Another weekend, another crazy excursion across the country. Last one for a while though, thank goodness.
This time, it was Bestival on the Isle of Wight with the Shadow Orchestra on Friday, then a late-night dash back to London. This was followed by a very long drive up to Lincoln on the Saturday to play at the UK’s finest Steampunk gathering, the Asylum, with Sunday Driver. Although not quite as far as my most insane journey, it was still several hundreds of miles.
Here’s a few pics from the weekend:
Me and Mary on the ferry to Bestival. Not good for the hairstyles
We got to ride in a truck! And accidentally stole someone's rucksack, but that's another story
Nick particularly enjoyed the truck bit
Checking out the festival before our gig.
I loved the magic fairytale castle. Apparently it went up in flames at the end of the weekend.
The main stage at Bestival, obviously.
We caught a bit of Gil Scott Heron [whisper] I didn’t think he was very good [/whisper] but missed seeing anyone else.
On the billing at the Bimble Inn.
As it turned out, this running order was a mighty work of fiction. We ended up going on stage at about quarter past eight, leaving me feeling a tad stressed about me and Mary making our ferry back to the mainland that night and getting to bed before 3am.
Anyway, we played a blinder to an enthusiastic crowd, and sold a whole bunch of CDs. And we made the ferry, so it’s all good. Though I did have a laugh at Mary’s “sexy vet” outfit:
Mary rocks the glitter'n'wellies look
"All Creatures Great & Small" was never like this...
We finally got home at about 1.30am, gutted that we couldn’t stay any longer at the festival – the lineup looked awesome.
But I was back in the car the next day to head to Lincoln for a Sunday Driver booking at the Asylum – the UK’s largest Steampunk gathering.
Sadly, I didn’t manage to take many pics (mostly due to tiredness, and a surfeit of local cider…) but the punters looked amazing. Everywhere I looked were corsets, ruffles, petticoats, goggles, hats and all manner of wonderful costumery – and some absolutely baffled locals.
We went down really well, thanks to Rachel Hayward‘s fab steel pan playing in two tracks, Rats and the Suitor, and the troupe of amazing belly dancers.
The night descended into slight madness, curry, cider and giggles. I’ll say no more but leave it with this pic:
Chemise fondling his baubles. Just. So. Wrong.
I must pay attention – has no idea the Steam Punk fest was in Lincoln – would have told my sis to go and watch you if I’d know
RE the baffled locals, they always are 🙂
Aww – maybe next year then. Clearly, I need to do even MORE self-publicity… 🙂
What an optimistic, vibrant, positive post – it’s like the opposite to most of what I write. Local ciders can have a peculiar charm which makes it a shame that mostly speciality shops or old school pubs sell it in the big cities. For instance Cumbria pubs sell some sublime local brew that isn’t sweetener nor mass-produced – probably somewhat healthier than Strongbow.
Not sure about you, but that magical fairyland Medieval high fantasy type event to me appeals more versus Steampunk. It fulfils closer my image of a modern homage to ye olde forsoothe gatherings of long agoe – very zounds indeede – before they invented spelling.
Pete, editor at Dirty Garnet.
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