The Big Chill Diary 2006

United Kingdom | by Tommy Popcorn | 06 September 2006

The Big Chill, 4th ? 6th August 2006

Glastonbury is the mother of all festivals, but if you wrote down a list of the bad bits you will find the Big Chill has addressed them all. They sell a limited amount tickets so it’s not overcrowded, no big queues, clean toilets, less litter, less human traffic and less mud!

THURSDAY

Taking a look round the new and improved site (including three new stages) there’s no time to visit Eastnor Castle before dark (The festival is held in a deer park in the castle grounds). I tune my tranny to Big Chill Radio, which includes sets from DJ’s playing over the weekend and plays better music than Glastonbury’s Radio Avalon. The Big Chill is laid back and mellow in the day so don’t expect to hear a young indie rock band cranking it out at 3pm in the afternoon. After dark the party starts and chilled it is not!

FRIDAY

Breakfast at Media Mix watching short films whilst chomping on a bacon roll, very good, this marquee is huge with several screens and great sound. Walking through the almost litter free site you can see that every effort has been made to make this a most aesthetically pleasing festival.
 
Off to the main stage (with chairs) for two in a row. Firstly The Beauty Room - Kirk Degiorgio, Essex soul boy turned electronica pioneer best known for his 'As One' album (Mo' Wax). Kirk et al puts in a polished performance with vocals that are smooth with a capital S-M-OOOOO-TH! Up next is Jose Gonzalez and the crowd is swelling. The 26-year-old Latino/Swede doesn’t disappoint with his dexterously plucked Spanish guitar and slightly haunting Nick Drakesque voice. He plays a blinder; the crowd cheering most for his monster hit 'Heartbeats' (as seen on that ad).

Chai Whallers next, the best café on site, top tunes fun atmosphere, sexy staff and the best chai in the galaxy! Friday evening the site looks amazing, colourful lanterns in trees illuminating the atmosphere. X-press 2 are very disappointing with their wall of sound crumbling beneath them and general failure to ignite the crowd. Most folks head straight to Fat Tuesdays for the Unabombers set. I bump into a thrilling crowd friendly set by Phantom Beats on the new Village Green stage. After a shandy or two it’s off to the main event – Coldcut. Jonathon and Matt are back in effect and all the big chillers welcome their return. With a body rockin’ set of hip hop, breaks and energy - these two are set for the next twenty years.

At 2am the music stops, but this year Lost Vagueness are here with their chapel of love and loathing. Weddings by day and an all night program of music, bands, and weird and wonderful burlesque acts. We arrive and party til 3am, leave to get last orders from Chai Whallers, and are refused re-entry as it ‘s full… "DOH!"