A weekend underneath the stars

WITH Philip and Jackie on leave for two-and-a-half weeks - by far the longest break they’ve had in the 14 years I’ve worked with them - a few of us here in the office prepared for a tough fortnight or so without them by making a pilgrimage across the border to Dorset’s biggest music festival - Camp Bestival.

I’d thought my festivaling days were over and hadn’t supplemented my love of live music by bookending a day of entertainment with a night under canvas for a good five years or more.

But this year I was persuaded by a good line-up (and good company, of course) to dust off the tent and wellie boots (the latter thankfully not needed, what with the glorious weather we had over the weekend) to make the trip to Lulworth Castle.

Rapidly approaching middle age, my highlights of the weekend included some of the ‘heritage’ acts the bill had to offer. 

Buzzcocks proved that having a beard and a bus pass on the way is no hindrance to playing blistering pop punk like it was 1978.

Alison Moyet played a fantastic, hits-filled set with plenty of Eighties classics from both her solo career and time as one half of genre defining synthpop duo Yazoo.

And a sweary Bob Geldof roused the crowds on a sunny Sunday afternoon with his performance, featuring - as you’d expect - a number of Boomtown Rats numbers.

Our thanks to festival curators Josie and Rob Da Bank and their team for our annual invite!

Entertainment editor Rob Larcombe will review the festival in full in a future edition.

I’d also like to take this opportunity to wish Philip and Jackie’s eldest daughter, Zoe, all the very best for her wedding day on Saturday from myself and on behalf of the rest of the Pulman’s View team.  It’s also the boss’ birthday, so bound to be a bumper celebration for sure!      

     

JAMES COLES

www.viewfromonline.co.uk