So come and dance with me, Michael

Day One At Latitude*

OK, so I survived my first ever night camping and it was time to rock. Or something, first up was Mark Steel. I'd seen him before in the theatre at Headington Girls School of all places, so knew I'd enjoy it. He was doing his lecture on Marx (Karl, not Gary) and it was funny. I have to say, the man is a genius when it comes to accents - his Tony Benn was spot on and his George Galloway... well, suffice to say that lots of people come a cropper when doing a Scots accent, as they somehow try to make it sound too Scottish (and don't get me started on the strange jutting chin motion), but he was pretty damn good.

Before I start with the music, I am notoriously bad at describing what genre bands are. So, I've decided to use the description given by Wikipedia. This could be fun. First band up were Murder By Death - a band from Indiana who play a "range of music including instrumentals, punk rock and alt-country" - on the main Obelisk stage. Have to say they were pretty good and it was nice sitting on the grass in the sunshine listening to them.

They were closely followed by The Aliens, who have a "more upbeat and psychedelic pop sound in contrast to the trip-hop-based Beta Band", from whence they came. Also pretty good.

I caught most of British Sea Power, a band whose "style ranges from the sweeping, often epic, guitar pop sound to the visceral and angular". They worked really well on the big stage. I had seen them earlier this year, at the Zodiac (where strangely the girls I was with all enjoyed it, and the boys thought it was boring), and they didn't lose anything playing a much bigger venue (if what is ostensibly a field can be called a venue).

So far all the bands had been on the main stage. We went for a wander in the woods to try and fine the Sunrise Stage, and when we did, caught the last 2 songs of The Dø, "a French rock duo" who "incorporate a great range of instruments in their songs, as well as being a duet completing each other member, Merilahti bringing the melody, and Levy the symphonic or jazzy structure". At least, I think this was the band that I saw. They were good, anyway.

From there to the Uncut arena (basically a big tent), to see Howling Bells, an "indie rock" band. This served a double purpose. I was interested in seeing them and Julian Cope would be following. Howling Bells were really great, and went down really well. She has an amazing voice, and they rocked the canvas hard.

So, it was time for Julian Cope, the British rock musician, author, antiquary, musicologist and poet. First of all, I love Julian Cope. I've seen him countless times, in various guises, and think the man is awesome. With me on this occasion was a friend who knew virtually nothing about him and so had no idea what to expect. Before he came on, I said "be warned. You never know what you are going to get with Julian". How prophetic. He was about 25 minutes late in coming on, and in spite of this, it started OK. He played 2 new songs (at least, I had never heard them before) and then played Sleeping Gas, one of my favourite Teardrop Explodes song, which I was most excited about, given I was too young really to have ever seen them, and he tends not to dip into that part of his musical life anymore. His guitar seemed to break at the end of it, and he proceeded to smash it up (an act of which I thoroughly disapprove) and then proceeded into full wig out, while the band played on. We got a fragment of Reynard the Fox, and then what seemed to be him saying that they were going to play Pristeen; and then the plug got pulled. I don't know if it was because he had gone on late, or because the powers that be were nervous about his increasingly strange performance. But off he went. I was disappointed, especially when I saw the setlist that could have been. Chaotic, wandering... It was either the greatest spectacle of the weekend, or immensely frustrating because you know how great the man can truly be. I've read both opinions. I'll be interested to read what the man himself as to say about it in his next Address Drudion, if he does mention it.

Last band of the day were the headliners Franz Ferdinand, a "rock" band. They did not disappoint. The rain came on, but no matter. They rocked (as a "rock" band should), I danced (as only I could). We got new songs, we got old favourites, and a very cool backdrop of the band's faces in a kind of 1930s, boys-own style. Alex smoldered (I seem to be the only one of my friends to see him in this way). Gripe? No Darts of Pleasure. I knew it would be a long-shot to get Tell Her Tonight (although we did get Jacqueline, which I would have happily swapped), but I did expect Darts of Pleasure. Oh well. At least they aren't predictable.

I fell asleep in my tent with the strains of various tunes from the Guilty Pleasures disco in my ears.

Highlight - Franz
Lowlight - Julian (although only because, in the words of our headliners, You Could Have It So Much Better)
Surprise Discovery of the Day - The Dø
Non-surprise Discovery of the day - I really have no sense of direction

*OK, technically, it wasn't Day One. On the Thursday night, we had gone a-wandering and heard a bit of Ross Noble in the Literary Tent. Then someone else joined him, and they proceeded to do very funny John Peel impressions. So good, it would have been remiss not to mention them.

Going To The Country Gonna See A Lot of Peaches

So last weekend I went to Latitude. It was my first music festival for a few years, and would be the first time I had ever camped.

Overall general impressions?

