent – and a variety of smaller tents and stages. 

My favourite of the areas was the “Enchanted Garden” which seemed to epitomise the ethos of Big Chill.  There were massage tents, hammocks, sofa’s (complete with personal lamp, tea set and book on crafts) and women who walked around putting butterflies in your hair.  The sky was even filled with pretty butterflies and birds and the landscape was littered with charm-like trees.  The acts in this area were similarly relaxed.  We managed to catch a few songs from She Keeps Bee’s who have been compared to the White Stripes with their defiantly retro yet seductive blues and rock. 

Musically there were several other highlights.  The first being a parody boy band going by the name of The Midnight Beast – I had never heard of them but going by the mosh pit of screaming teenagers they are quite popular.  And with hilarious lyrics such as “Pizza in Ibiza, cheese gets on my teeth-a, you can get to know me, over a calzone” who is surprised!!!  Janelle Monae was another great find – her cover of Jackson Five showed off her brilliant voice and even brought out the sunshine.  Katy B was typically awesome and Jessie J oozed charisma and performed pitch perfect even on one leg!  A top music moment for me though was the guitar duet played by North Mississippi Allstar duo – the Alman brothers would have been proud to have put their name to it.  I felt like I was chilling in the sun at South by South West for a few sweet minutes. 

Any disappointments? Kayne West.  I quite enjoyed his music, had a nice boogie but couldn’t stop myself from yawning really.  He was an hour late, it was cold, the production was average and he ruined the fun party atmosphere by banging on for 15 minutes  about how the media was ruining his life.  It was all a bit of a shame as without the lateness and minor melt down I would have been quite positive about his set – he played all the hits and had some amazing ballet dancers.  Just keep it to that next time eh Kanye? 

Back to the fun!  There was some truly inspired fancy dress – seems everyone was up for a laugh on that front and even the usually pretentious branded bars were joining in.  Barcardi offered sharer cocktails in welly boots and its “Bat Girls” gave us whistles and led us off in a conga around the site. Southern Comfort offered potent slushys in a grimy shack accompanied by superb djs and percussionists.

The campsite were clean with ample toilets and they even provided a regular shuttle for the campsites that were far away from the carpark.  There were plently of information points and they even had helpful information which I can assure you is quite a rarity!

All in all I thoroughly enjoyed myself and I couldn't think of a person I wouldn't recommend this festival to.  I hope to be back next year for another cup of peppermint and chilli tea at Mr Scruffs followed by a massage.  Or maybe a pint and a rave up.  Or maybe both because that what this festival offers - both :) 

Article By Sarah Sturgeon