Towersey 2008

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: Houston_Diamond
Date: 01 Sep 08 - 06:55 PM

Dear me... I have to check the threads more often!

Thank you Lady Penelope, Liz's suggestion of changing key made it feel like I've never sung that song before but it made it interesting...

I think the Angels were fairly eerie but clever... it must be funny saying you're Martin the Angel! lol

I was getting Pizza when you guys were floating around lol... this just sounds really odd!!!

what's worse is that the pizzas were all vegetarian, I love chicken on pizzas!!! lolol

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 01 Sep 08 - 02:55 AM

Ah, but the Commitments were there on Thursday evening, before the Anti-bog Squad had got to work. There were several occasions where I had to flush before I could even sit down...

LTS

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: GUEST,Christina & Theodore
Date: 30 Aug 08 - 04:08 PM

The loos were great throughout the weekend.
Whilst unloading the Commitments equipment and when eating with them later, they were very impressed with the facilities throughout the festival sites - the best they had ever seen at a festival. Not a bad accolade, I think.

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: GUEST,Jane Bird
Date: 29 Aug 08 - 04:41 PM

Actually, I heard quite a few really positive comments about the loos. On Sunday night I had a conversation with someone on his first visit to Towersey who was really impressed with the state of the loos ("sparklingly clean"), even on Sunday. There you go! Cheers, Bog Squad!

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: lady penelope
Date: 29 Aug 08 - 09:07 AM

Your singing was lovely as ever, Houston.

Frankly, considering the basic lack of respect and cases of outright vandalism that is inflicted on the toilets, the Bog Squad should get medals....Or possibly counselling.... *G*

I had fun watching The Omega 3 and Mawkin:Causley and listening to Skavolution from me tent - which was pretty entertaining. Bit nostalgic in a way. Haven't heard much Ska since I were a teenager in the 80's....

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: Houston_Diamond
Date: 28 Aug 08 - 02:19 PM

oooh... I loved the new material from the Whaps too... sorry forgot to mention that :s

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: Houston_Diamond
Date: 28 Aug 08 - 02:18 PM

The main problem with the loos this year was vandalism. Pity the poor bog squad and the technical crew who were kept busy!

For my sins I was on bog squad this year and the ladies toilets on site 2 on either side of the fence was vandalised around 3~4 times... toilet roll was forced down the toilet and put in the cistern several times... I was going to suggest to return it back to how we did it in the old days... provide your own!!!

Maybe even hand everyone a toilet roll each?!?

Anyway, I kinda enjoyed it except being too tired to go to sessions. I enjoyed the folk club and the barn session I managed to get to, just disappointed I didn't get to sing more songs :( never mind. I hope everyone who heard me enjoyed it anyway?!?

Loved the Skavolution band... am a big ska fan :D

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: GUEST,larkin
Date: 28 Aug 08 - 01:03 PM

Ahh now you've spoiled it for all those folk who thought we were real !

They are the best fun ! check out www.larkinabout.com/angels if you missed em.

martin

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: Dave Earl
Date: 28 Aug 08 - 11:55 AM

These

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 28 Aug 08 - 11:34 AM

Segues or Segways

LTS

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: Dave Earl
Date: 28 Aug 08 - 11:29 AM

Oh them things

Dave

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: GUEST,Dazbo at Work
Date: 28 Aug 08 - 11:26 AM

no Breton Cap, I think it was one of those electric two wheeled things you stand on with handlebars - pres Bush fell off one?

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: Joseph P
Date: 28 Aug 08 - 11:06 AM

I thought it was the beer....

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: Dave Earl
Date: 28 Aug 08 - 10:59 AM

I guessed it was a unicycle trick

Was I right?

Dave

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: lady penelope
Date: 28 Aug 08 - 10:47 AM

Oh yes, that was fab!

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 28 Aug 08 - 06:11 AM

Hey Larkin!! I was one of the stewards on the gate nearest the Children's area so although I didn't catch the act, I could see you - we thought you were fab! We really couldn't figure out how you managed to move in that strange, floaty way and yet not be on stilts... we were told later and were stunned!

This irreverent Christian and the Pagan who was with her thought you were both brilliant!

LTS

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: GUEST,Larkin
Date: 28 Aug 08 - 05:40 AM

I'm one of the Angels that was there on Sunday - we had a great time especially in the light of us performing at a Christian festival the day before and they really were'nt sure whether blasphemy was being committed. So it it was great having a much more irreverent audience - We had a blast with Pig Dyke Molly !

martin

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: Joseph P
Date: 28 Aug 08 - 05:27 AM

Funniest band has to go to Faustus, nothing compares!

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: GUEST,dillie
Date: 28 Aug 08 - 05:00 AM

I had a wicked time at towersey - and I know what you mean Houston about missing everyone - HUGE thanks for helping me and Alice put up our tent! You're a legend :0)

Highlights for me included:

The QP (had to give 'em a mention)
Faustus
Ruth Notman
dancing the cornish 6 hand reel outside the whaps ceilidh as there was no room left inside!
blowzabella - who literally blew me away!
Park Bench Social Club!

A great festival! xx

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: lady penelope
Date: 27 Aug 08 - 12:51 PM

This explains much..... *G*

LOL @ Dazbo

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: Dave Earl
Date: 27 Aug 08 - 12:51 PM

Round???

No let's not go down that road

Dave

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 27 Aug 08 - 11:39 AM

The cartoons were drawn by Dick Frost - he of the rude song fame... and I still have a couple lurking about the house somewhere!

LTS

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: GUEST,Dazbo at work
Date: 27 Aug 08 - 11:34 AM

Should that be a wee piddling pool or a small paddling pool?

