All Tomorrow's Parties

It was a great weekend. Jamesie, Grant and I started with a couple of pints in the beer garden of the Swinging Shillelagh - Butlins' overpoweringly green and leprechaun bedecked Irish theme bar. After inhaling the complimentary shortbread biscuits generously offered in our chalet, we set off to explore the site.


The main stage at ATP is within a permament marquee, ringed with the likes of Burger King, Pizza Hut, and assorted amusement arcade type devices - it takes a bit of getting used to but the sound was very good, the bogs weren't far away and there was real ale in the 'Sun and Moon' traditional pub. There are two other venues on site, more used to hosting the likes of Bucks Fizz and Banarama - we delighted in the huge SHOWTIME! sign on the wall on the way in the the Centre Stage. The carpet was stickier even than Rock City, and the smell of spilled beer was ever present, so we felt quite at home.

40 minutes after the time they were due on stage, there was no sign of The Only Ones, and I was convinced that they were blowing out ther first gig in 26 years. Not to worry though, they did eventually lurch onstage, including legendary drug hoover Peter Perrett; a man so emaciated and smack-ravaged that he appeared to be little more than a skeleton in a T Shirt. They were terrific though, and I'll be off to see them at Rock City next month. One of the least expected rock reunions for sure...














A Saturday highlight was Spiritualized Acoustic Mainline, who were wonderful - stripped down songs with strings and gospel singers and electric piano. J Spaceman seems in excellent health and his voice was stronger than on any of the previous occasions I've seen them. It will be a crime if this line up of the band don't release a cd, in the meantime I'm enjoying a live bootleg of the show they did at St Mary's church in Nottm last year.


Mr Cave was superb, crashing into West Country Girl at the start of a Bad Seeds best of set, then a short intermission and the whole of the Grinderman LP. Bobby Gillespie had turned up to bash the drums and sing, and he was introduced by his new employer as 'Bobby Gillespie from the Jesus and Mary Chain', which prompted a guy behind me to say 'well that's wrong, he's in Primal Scream'. Young people, tsk tsk they know nothing - back to rock n roll high school with you.

My favourite of the weekend had to be Joanna Newsom, she was stunning. She did my favourites from Ys, the version of Sawdust and Diamnds was breathtaking. Bill Callahan in contrast was dull - I nipped out for more Cave action on the main stage, as he was headlining on Sunday too. It occured to me at the time that many of the headline acts are reformed heroin addicts who are making the best music of their career despite cleaning up - so often it seems to be the other way round.


Anyway, ATP was a great weekend, I'll definitely go again, although I will blend in better if I grow a beard for the occasion. When taking requests from the crown, Cave said 'you Sir, with the beard', which raised a laugh as every other bloke there was sporting facial hair of one flavour or another.
And thanks to Jim for the pics..