Bestival 2010

This year, Rob da Bank’s Bestival manages to pull an astonishing 55,000 punters dressed to the nines in all things ‘Fantasy’, and with so many crazily-clad music revellers it seems the Guinness World Records are on hand to take count. So congratulations to Bestival 2010 for breaking the record for the most amount of fancy dress. It’s hard to believe that this is just one of the highlights of the Isle of Wight based festival.

The four day music extravaganza is choc-a-block with musicians, but it’s the ones that make the impact that resonate long after the lights go out. Of the headliners, the showstopper is Main Stage closer Dizzee Rascal who, although some may cite as a predictable player, hypes up the crowd with great ease while punters join in as he waxes lyrical.

Saturday Night 70s band Roxy Music play through their list of hits but fail to create the high energy music expected by Bestival music goers - perhaps less a musical error and more a festival misfit.

Thankfully Wayne Coyne and the Flaming Lips follow on after; big on theatrics and hype, the band do not disappoint. From long time lovers to the new discoverers, the audience lap it up. Coyne rolls around in an embryo-like structure, straight from the mother’s womb while the balloons and streamers from above culminate into a great final act.

Elsewhere, on the last night, LCD Soundsystem play a 1.5 hour set where the stage is set alight with live instrumental and Murphy’s insouciant vocals, and surprise shocks came from Aussie-expat Rolf Harris, Jonsi and UK rock crooners King Charles.