In-Tents Questioning: The Nightmare Before Christmas (ATP) - Vicky Walker

Every time we feature someone on these pages, we like to says things like "by day, Bob is a bank worker, but by night..." and all that. However, our most recent interviewee is something of a mystery, seemingly leading a decadent rock 'n' roll life 24 hours a day. Sickeningly, she's always the belle of the ball, leaving the rest of us looking like dead-beats.

So who is this fair maiden of trash? Well, she goes by the name of Vicky Walker and recently she attended the brilliant All Tomorrows Parties: The Nightmare Before Christmas. Here are her views on the festival.

Posted by Mof Gimmers on December 18, 2007 10:27 AM in All Tomorrow's Parties - Nightmare Before Christmas| In-Tents Questioning
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In-Tents Questioning: Bestival - Simon Barrett

During the week, Simon Barrett is a respectable worker for The Brighton & Hove Argus. However at the weekends he likes to rock his socks off on tiny islands off the coast of mainland Britain. Lucky for him, then, that the weekend just gone saw Bestival light up the Isle Of Wight. Here’s his take on it.

1. Kindly tell us your name, age and where you’re from. Now.

Simon Barrett, 27, Brighton

2. Which festival have you recently attended?

Bestival

Posted by Sophie Bruce on September 13, 2007 8:36 AM in Bestival| In-Tents Questioning| Music News
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In-Tents Questioning: Electric Picnic, Eire - Niall and Dianaimh

1. Kindly tell us your name, age and where you're from.

DW - Hello my name is Dianaimh Ward, I’m almost 25 and I’m from Strabane.

ND - Niall Doherty, 25, Strabane, Northern Ireland.

2. Which festival have you recently attended?

Both - Electric Picnic, Stradbally, Co.Laois, Eire

3. Have you attended this festival before? If yes, how does this year compare?
DW - No. I’ve been to Witnness and Oxegen (which are the same thing except two years apart), so compared to them EP was amazing. Although Oxegen is known for its massive headliners and the fact it brings in so many bands the atmosphere is so different. EP is more about the experience than the bands. It welcomes families so there’s a much more chilled atmosphere. There’s much more to do apart from seeing bands at EP such as a free Circus show, Paint balling (ouch!), a film tent, a whole arena dedicated to the well being of your body and soul. So compared to other festivals EP offers much more, which attracts a large and diverse crowd.

Posted by Mof Gimmers on September 10, 2007 3:12 PM in Electric Picnic| In-Tents Questioning
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In-Tents Questioning: Carling Weekend (Reading) - Clare Joslin

1. Kindly tell us your name, age and where you’re from. Now.

Well Cilla, my name’s Clare, I’m 25 years old and I’m from Bristol.

2. Which festival have you recently attended?

After missing out on Reading festival weekend tickets, I managed to blag a Sunday ticket so went for that day.

3. Have you attended this festival before? If yes, how does this year compare?

Yes, I have. This year was darn good but it’s difficult to top Placebo and Maximo Park (last year) in my eyes.

4. Which act gave the best performance, and why?

Nine Inch Nails, by far. They were astounding. The power in “the pit” was unbelievable. Trent Reznor is much more imposing now he’s beefed up than in his poncey “long hair and make-up” days.

Posted by Stuart Waterman on August 29, 2007 11:10 AM in In-Tents Questioning| Leeds / Reading
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In-Tents Questioning: Green Man Festival – Katie Lee

Katie Lee kindly completed our questionnaire a couple of months back on her return from Glastonbury. Last weekend she took her big green Katiemobile to, appropriately, the Green Man Festival in Brecon, Wales. Here are her opinions and conga experiences.

1. Kindly tell us your name, age and where you’re from. Now.

I’m sure we’ve been through this... oh well, never mind. Katie Lee, 28, London

2. Which festival have you recently attended?

The Green Man

3. Have you attended this festival before? If yes, how does this year compare?

Yes, I have. It was still excellent, but busier and bigger, which is a Bad Thing. It’s not that I don’t want it to be a success, it’s just that I don’t want it to be spoiled like Glastonbury.

4. Which act gave the best performance, and why?

Victoria Williams (famous only for writing a song that Pearl Jam covered – Crazy Mary) absolutely blew me away. I thought she was amazing. Joanna Newsom and The Earlies were also excellent.

