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Lail Arad vs Hop Farm 2010

Live Reviews

Punter, music-lover, superfan: Lail Arad takes on Hop Farm.

3rd July 2010, Paddock Wood, Kent / By Lail Arad
Lail Arad On Saturday I went to Hop Farm and did what I do best. Be a punter, a music-lover, a superfan, an I-know-every-word-to-every-song-and-I’m-going-to-sing-along goggle-eyed groupie. I hadn’t been to a festival without performing for a long time, and it made me so relaxed that I didn’t think to write anything down. This ‘review’ will not pretend to be objective, I can only relay my rose-tinted memories.

We arrived late because the battery of the Sat Nav in the car died just as it was saying ‘after 800 yards, take the --------’ … so I missed the exit and most of Johnny Flynn’s set. For which I was sorry because his trumpet interlude that serenaded us as we walked in sounded glorious. We did however catch them playing in the folky football tournament. It was a really nice idea whilst the real World Cup results were trickling in via the dodgy phone networks. My friend David Beauchamp was in goal (drummer of The Sussex Wit, though to me he’ll always be drummer of the Jeff Lewis band!) – it was so funny seeing them all in their football gear instead of chequered shirts..

The line-up was of such high calibre that at the beginning we got a bit overwhelmed and fell into the usual festival trap of trying to see everything at once. So we saw a bit of Laura Marling (oozing maturity), a bit of Pete Doherty (who I really do think is a great songwriter nevermind of anything else), a bit of Seasick Steve (what a cool success story that is), a bit of some people I knew less well but really enjoyed (Jon Allen, Alan Pownall – those two names are sort of confusing to say one after the other) until my flip-flop broke and the hairband that was keeping it attached to my foot made me much less eager to traipse between stages. We found some friends who had set up shop right in the middle of the main stage crowd, and there I stayed put for the rest of the night under the bluest sky I’ve ever seen.

Mumford & Sons worked so well in that context. They looked completely perplexed and humbled by their success, but for the first time I felt they deserve it. My own musical preferences were irrelevant – they gave a polished, genuine performance, bursting with energy and musicality. Guy Katsav, who produced my album and was standing next to me, gave me a little analysis: “The songs work like club tracks. They’re all four-to-the-floor, fast club tempos, big drop-downs – each song has the air of classic.” It was incredible standing in a swamp of people mouthing every line as though they really believe it. And I guess they do. I was struck anew by the power of song.

And then came my turn to mouth (I mean scream) every line. Ray bloomin’ Davies. I can’t explain to you what a big thing it was for me to hear those songs live. 'Dedicated Follower of Fashion'… 'Til The End Of Day'… 'Sunny Afternoon' (in the sunny afternoon!) I felt like I was at a Kinks concert in 1969 and I danced like a crazy hippy at the great risk of the cameras posting me on the big screen. I didn’t care about anything else in the world right then. Ray Davies did though. He was pissed off at the promoters for asking him to cut his set short (quite rightly!) And he made some other dig about engaging in the community ‘unlike some other people on this bill.’ But I didn’t have the energy to worry about the internal politics of the royalty. I was too busy pretending I was in Woodstock.

And then came Dylan. I’d seen Dylan before so I knew more or less what to expect. I was prepared for the no stage banter, lights off between songs, no close ups on the screen, changing the rhythm of every line so it’s impossible for people to sing along. And we were all on the verge of sun-stroke, feet aching, weighing up whether to face the toilet queues.. But. but… It’s Bob Dylan! In a pink shirt and cowboy hat! Opening the show with 'Rainy Day Women', 'Don’t Think Twice', 'Stuck Inside A Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again' and 'Just Like a Woman'. Just like that. What are you gonna complain about?! I felt so tiny in his presence, in his back-catalogue.. but so much part of the crowd and of the moment, it was exhilarating – that’s what it’s all about.

What an amazing day. One for the books. My only regret is that for boring reasons I couldn’t stay for Devendra Banhart’s set - but I was seeing him in London the next night - and I’ve seen him enough times to tell you with confidence that it was amazing! Haha.. that’s a true journalist right there: “I wasn’t there, but trust me!” Rating: 9/10
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