Wattsfest 9-11th July 2010

Do the Watt??!

Now then, I’m probably doing exactly the wrong this in writing about this, but I simply have to share, and hopefully only the good people will take it away with them.

Weekend 9-11th July was Wattsfest. What’s Wattsfest?!, I hear you crow. I hadn’t heard of it either, before a good musical mate put the details under my nose. Good ol’ Jim Vinceable of Bristol! Wattsfest, as I understand, has been going about 3 years now, just outside the tiny village of Uffculme, Devon. Literally, the village is virtually a single file road, where one driver has to swing into the bushes to let an oncoming driver past, with a smattering of houses with their own names on either side. And of course a pub, the Ostler, bustling with most probably more than half of the population of the village.

And up a winding path between fields, me and my fella wound our way up to Bob Watts’ field.

What a beautiful site to be greeted with, after an epic 7 hour journey to get there. Rolling Devon hills, a warm breeze, continental lagers and local ciders, people in braces and waistcoats, and with astonishing moustaches. The theme for Wattsfest was Chaps and Ladies, and it fitted in just perfectly.

We pitched our tent, and very quickly found our frineds. With the celebrations and camping all happening in one place, it was the exact antithesis of a hectic glasto. You didn’t need a phone, designated meeting points, did need to set times for when or where to meet. With people in the hundreds in stead of the thousands or tens of thousands, it was delightfully easy peasy and chilled. You simply cast your eye about the field, or hovered at the mouth of one of the four stages, and you would eventually find whomever you were searching for.

Four stages, The Dome (the dancey one), The Great Outdoors (the big band one), The Moist Quiche (the biggest tent, a mash up of many things) and the Milking Parlour ( small and intimate with acousticand poetry). All that in one green field.

A Jim’s new band, Million Way, were pleasingly fat. A mix of Jim’s incredible funk basslines, with heavy drums and a chunky piece if electro tweakings. Liked it. And the Standard, Burly Chassis, for a more funked guitar sound. Very sweaty.

And after two days of sun, gin and friends, it was time to go, hopefully to return next year. The taxi driver who drove us to town said he went to school with Bob Watts, the owner of the field, and he’s always been into music. Let’s hope it stays this way. Bless Bob. I love Devon!