Posted by Stuart Waterman on August 23, 2007 11:25 AM in Green Man Festival| In-Tents Questioning| Music News
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In-Tents Questioning: V Festival – Laura Shuckburgh

Laura Shuckburgh is a shy, retiring quiet little sales exec who never goes out after dark. Okay, okay, who are we kidding - she’s a party animal and has just got back from V! After 24 hours recovery, she’s here to give us her views…

1. Kindly tell us your name, age and where you’re from. Now.

Laura Shuckburgh, 24, from Oxford.

Posted by Sophie Bruce on August 22, 2007 1:00 PM in In-Tents Questioning| Music News
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In-Tents Questioning: V Festival – Tom Hall

Tom Hall (on the left in the pic) is a hairdresser from Hertfordshire. But when he’s not messing with tresses, he likes a bit of festival action. This is his view of the Chelmsford leg of V 2007.

1. Kindly tell us your name, age and where you’re from. Now.

Tom Hall, 25, from St Albans in Hertfordshire.

Posted by Sophie Bruce on August 22, 2007 10:00 AM in In-Tents Questioning| Music News| V Festival
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In-Tents Questioning: Field Day – Laura La Rue

Our latest festivalee likes to keep a bit of a low profile and has more than a passing resemblance to an L.A. IT Girl. Here’s her experience of the Field Day festival, minus the entourage.

1. Kindly tell us your name, age and where you’re from. Now.

Laura La Rue, 22, London.

2. Which festival have you recently attended?

Field Day.

Posted by Sophie Bruce on August 16, 2007 9:00 PM in Field Day| In-Tents Questioning| Music News
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In-Tents Questioning: The Big Chill - Phil Baldwin

Phil Baldwin normally spends his days trying to educate small people in London. Now he’s on summer holidays though, he’s made the most of it with a trip to The Big Chill. Here’s what he found, in a school-trip-evaluation stylee.

1. Kindly tell us your name, age and where you’re from. Now.

Phil, 27, Hatfield, Herts.

2. Which festival have you recently attended?

The Big Chill.

3. Have you attended this festival before? If yes, how does this year compare?

No.

Posted by Sophie Bruce on August 7, 2007 7:48 AM in In-Tents Questioning| Music News
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In-Tents Questioning: Global Gathering – Alex Fyvie

Alex Fyvie is a sales executive at Oxford dance & rnb station FM107.9, where MCT writer Sophie Bruce also works. So cut him some slack, he has enough to deal with. He’s shared his experience of a very muddy fifth trip to Global Gathering with us.

1. Kindly tell us your name, age and where you’re from. Now.

Alex Fyvie, 24, from Kidlington, Oxfordshire.

2. Which festival have you recently attended?

Global Gathering.

3. Have you attended this festival before? If yes, how does this year compare?

Yes – 5 times! This year was good in respect of the music and DJs, but too muddy and too wet - my favourite jeans got destroyed.

Posted by Sophie Bruce on August 1, 2007 8:24 PM in In-Tents Questioning
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In-Tents Questioning: Latitude - Kat Brown

Kat Brown is a new writer here on My Chemical Toilet, bringing with her much experience of gigging, ligging and - quite probably - swigging. That's her on the left in cartoon form. As an introduction she agreed to share her experience of this year's Latitude with us. Theft, twats and a star of Spiderman singing about bait all featured.

1. Kindly tell us your name, age and where you’re from. Now.

My name is Kat Brown, I’m 24 and I'm from London. Sir.

2. Which festival have you recently attended?

Latitude!

3. Have you attended this festival before? If yes, how does this year compare?

Yes I have. And to be honest, this year was a bit shit. Not in terms of line-up which was lovely, or what was on offer, but from the wankers who decided to go along. I mean, seriously. It’s an arts festival in the middle of Suffolk, it’s hardly Leeds, so why all the beered-up twats with lax attitudes to suncare decided to come and “WEY-HEY!!!!!” their way into next Tuesday I’ll never know. Oh, and there was thievery, which was crap.

4. Which act gave the best performance, and why?

Patrick Wolf. He could recite the times table and still be entertaining.

