Last year in June, I experienced my first ever European festival.
I've said it a million times.. Download felt like survival camp. The mud was overwhelming, the walks exhausting and the cold just plain unpleasant. I swore, never again!
12 months later, the line up was too good to refuse.
Dammit, Here we go again!
Better mentally prepared, we packed our bags and dove into the mud for my round 2.
Wez's mate Steve jumped on board, as did Paddy and a few mates we picked up along the way in 2012. Out of this mismatch of people.. Camp Buckfast was born.
Buckfast is a tonic wine with caffine in it. It's the poormans/trouble makers drink. It's rough, unfriendly, and we love it. No glass allowed!
Myself and WeZ had train tickets for Wednesday, Steve decided to drive there Friday because of work. Huzzah! lets fill his car with supplies!!
Festival eve, bags all ready for carry and car. Steve phoned, he was stuck somewhere in Europe due to an airline strike. Doesn't know if/when he'll be back in time.
Thoughts (in no particular order):
Poor steve!
How the bajeesus do we get all this shite to Download!??!
DAY ONE!
Leaving no case of beer behind, we dove in.
We carried a batshit crazy amount of crap through the
London streets, tubes, trains..
Half way there our train was stopped. An hours wait on the train,
to then find it was cancelled.
2 platform changes, many stairs, bus stops, taxi ranks,
another train, and a bus later...
we made it.
We adopted a Portuguese guy along the way named Andre, he had biscuits.
We named him Boab. (Bob, with a mixture of accents)
The 2 hour journey took 7.
With all that stuff, we went with the trolley option from gates to the campsite.
We found our fellow Bucky campers, walked for hours in
the rain trying to find a space..
Tents up, couple o' drinks, early night.
DAY TWO!
Campsite day!
Some got a little eager with dress-ups..
We hung about which eventually turned into a gazebo huddle through an epic thunder storm that turned our pleasant field into a mud bath.
A couple of rough hours saw the sun eventually break through the clouds and set on our weary tents.
DAY THREE!
Steve arrived safely! Hooray!
First day of music, deemed Bucky day!
Rar.
It rained just for something different.
When I got this hat in the mail from mum,
I thought, when the hell would I use...!?!
It was a dread-saver! Kept me nice 'n' dry. Brilliant.
Bill and Ben the flower pot men?!.. a kids show I'm told.
Willy man.
We met Sven from Sweden.
Did I mention we all bought t-shirts?..
Painted Paddy
Just passing, took a quick snap. I love it.
The bands..3 doors down (one hit wonder from the 90s. Loved it), Down, Korn, Slipknot, and a gypsy punk band called GoGo Bordello.
They have a song called 'Start wearing purple'.
That's WeZ atop the crowd in a purple morph suit.
Slipknot were good. But didn't blow my socks off. Korn were awesome!
DAY FOUR!
Tutu selfie. Sun came out!
unfortunately our gazebo felt like retiring overnight..
Campsite entertainment. Mud diving man.
This is the last photo I took before my camera
battery unexpectedly said no more.
Damn.
Today we saw Aussie band Karnivool. They were a bit weak..
Then Mastadon, Motorhead, Queens of the Stone age and finished of with a 3 hour long Iron Maden set. Was a boozy cruisey day. Queens won it for me. Maden went forEVER!
DAY FIVE!
Last day of music, dress up day!
..and I am camera-less :(
A view from lenses I jumped in front of.
Our campsite.. so far away!
Music today consisted of Red Fang, POD, Limp Bizkit, Stone Sour, and Rammstien.
Limp were awesome, but by far, Rammstein were incredible.
Fancy lights, flame throwers, gimps, foam hoses... ecstatic entertainment!
In my top 5 music experiences.
DAY SIX
Home time?... almost.
We packed up, bid eachothers hungover heads a fond farewell, and
Steve drove myself 'n' WeZ to Luton airport.
Why!?
A couple of nights in Belfast for a gig of course O.o
Our mates were supporting Red Fang, we had to go!
WeZ went into.. it's the last day, drink EVERYTHING mode the day before,
slight understatement to say he was a ropey all day.
We made it, got some dirty junk in,
(Their KFC comes with beans, and there's no potato and gravy!?)
We yawned our way trough a Triggerman and
Red Fang gig, and got some much needed zzz's.
DAY SEVEN.
day seven?! I'm knackered.
Time to explore!
With no riots or trouble about, I got to experience a nice relaxed version of Belfast. Was lovely!
I'm not much of a museum goer (at all) But we decided to give the titanic museum a go..
It was really cool! Heaps of elements, levels.. well worth it.
We casually cruised through and quickly lost 3 hours.
a few pub feeds inbetween and we felt ever so slightly human again!
DAY EIGHT
Home time
A civilied breaky with a spot of tea..
quick peek over the city...
and off we go.
We got back that evening, had a proper sleep and dove into work for 6 consecutive nights before heading to Glastonbury on 3 hours sleep.
Whoa. Hippy's got gig addiction issues!
Loved it.
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