Underworld close wettest ever Bestival

United Kingdom | | 08 September 2008

Despite rain and wind lashing the Robin Hill site on and off throughout the weekend, tens of thousands of determined revellers  stuck it out for the Sunday night, many still in fancy dress.

Headliners Underworld failed to disappoint with a faultless set of their greatest hits, including 'Dark And Long', 'Two Months Off' and an extended, pumped up version of crowd favourite 'Born Slippy', which closed the performance.

Before that, George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic flooded the stage with their funk collective of more than 20 band members.

They drew in a huge crowd although some festival goers preferred to mud wrestle in a pool of sludge, which had gathered in the middle of the audience.

On stage things were almost as crazy. One band member was dressed only in a large man nappy, while the flashily George Clinton prowled the stage and mesmerised the crowd with his growling lyrics.

Perhaps summing up the Bestival spirit, he chanted: "It would be ludicrous to think that we are new to this. This is what we do." At one point he also had the crowd chanting the words "poo poo", a sign of how hypnotised the enraptured audience had become. 

It was surely in part thanks to Roni Size's Reprazent, who had the Bestival massive jumping their way through the afternoon beforehand.

Laying down a lesson in drum'n'bass, the Bristol collective tore through their back catalogue with some poignant messages of the unity, ones that Bestival has come to symbolise during its five year history.  

Other highlights from the final day included Australian synth rockers Midnight Juggernauts in the Big Top and the Kate Bush-sounding Cock'N'Bull Kid on the BBC Introducing Stage.

While the mud was as bad as at any point throughout the weekend, Bestival goers made sure the party carried on long until the final moments, in a fitting way to see out summer. 

Check back for our full reviews and photo galleries. 

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