Posted by Stuart Waterman on July 27, 2007 11:15 AM in In-Tents Questioning| Latitude| Music News
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In-Tents Questioning: Benicassim - Paul Roffey

Last month Paul Roffey reported from the Knowsley Hall festival. This month he's answering questions about his jaunt to Benicassim in the slightly more glamorous surroundings of Foreignland (Spain, to be precise). Do you think it rained there, readers? Whaddya reckon??

1. Kindly tell us your name, age and where you’re from. Now.

Paul Roffey, 28, West Didsbury, Manchester.

2. Which festival have you recently attended?

Festival Internacional de Benicassim (FIB) 2007.

3. Have you attended this festival before? If yes, how does this year compare?

No.

4. Which act gave the best performance, and why?

Got to be the Arctic Monkeys. They've improved so much live - real tight, real good!

5. If you could have promoted one act on the bill to headline status, who would you choose? Why?

Probably Who Made Who. They stood in for Klaxons on their main stage spot and were excellent.

Posted by Stuart Waterman on July 25, 2007 3:50 PM in Benicassim| In-Tents Questioning| Music News
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In-Tents Questioning: Glastonbury - Andy Clarke

This is Andy Clarke. He was a very brave boy and went along to Glastonbury to sample some of the lesser-known delights in addition to the more obvious attractions. Allow him to educate you in angry hippies, horse-headed men and, um, Your Dad.

1. Kindly tell us your name, age and where you’re from. Now.

OK, keep your trilby on. Andy, 27 ¼, Brighton, England.

2. Which festival have you recently attended?

Glastonbury.

3. Have you attended this festival before? If yes, how does this year compare?

Fifth time for me this year. A little damp under foot, but one of the best. Maybe because the line-up of bands on the main stages wasn’t all that, so we spent more time investigating unknowns.

Posted by Stuart Waterman on July 3, 2007 12:16 PM in Glastonbury| In-Tents Questioning| Music News
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In-Tents Questioning: Glastonbury - Dave Stevenson

Dave Stevenson is one of My Chemical Toilet's esteemed bloggers. He went to Glastonbury and returned with tales of drug-taking stewards, Americans who look like your Dad and apologetic drunkards.

1. Kindly tell us your name, age and where you’re from. Now.

Dave Stevenson, 24, London.

2. Which festival have you recently attended?

I'm pretty sure it's Glastonbury, but it's hard to tell with all the mud on top.

3. Have you attended this festival before? If yes, how does this year compare?

I was here in 2005. When, surprise, surprise, it rained a lot, the grass turned to clay, and we spent a lot of time learning exactly why bin bags are a form of currency at music festivals.

4. Which act gave the best performance, and why?

Damien Rice. He's one miserable git, but his voice was outstanding.

Posted by Stuart Waterman on July 2, 2007 2:35 PM in Glastonbury| In-Tents Questioning| Music News
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In-Tents Questioning: Glastonbury - Jon Hartley

Jon Hartley is a true Glasto veteran - so how did he find this year's event compared to previous years? Here he tells us about Geordie midgets, Welsh Oggies and Stan Collymore.

1. Kindly tell us your name, age and where you’re from. Now.

Jon Hartley, 29. London.

2. Which festival have you recently attended?

Glastonbury 2007.

3. Have you attended this festival before? If yes, how does this year compare?

Yes. This was my 10th Glastonbury. I’ve seen some muddy ones but this one just about takes the crown of muddiest yet. As usual nobody seemed to care that it was raining and muddy.

Overall I thought that little improvements occurred without the festival losing its unique feel. This year's big improvement was the late-night fun. No longer is it just Lost Vagueness that provides after-hours fun - Trash City and the new Park area were chipping in as well, and that helped.

Posted by Stuart Waterman on June 29, 2007 11:15 AM in Glastonbury| In-Tents Questioning| Music News
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In-Tents Questioning: Glastonbury - Nick Fleetwood

Nick went to Glastonbury this year. He had to return early unfortunately - did this ruin his fun? Let's find out, shall we? (Yes)

1. Kindly tell us your name, age and where you’re from. Now.

Nick Fleetwood, 27, London.

2. Which festival have you recently attended?

Glastonbury 2007.

3. Have you attended this festival before? If yes, how does this year compare?

Yes, four other times. This was the worst of the lot. Still great music and randomness but mud, facilities and weather were all the worst of the lot.

