My Chemical Toilet

Vote in the Festival Awards and win a prize!

The summer is over and festival season has officially come to an end. Now it's time for you to vote, which Festival was the highlight of your summer! The UK Festival Awards will be taking place in Central London (where else?) on November 6th and is the industry’s only awards voted for solely by the people who really matter – the fans. Although it's unclear whether those that matter - the fans - are allowed in.

With so many festivals to choose from brace yourself for a hard decision. There are over 20 categories to vote in this year, including Best New Festival so it’s not all about the big guns. The UK has arguably the most vibrant festival scene in the world, and it is time to honour those who made this year a little more special. Have your say and set the standard for next year by voting now at www.festivalawards.com. As well as making a difference to the festival scene, your vote will also qualify you for an exclusive money-can’t-buy prize draw to win a pair of tickets to every winning festival in 2008! You can vote on a whole host of things, from Best Act to Best New Festival... and even Best Toilets. Sadly, we aren't in that category...

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

Bestival crowd see a bit of celebrity Madness

Forget small dogs in pink outfits or going out knickerless - it seems the new celebrity fad is stage invading, particularly if the person singing is called Bobby. Following Lily Allen’s drunken scuffle with reggae singer Bobby Kray at the Notting Hill Carnival, the older generation are joining in.

Digital Spy reports the Bestival crowd were treated to a rather hilariously bizarre invasion from Madness star Suggs during Primal Scream’s set. 20,000 watched as he grabbed Bobby Gillespie’s mic and – in a fit of drunken musical solidarity – bellowed: "F*** the Rolling Stones! This is the best rock 'n' roll band in the world!"

Primal Scream’s security were quick to remove him. Ungrateful gits… at least he didn’t try and shove Gillespie into the crowd below like Lily.

Posted by Sophie Bruce on September 12, 2025 8:40 AM in Bestival
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In-Tents Questioning: Bestival - Susi Weaser

You know how you saved up for months to go to Glasto / T In The Park / wherever, only to get rained on all night every night as you tried to slumber in that pitiful Argos tent? Susi Weaser, editor of Shiny Shiny, has no such problems. The latest fest she blagged her way into was Bestival at the weekend. Allow her to educate you regarding life on the other site of the VIP cordon. Jealous? Moi?

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

I’ve told you before. I’m Susi and I’m 25.

2. Which festival have you recently attended?

Bestival.

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

No. So, um, I’m not sure. There were no wankers lamenting the commercialisation / lack of young people / too many young people.

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

DJ Yoda was awesome (Ed: it later transpired that Susi in fact missed all of DJ Yoda's set. She would like it to be known that she was just drunk, and not stupid.)

Festivals round-up: Beastie Boys and their midgets rock Bestival

A capacity twice the size of previous years no doubt thrilled Bestival organisers when it was first announced, but in reality it meant double the normal festival problems, says The Telegraph. The jump from 17,000 to 30,000 fans meant bus and ferry services to the Isle Of Wight were ‘crippled’.

Beware fake Bestival tickets

Bestival, kicking off tomorrow at Robin Hill Country Park, Isle of Wight have warned those attending to beware of fake tickets. In news posted on the Bestival website, they say "We are aware of fake tickets in circulation and all tickets will be carefully scrutinised before entry to the festival is permitted. Anyone holding a fake ticket will be refused entry." They go on to say that there are two types of official Bestival tickets in circulation: colourful security tickets, as well as smaller blue and white hologrammed tickets.

For those with real tickets... or very convincing fakes... will be watching Chemical Brothers, Beastie Boys, Primal Scream, Gregory Isaacs, Simian Mobile Disco and loads more.

Posted by Mof Gimmers on September 6, 2025 3:57 PM in Bestival
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Bestival Preview: Chemical Brothers, Calvin Harris and Bat For Lashes

August has gone, the sun never really arrived, and so we creep into September with hopes for an Indian summer. And what does September mean? Get ready, Isle Of Wight, it’s Bestival time.

Bestival organisers are clearly a little confused about their festival alter ego. Their website – complete with cartoon wizards and hat-wearing owls – suggests boutique. Their organisational ethos suggests commercial – with lots of handy PDFs to download like timetables of acts and a site map. But their line-up suggests mega-budget, with twelve arenas full of talent.

