Big Chill Diaries #1

In the last couple of years, I have travelled great distances to see live music – from the Scottish Highlands to the industrial heart of Germany – but I have never been to the West Country. However, tempted by the offer of press passes for the Big Chill 2009, I bit back my phobia of Herefordshire, met up with our photographer Steve, and hit the road.

After spending an hour trying to find a suitable tree beneath which to establish Stereokill HQ, we were told that a production company were crowdsourcing at the festival, inviting people to get made-up as zombies and feature as extras in a low-budget film starring Noel Fielding. Heading into the arena, we were greeted by the surreal sight of what can only be described as an undead version of It’s a Knockout, featuring as its stars five hundred pallid teenagers.

An honourable mention must go to The Crap Stage, the lorry-cum-soundsystem that showcased some of the strangest and most brilliant music we saw all weekend. A particular favourite on Thursday evening was one-man-blues-band Lewis Floyd Henry, with his grimy guitar riffs and psychedelic vocals. We saw him perform three times during the weekend, and it never got old.

The omens late on Thursday evening were far from heartening, as it started to rain (And I do mean rained. Noah knew shit about rain. – Ed.) Despite that, there was something beautifully appropriate about sitting on damp grass, beneath dark skies, watching British Sea Power re-score Men of Aran. The highlight of Thursday night, however, was a truly fascinating talk from Michael Lang, the man who – aged 24 – organised the 1969 Aquarian Exposition. Or, to you and I, Woodstock.

To Grasscut went the unenviable task of opening the festival on Friday morning. The Brighton electronica duo, while pursuing an interesting sound, seemed somehow dwarfed by the enormity of their surroundings. The cerebral soundscapes and eccentric visuals seemed out of place for a sunny day in such beatiful grounds, receiving a mixed reception from a damp and hungover crowd.

After a brief stint at the bar, we reconvened at the Castle Stage in time to see 2009 buzz-band The Leisure Society. Playing to an unexpectedly large crowd, the band stunned their audience with a tight, enjoyable set. Alongside tracks from debut album The Sleeper, they debuted some strong new material and treated us to a memorable cover of Gary Numan’s “Cars”. In a weekend full of great sets, The Leisure Society’s stands out as easily one of the finest. We caught up with frontman Nick Hemming, pianist Christian Hardy, and floutist Helen Whitaker for an interview, and will bring you the full report as soon as we can.

Still at the Castle Stage, Mercury-nominated Sweet Billy Pilgrim rose admirably to the high bar set by The Leisure Society with a blinding semi-acoustic set. The London band, already a man down following a scheduling cock-up, impressed with their complex arrangements and folk-influenced vocal lines. Their performance of “Kalypso” was a definite highlight of the day.

Back on the Open Air Stage, Noah And The Whale came onstage to the largest crowd so far. Their set, while technically cohesive, felt a little flat and two-dimensional. There was a distinct lack of interaction between the band and a willing crowd, and little sense of the band actually enjoying the performance. That said, they clawed something back with a rousing performance of hit single “Five Years Time” and an impromptu cover of Neil Young’s “Keep On Rockin’ In The Free World”.

Distracted at the other side of the site, we managed to completely miss Wildbirds & Peacedrums‘ set, so we consoled ourselves by heading over to the Big Chill Nights tent to see musical comedian Tim Minchin. After being heckled as he stepped onstage by someone shouting “Russell” [Brand], Minchin instantly hit back, declaring “I couldn’t have been more offended if you had shouted ‘Rapist!’” If there was ever such a thing as the rockstar comedian, this wild-haired Australian is he; his live show – a painfully hilarious mix of songs and standup – fully explains his cult-hero status.

As Open Air Stage headliners, Basement Jaxx must have known that they’d draw one of the weekend’s biggest crowds, and they didn’t disappoint, delivering a glamourous floor-show to a captive audience of thousands. We found ourselves back at the Words In Motion tent, listening to the disgusting-yet-fascinating beat-poetry of Salena Godden. Rapper Kate Tempest whipped a hundred-strong crowd into a spectacular apoplexy of cheers and raised fists, with the capable backing of improvisational jazz band Tongue Fu, and we were introduced to the insane talent of beatbox champion Bellatrix. You see some weird things after dark at Big Chill.

We’ll continue our Big Chill coverage with round-ups of Saturday and Sunday soon, along with Steve Caffrey’s photo-sets from the festival. Stay tuned!