Music: Camp Bestival

Jeff Hemmings looks forward to one of summer’s hottest festivals

Sixth birthday for the slightly more grown up version of Bestival, the theme for this year’s jamboree is ‘Around The World’, which has got, as usual, Rob da Bank very excited, he being the founder and curator of the Bestival brand. “Crack out the jelly and ice cream, unroll the Twister board and cover me in sticky pop if I’m not more excited than ever to be announcing our all-ages extravaganza once more.”

A demonstration of how supposedly fully grown and mature adults go crazy when the opportunity comes to regress and indulge in some childhood nostalgia (which is what I am currently doing now, by way of listening to some of the best pop moments of 1976… ahh, the memories… Wings, ELO, Steeleye Span, Gallagher and Lyle…)

I digress. This year’s musical line-up includes Richard Hawley, The Levellers, Toots & The Maytals, Musical Youth, Kid Creole, Billy Bragg, Labrinth, choral pop and rock from Polyphonic Spree (who will be performing a very special Rocky Horror Show set), I Am Kloot, The Correspondents, and the West End hit show Let It Be will be performing a selection of The Beatles’ greatest hits.

Expect DJ action from the likes of Grandmaster Flash, Sasha, David Rodigan’s Ram Jam, Andrew Weatherall and Sean Johnston’s sublime A Love From Outer Space, Drum’n’bass kingpins Fabio + Grooverider plus Coldcut’s Jon More, Dub Pistols head honcho Barry Ashworth, Xfm’s John Kennedy, Balearic Brothers, amongst others.

Camp Bestival is about so much more than the the music, and kids are extremely well catered for here; there’s the truly fabulous Mr Tumble back as well as a festival exclusive from Horrible Histories and Erth’s Dinosaur Zoo, TV favourites Dick ’n’ Dom whilst top comedian Alan Davies heads a very fine comedy line up. And then there’s youth and contemporary dance, choirs, workshops, circuses, games, Morris dancing, sports and more. It truly is a camp with a difference!

Camp Bestival, Friday 1–Sunday 4 August, Lulworth Cove, Dorset. www.campbestival.net