We woke late on Sunday and fired up a sumptuous barbeque that drew a crowd of half starved Motherwell boys, intent on regaling us with their knowledge of Neighbours and convincing us unsuccessfully to watch Idlewild that evening!
Escaping them proved difficult, however we made it in to catch Winona a synth pop band put together by composer Craig Armstong (who also happens to be our friend Emma’s boss) Their chilled out tunes – if a little european for my taste (and missing the fireworks of the Cobra Killers who had bailed earlier that day) – were a good way to ease into a Sunday afternoon, especially as the sun made its first appearance of the festival.
I was trying to keep a less hectic schedule than Saturday to avoid traipsing through the mud, so hung around the main stage for a quirky set from Regina Spektor. Chhay & Claire headed over to the second stage to catch Tilly & The Wall where I aparently missed out on some fun music, and yet more beautiful lead singer action.
Regina was followed by a fantastic nutty MIA performance (to a backdrop almost as hyper-chaotic as her web page) that gave the festival a little taste of anarchy, and a challenge to its bourgeoise boutique nature after she sanctioned a stage invasion (above – she is the one in purple legging on the right). There were at least 100 people up on stage, and things looked to be getting just a little out of hand when the organisers literally pulled the plug! Personally I think it added a bit of life to the event alsthough I wish MIA had waited until a bit longer through her set to invite everyone up to let us here more of her material.
Claire & Chhay headed back out to see the Polyphonic Spree with thirty members up on stage – although now dressed in black rather than their previous multicoloured robes, while I waited to get good position for the highlight of the day – Icelands’s favourite princess: Bjork. She had quite a theatrical set up, and her early songs were fantastic with a brass band, choir and crazy electronic instrument highlighted on screens around the stage. Chhay & Claire’s wanderinsg had exhausted them however, and by the time they made it back to our spot Chhay’s mud tolerance levels were at a record low, so we scampered off to beat the rush and drove back to Glasgow to face work on Monday morning!
The final wash up was more positive than negative but I think a few tweaks to the set-up and a more strategic approach to camping by ourselves would be required if we are to return next year.