Superstar DJs named for new Bestival arena

Those going to Bestival, you're in luck as organisers have announced details of the Rizla Arena, which will feature dance, reggae, dub and ska DJs. Boi! Acts playing the tent will include Terry Hall, Andy Votel, Greg Wilson and the legendary Don Letts.

Bestival takes place at Robin Hill Park on the Isle Of Wight from 7-9 September and features headline sets by The Chemical Brothers, Beastie Boys and Primal Scream. The full lineup for the Rizla Arena is James Baillie, The Chancers DJs, Riotous Rockers, Stuart Patterson (Faith), Terry Hall (The Specials), Andy Votel and Pete Fowler, Greg Wilson, Tim Love Lee, Maurice Fulton, Will Saul, Don Letts and Jim Stanton. Riddim!

Festivals Update: SF's Burning Man burns early, Bestival acts announced, Video Games Live tempts nerds from bedrooms

- There seem to be a lot of twisted Firestarters around these days. Someone's gone and set fire to the, er, Burning Man in San Francisco before the festival has even started. How impatient

- The Rizla Arena at next weekend's Bestival has announced its line-up - it includes Beastie Boys, Primal Scream and Terry Hall of The Specials

- Bjork will play Connect Festival this weekend, and while she tends to split opinion down the middle this review may tempt you in her direction if you're at the site

Bat For Lashes - MCT's favourite tip for the Mercury Music Prize

Natasha Khan It’s not often I advocate gambling, but in the case of Brighton’s Bat For Lashes, I know I'm onto a winner. Seriously, I've been rambling on about the sheer amazingness of this band for so long nobody will actually talk to me anymore. Still, you'd be best off forgoing that round of beers after work tonight – instead, head to your nearest branch of William Hill and put that tenner on the ethereal group to win this year’s Mercury Music Prize. Read my lips: Bat For Lashes are making the most stunning music this side of 1990.

Fronted by the band's songwriter, the extremely nice Natasha Khan, this four-piece made one of the best albums of 2006 with their nominated debut, Fur and Gold. Fizzing with theramins, haunting lyrics and the sort of tunes you’d sell your own mother for, it’s testament to its spine tingling beauty that I spent an entire day in a weird state of hypnosis listening to four 50 second clips when the review copy failed to materialise.

From the melancholic beauty of 'Bat's Mouth' to the sexual Duracell that is 'The Wizard' it's impossible to pick a favourite. Oh go on then, 'Prescilla'. No, 'The Horse and I'. Damn.

Klaxons, Arctic Monkeys, Amy Winehouse - The festivals where you can catch Nationwide Mercury Prize nominees

You may have noticed that the shortlist for this year's Nationwide Mercury Awards was announced the other day. So it's only a couple of months until the papers go mental over the odds of the potential winners, in marked contrast to how much the record-buying public actually cares.

If, however, you would like to see which festivals all these marvellous folk are playing, you may do so below because I've typed that very information there.

Bat For Lashes - ‘Fur And Gold’

You can catch Bat (pictured), or "Natasha" as she's know to her friends, at Field Day, Connect Festival, Electric Picnic and Bestival. She's also playing Rock En Seine if you happen to be in France towards the end of August.

The Young Knives - 'Voices of Animal and Men'

Ashby de la Zouch's favourite sons have already played Glastonbury and will also be playing the Redhill Park Music Festival, the Electric Gardens Festival, Leeds / Reading and the Underage festival at London's Victoria Park.

Jamie T - ‘Panic Prevention’

Jamie T will be inspiring severe brappage at Lowlands, Leeds / Reading and also this weekend's Benicassim fest in Spain.

Tangerine Fields provide pre-pitched tents for lazy festivalgoers - bookings still available for T in the Park, Latitude, Carling Weekend

If you got to Glastonbury on the Thursday full of smug happiness you'd bagged a bargain on your tent, and left on Monday a soaked-though, mud-coated, cursing mess, then you'll think Tangerine Fields is a great idea.

They're a tent company who'll rock up early to your chosen festival, pitch your tent and it'll be all warm* and cosy* by the time you arrive.

*inside, at least. They're not magicians.

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