4. Which act gave the best performance, and why?

Kasabian - mud-stomping brilliance. Best people to build a crowd up and cracking tunes to boot.

Posted by Stuart Waterman on June 28, 2007 8:49 AM in Glastonbury| In-Tents Questioning| Music News
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In-Tents Questioning: Glastonbury - Katie Lee

Katie Lee is Shiny Media's Editorial Director, which means that what she says is quite literally gospel. She went to Glastonbury this year and the first thing she did afterwards - before even removing her wellies - was answer our questions about her experiences. She told us all about she-pees, sinking stalls and pear cider.

1. Kindly tell us your name, age and where you’re from. Now.

Katie Lee, 28, currently residing in London.

2. Which festival have you recently attended?

Glastonbury.

3. Have you attended this festival before? If yes, how does this year compare?

I have attended this festival many times before and this year was probably the one with the most drizzle.

Posted by Stuart Waterman on June 27, 2007 3:33 PM in Glastonbury| In-Tents Questioning| Music News
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In-Tents Questioning: Knowsley Hall, Saturday - Paul Roffey

Paul Roffey went to Knowsley Hall on Saturday, and got in touch to undergo a bit of In-Tents Questioning. His opinions about one artist in particular are sufficiently strong that he has felt the need to sport a disguise, lest he be tracked down by disgruntled fans.

At this point *dons lawyer's briefcase* I should point out that any opinions about Pete Wylie expressed heretoforewhenceforth are those of the respondent and not My Chemical Toilet or Shiny Media or any of its employees or employees' friends or employees' friends' family / pets *puts down lawyer's briefcase*.

1. Kindly tell us your name, age and where you’re from. Now.

Paul Roffey, 28, from Didsbury in Manchester.

2. Which festival have you recently attended?

Knowsley Hall on Saturday.

3. Have you attended this festival before? If yes, how does this year compare?

No, it’s the first time. I’ve been to Knowsley before to see the monkeys, so you could say yes I have been before, but there wasn’t any music on.

Posted by Stuart Waterman on June 26, 2007 12:22 PM in In-Tents Questioning| Knowsley Hall| Music News
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O2 Wireless, London, Sunday: In-Tents Questioning (2)

Glenda Young is the editor of Corrieblog - literally the greatest Coronation Street blog on this pitiful little planet of ours. She went to O2 Wireless at Hyde Park on the Sunday, which featured The Cribs, Kaiser Chiefs and Editors (pictured). On her return she underwent some rigorous interrogation. The results you will see below.

1. Kindly tell us your name, age and where you’re from. Now.

Glenda Young. I live in London but am from Sunderland.

2. Which festival have you recently attended?

O2 Wireless Festival London, Sunday 17th June.

3. Have you attended this festival before?

No.

4. Which act gave the best performance, and why?

Editors. They rocked.

Posted by Stuart Waterman on June 25, 2007 3:33 PM in In-Tents Questioning| Music News| Wireless Festival
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In-Tents Questioning: O2 Wireless, London, Sunday - Gemma Cartwright

Gemma (that's her on the right of this photo), Shiny Media's fashion editor-in-chief, tore herself away from her beloved lolcats and went to the O2 Wireless festival on Sunday. Here she talks about coulottes, Ray-Bans and orange boiler suits. And music.

1. Kindly tell us your name, age and where you’re from. Now.

Gemma Cartwright, 23, London.

2. Which festival have you recently attended?

O2 Wireless, Sunday 17th at Hyde Park (‘Indie Day’).

3. Have you attended this festival before? If yes, how does this year compare?

Never been before. I was an O2 virgin. How’s that for a phone network pun?

Posted by Stuart Waterman on June 22, 2007 11:10 AM in In-Tents Questioning| Wireless Festival
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02 Wireless, London, Saturday: In-Tents Questioning (no.2)

Yesterday we heard from Abi, who was not terribly impressed with the O2 Wireless festival. Today we sample the opinion of someone who went on the same night - how did her experience compare? Her name is Issy, and she would like to make it clear that the muck you see on her hand is from the camera lens, and is not a result of any poor personal hygiene on her part. Delighted to clear that up.

1. Kindly tell us your name, age and where you’re from. Now.

I’m Issy, and I’m from Balham in South London. It’s lovely…

2. That's good to know. Which festival have you recently attended?

I attended Saturday at O2 Wireless, Hyde Park.

