For anyone that's never been to Bestival and is yet to be persuaded about making the thirty-five minute boat trip over the English Channel, you really are missing out. Take the best bits of Glastonbury, combine it with the refined subtlety of Latitude, add a dash of Primavera's near flawless bookings and you're somewhere in the right vicinity. Rob Da Bank's annually curated event, now in its ninth year, can once again raise a toast to being arguably the UK's finest gathering of its kind. After all, where else would you find stages ranging from the ragga and hardcore themed Bollywood through to one exclusively featuring live Polka acts as well as your traditional Main Stage and its impressive list of headline acts? Then there are sights such as the giant Arcadia spider, Rave Police, Lost Picture Show plus the themed fancy dress on Saturday which was this year incorporating any and every form of wildlife. Although still seen by some as a boutique festival, probably due to the lack of corporate sponsorship and the eclectic nature of its line-up, Bestival now plays host to 55,000 happy revellers, regularly selling out all of its full ticket allocation in advance every year, something many of its competitors - both large and small - fail to achieve. This year being no different, it would be fair to say Da Bank and his team once again pushed the boat out as far as booking the bill is concerned. Several UK exclusives (Stevie Wonder, Sigur Ros, General Levy) and long established greats (New Order, Adam Ant, Sister Sledge, Earth Wind & Fire) vied for attention with present day chart toppers (Florence, Emeli Sande, Rizzle Kicks) and hot tips for the future (Jessie Ware, Palma Violets, Charli XCX) meaning many annoying clashes are inevitable. But then, being spoilt for choice is the sign of a great festival, right? Right.
Continue reading: Bestival - 2012 Isle Of Wight, 6-10th September Live Review 2012
The xx last performed at Bestival in 2012
