And now for something completely different...

Aside from dealing in toys I occasionally venture outside.  On this particular occasion I went to Hop Farm Festival.  Here is generally how it went.

Hop Farm is a 3 day festival and is quite compact making it easier traipsing from campsite to arena and back again.  Tickets at £160 are fairly reasonable when compared to other festivals and parking is free.  Food and drink is your standard heightened festival prices but this to be expected.

We arrived around lunchtime on Friday with no queues leading into the festival which was great.  There is also plenty of camping space and we were able save a space for our friends with no problem.  We instantly struck up a mini festi-friendship with our neighbours and on the whole everyone was friendly and I did not see or hear of any trouble over the weekend.

As well as the great company I shared over the weekend there was of course some music going on.  This is a music festival after all.  Now for a brief breakdown of my top 3 acts

Grainy photo taken whilst drunk.

In at number 3) we have Gary Numan.  For a man in his 50's I thought his set may have lacked energy.  Oh but how wrong I was.  Stomping and spinning around the stage with the energy of someone half his age the crowd were treated to strong vocals and an orgy of synth, enough to remind me that he is the father and inspiration behind some of my favourite contemporary electronic bands.

At number 2) Peter Hook and the Light.  Wow.  Heading towards his set with a cynical approach that as third in the pecking order on vocals, Peter Hook's revisit of Joy Division's 'Unknown Pleasures' may have been similar to a covers band.  Fortunately for the second time that night I was wrong again.  This guy was there from the beginning, helped pen the songs and influenced the albums.  I like many of the crowd came away thinking 'Did I just really witness that?'.

Peter Hook only marginally misses out on top spot due to my number 1) Damien Rice.  But then I love his music so much and this was my first experience of Mr Rice so it was always going to take some beating.  Pitch perfect and so vocally strong this one man and his guitar filled the stage with raw power and talent.  He left myself and the crowd wanting more which gives me more of an excuse to see him again.

Overall the festival I would mark as 10/10 with some really solid and entertaining performances from Suede, Kool and the Gang, Psychedelic Furs, Richard Ashcroft and Randy Crawford to name but a few. Oh and the weather was great which helps.

Here's hoping Hop Farm 2013 is just as good.

Now for a Shower and a Chinese takeaway.

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