i’ve been going since 2006. i missed the hallowed “best gig ever” that was arcade fire in 2005, and while i don’t regret it per se, it smarts when people go on about it. i had a magic time in 06, even though i didn’t really see that many life-changing performances. but hey, at festivals, you rarely do.
07 was special too, but again, performance wise it wasn’t out of this world. i think dancing around like a loon with friends to dj mehdi in the bacardi tent before unkle was probably a highlight. for some reason there was something missing in 08 and 09. last year in particular i wasn’t what you might call “festival fit”, so my enjoyment on the whole was affected.
this year, unlike others, i’m not planning on being a complete nazi with regards to catching this band and that dj (though there are a few standouts that i’ll be mad if i don’t see). instead i want to just have the buzz, and though for me a festival is all about the bands, i’m going to try and see what this whole “spirit of the festival” experience is like. that said, these are the acts i really want to see (youtubes after the jump).
janelle monae
booka shade
leftfield
lcd soundsystem (embedding unfortunately disabled by request, gah)
robyn
tiga
villagers
daniel wang
the big pink
unkle (nsfw)
bonobo
dam-funk
edan
liquid liquid (these guys get two)
i’m sure i’ll have to miss a few of these, what with clashes and disapproving friends, but either way it should be a good weekend. bring on stradbally.