1. All the girls look like Peaches Geldof and sound like Jo Whiley (why is this? Get some individuality, ladies).

2. Communal trough toilets are pretty rank, but could have been a whole lot worse.

3. It is not easy to eat fajitas sitting on grass without cutlery.

4. I don't do my best dancing work with an aching back, wearing walking boots and a cagoule.

5. Not showering for 4 days isn't that bad, actually.

6. Even middle class people jump queues.

7. Some people prefer the sound of their own extremely loud voices to the sound of Elbow.

8. I am not sure I get Sigur Ros.

Reunited and it feels so good

Over the past couple of days, I've been reunited with couple of old friends. Firstly, my long-lost diary. Well, when I say long-lost, we're talking about 5 months. Had no idea what happened to it, but I was pretty sure it wasn't in my flat. Then yesterday, I get a note through my door saying that someone had sent me a package with insufficient postage. I trundle down to the depot to pick it up, grumbling about having to pay the excess and wondering who and what the hell it could be. I get the envelope (return address of my bank, but this is no circular) and can feel a spiral binding through the paper. I think "No, it can't be", tear open the envelope and lo and behold, it is my diary. Found in the "banking hall". Now, I am not sure where it was been for the last 5 months, but no matter - I finally got it back! At last I might have a chance at remembering where I am meant to be, having steadfastly refused to buy a new diary (I somehow knew that we were going to find each other again). And it kind of restored my faith in humanity, so I called in at the bank today to say thanks.

The other? Frasier. I've been watching some Frasier episodes and I have forgotten just how funny this programme is. The pomposity and farce just brightens up my day (and the constant Seattle rain complements the weather here to perfection).

Sometimes it's the little things.

In penguins and pearls, we'll drink and we'll dance

It's a bit early to say whether this would make it on to my Best Songs Ever Written list, but it's definitely one of the best songs I have heard this year. It's got clever lyrics, it tells a story and Guy Garvey and Richard Hawley's voices complement each other to perfection. Take note you Moulin Rouge girls who sang on Lady Marmalade - it's not about trying to out sing the next person.

A girl can do what she wants to do and that's what I'm gonna do

I am loving Freaks and Geeks, in spite of having to watch it on a small YouTube screen (I'm about half-way through the series). It is utterly wonderful. Produced by Judd Apatow of Knocked Up and Forty Year Old Virgin fame, it stars many of the actors who subsequently appeared in his films and various affiliations (including the divine Mr Segel).

It's about life in a Michigan high school in the early 1980s and centres around the Freaks - a bunch of cool stoner/slackers - and the Geeks - nerdy yet endearing younger kids. To me, it's like a cross between Degrassi Junior High and the Outsiders (James Franco really reminds me of a young Matt Dillon). It's laugh out loud funny in places and heart-rendingly touching in others, especially with the main female character trying to find her place in the world. I can't wait to see next episode, yet at the same time I don't want them to end (there is only 1 series). Yes, you can watch again, but there is nothing quite like the first time.

Everyone should see this series.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=ai1FHufz_HY

I'll sing in your ear again

Number Two of An Occasional Series

The Drugs Don't Work by the Verve. I don't really like the Verve that much. I don't think Bittersweet Symphony is all that. But this song just blows me away. I remember where I was when I first heard it - asleep on a sofa in south London.

Picture the scene. It's a Saturday night and I'd fallen asleep while waiting to watch the late night/ early morning repeat of Top of the Pops (oh, those were the days, eh?). I remember being in that delicious state of semi-conscious slumber and hearing this song drifting in and out of my head. I sat up, and demanded "what the hell is this", listened to the song in amazement, said "wow" when it was finished and then went back to sleep. I believe I may even have had to ask what the song was again the next day.

But suffice to say it was enough to wake me from my slumber and I've loved the song ever since. It's immensely poignant - yes, it can actually make me cry - but can make your heart soar at the same time with its beauty. And when I hear the song, it literally gives me goosebumps. I bought the album on the strength of it, but nothing on there comes close to the sheer brilliance of this.

As if to underline what a special song it is, it was the soundtrack to one of the defining moments (at least in my eyes) of a particularly enjoyable weekend in Newquay earlier this year when it was played in a pub and me and two friends sang along rather beautifully (OK, it was after a few beers).

That just makes it even better.

It's back to front and I'm all uptight.

Transgressive Hot Summer Tour -Zodiac 4th July 2008

One night, seven pounds, four bands. Or if might have been five. I saw four, but was expecting to see five, so I'm not really all that sure. We saw So So Modern, Absentee, Esser and Jeremy Warmsley, but were also expecting to see Ox.Eagle.Lion.Man (ironically the only ones I had actually heard of before), but they were either on uber early, or not at all. And maybe that is kind of indicative of the night. As my friend put it, it was like an inverse gig. The first 2 on - So So Modern and Absentee - were much better than the last two, so it all seemed a bit back to front.

Not much else to say about it really.