3. Have you attended this festival before? If yes, how does this year compare?

I have, and although the lineup was very different to the year before it was loads busier, and had a new tent. But it was kind of the same – i.e., same stages, same layout, same amount of kids wearing skinny jeans. Only a different beer sponsor.

Posted by Stuart Waterman on June 21, 2007 8:47 AM in In-Tents Questioning| Music News| Wireless Festival
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O2 Wireless, London, Saturday: In-Tents Questioning

Abi Silvester is the editor of two of Shiny Media's ethical consumerism blogs (Hippyshopper & Crafty Crafty), and went along to the recent O2 Wireless festival. She took time out of her busy day to answer our questions - and certainly didn't hold back...

1. Kindly tell us your name, age and where you’re from. Now.

Abi Silvester, 29, London.

2. Which festival have you recently attended?

O2 Wireless Festival (Saturday).

3. Have you attended this festival before? If yes, how does this year compare?

I attended last year, and this time was a big disappointment...

Posted by Stuart Waterman on June 20, 2007 11:42 AM in In-Tents Questioning| Music News| Wireless Festival
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Isle of Wight Festival: In-Tents Questioning

Emma Abrook went to the Isle of Wight festival this year, and on her return she agreed to answer our probing questions. The picture you see is not of Emma. It is of Matt Bellamy of Muse and his funny silver guitar. Just to clear that up.

1. Kindly tell us your name, age and where you’re from. Now.

Emma Abrook. 27. Isle Of Wight.

2. Which festival have you recently attended?

Isle of Wight 2007.

3. Have you attended this festival before? If yes, how does this year compare?

Yes, and it wasn’t as good as previous years. Organisation was poor.

4. Which act gave the best performance, and why?

Muse. Incredible musical range and stunning stage set-up.

Posted by Stuart Waterman on June 20, 2007 9:15 AM in In-Tents Questioning| Isle Of Wight Festival| Music News
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02 Wireless, London, Thursday: In-Tents Questioning

For our second bout of In-Tents Questioning, we have ourselves a bona fide TV star - Susi Weaser. She also happens to be the editor of Shiny Media's award-winning girls' guide to gadgets, Shiny Shiny. This means technology firms give her loads of free stuff, which in turn means she spends large parts of events like this swigging free alcohol and chatting to superstar bodyguards.

1. Kindly tell us your name, age and where you’re from. Now.

Susi. 24. Camden (sort of), London.

2. Which festival have you recently attended?

O2 Wireless.

3. Have you attended this festival before? If yes, how does this year compare?

Yes. Last year I was there on a Saturday, with picnic etc. The weather was better, and it was all a bit more civilised. Last night was messy and moshy. It was great. White Stripes beat Basement Jaxx.

Posted by Stuart Waterman on June 19, 2007 8:50 AM in In-Tents Questioning| Wireless Festival
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Download Festival: In-Tents Questioning

This, readers, is a special occasion. My Chemical Toilet's first In-Tents Questioning. Savour this moment. Savour it good. Our first interviewee is Niki Jones, 29, from London. Niki went to Download and sampled the rock. He survived, and bravely answered our questions.

1. Kindly tell us your name, age and where you’re from. Now.

Niki Jones. 29. London.

2. Which festival have you recently attended?

Download.

3. Have you attended this festival before? If yes, how does this year compare?

Yes, it was about the same as previous years.

4. Which act gave the best performance, and why?

Motley Crue. Tight, energetic, played virtually a greatest hits set, blatantly refuse to act their age.

Posted by Stuart Waterman on June 18, 2007 8:59 AM in Download Festival| In-Tents Questioning| Music News
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In-Tents Questioning: speak your festival brains

Have you attended any of this year's festivals? Are you going to? Would you like to shamelessly babble on about your experiences without annoying your mates who couldn't get tickets (the correct answer to all of these questions, in case you weren't sure, is "yes")?

My Chemical Toilet has devised a questionnaire for this very purpose, with the aim of presenting our findings at the close of the festival season. You'll be able to spill your guts as much (or as little) as you like about performances, facilities, your fellow festival-goers, food & drink...

Posted by Stuart Waterman on June 12, 2007 3:15 PM in In-Tents Questioning| Music News
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