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: lady penelope
Date: 27 Aug 08 - 10:55 AM

Ah yes, the communal showers... How well I remember them. Actually, what I really remember is the fact that the changing room was on one side of the corridor and the shower room was on the other. But they never used to close the outside door. So you used to have to either get your towel wet (there were never any hooks to hang anything), or indulge in a very short streak....And I liked the festival topical cartoons that got posted on the door... Cor, who was it that drew them???

I used to like using the big container they had set up for having a strip wash. You took a bowl, got water out of the the taps they had set up at one end, put it on the bench and had a wash. Worked a treat. It was communal (you took your chances as to whether there were blokes there or not) and was parked behind the social club. At a push, I suppose I could do that in my tent, now I have one you can stand up in...

Nothing wrong with using a watering can to shower with. We did that one summer when we were in the middle of taking the bath out and putting a shower in. We had a wee paddling pool to stand in and would take turns holding the watering can for the other... *G* It was almost fun!

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: Watt Tyler
Date: 27 Aug 08 - 10:49 AM

Thanks Liz. I actually meant the stall seemed to have more choice than usual. I wanted some new radical fish clubs last year and struggled to get a set. There was a much better selection on sale this year though. I agree that the skills area was more agreeable. I still think that they would be better suited using the arena when its free. There's plenty of space in there and it's often not being used.

Watt

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 27 Aug 08 - 10:38 AM

Mushy Pea wasn't actually bigger (it's a circus skills stall) but it did have a designated area this year, to try to avoid the odd accidents that have happened in the past with hula hoop incidents, eyes being gouged out by Flower sticks and diablos landing on heads. Thus, the children's parachute activities and such were nudged further along the field so it just felt like they were bigger.

LTS

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: Joseph P
Date: 27 Aug 08 - 10:37 AM

Did anyone else see the guy with the cone on his head and the tutu 'performing' in the veg cafe? Stranger than anything I have ever seen at Glasto. Unless they put something in the Ringwood best and I dreamt it all....

And lots of us are gulty for 'vandalising' the dance house floor on sunday night , oops!!!

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: Watt Tyler
Date: 27 Aug 08 - 10:30 AM

Had the usual ace weekend at Towersey. Drink prices about right, food prices excessive - especially the fiver for a shite (not so) Full English that was served up by various robbers. Value has to be the nachos. Didn't see any vandalised loos. I think that toilet seats hanging off doesn't really constitite vandalism. Trade stands seemed fewer. Mushy Pea semmed bigger. Mrs Casey CD's didn't seem to be as busy (a sign of the times methinks). Great stuff going on in the showground - well worth a fiver for a day ticket. Highlights were Stygiens, Chris Wood, Jackie Oates, Blowzabella, Martin Simpson, Ruth Notman, Breabach and the mighty Lunasa - SAVAGE!

Still a great value festival and anyone that has more moans than praises really should consider giving up on festivals altogether.

Watt

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 27 Aug 08 - 09:54 AM

If it's hygiene you're worried about then a packet of WetWipes is your best friend. Cleanliness is a different kettle of water.

LTS

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: Ruth Archer
Date: 27 Aug 08 - 08:56 AM

My daughter and her friend showered with a watering can all weekend. Not sure about the overall hygiene implications, but in terms of expediency, it was top!

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: Joseph P
Date: 27 Aug 08 - 08:45 AM

The freezing cold shower I had on the Friday was the best shower I had all weekend! People should try it more often. Cured all hangover related head problems, and set me up for the evening.

Mind you, having showers at all is a good thing, and the toilet blocks are better than the portaloos at most festivals.

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: GUEST,Dazbo at work
Date: 27 Aug 08 - 08:39 AM

The water pressure seemed lower than usual to me this year. There were two "vandalised" loo blocks by Tuesday morning in the dip behind the ceilidh tent. I find showering about 5pm is almost queueless - mind you I've also had to queue and then young ladies come out perfectly made up grrrrr!!!!

Joseph P - whilst not minding the communal showers used in previous years I found that when they were in operation the men always had the hour after the ladies (two or three hours per sex IIRC per day) by which time there was NO hot water left.

Highlights Stygiens (found them on Myspace last year), Bellowhead (not as good as at Warwick though), Crucible, Faustus, French and Breton dance workshops and dancing.

Food and beer prices didn't seem more excessive than they usually are.

Good time had by me:-)

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: Joseph P
Date: 27 Aug 08 - 08:04 AM

Ey oop I be a northerner now, or something in between. Definitely not minted! They don't have scary orange cider up here, sadly. (but lots of cheap beer. SHame about sparkler heads)

And anyone knows you dont get pints in the hobbit-infested shire (although Luke and Jamie are rather short, and Benji has been known to go to Bampton so maybe the two are the same) :-p

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: GUEST
Date: 27 Aug 08 - 08:00 AM

Well you can't get much further South than where I live (without getting wet) and £2:90 for a pint of 3.5/4.0 bitter is about right stronger beers can be over £3:00.

What it amounts to is if you don't like (or can't afford) the prices no-one will force you to buy the stuff.

Dave

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: Ruth Archer
Date: 27 Aug 08 - 07:50 AM

I was on a budget, too, as I was subsidising my daughter and her friend - it does add up. But the prices didn't seem out of the ordinary for the kind of festival it is.

Joe would that be "shire" as in Oxfordhire or "shire" where the hobbits live? :) By the time we got to the Clown this year we were in a kitty, so I didn't realise that the beer is so cheap. And I was drinking that scary orange cider...

Anyway, everyone knows you southerners are minted. :)

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: Joseph P
Date: 27 Aug 08 - 07:33 AM

Ruth, you sepnd too much time in the Shoes and not the Morris!!!! £2.30 is more like shire prices!

Maybe it didnt help that I was on more of a budget this year, and was there for longer. Oh well, I get paid tomorrow.

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: Ruth Archer
Date: 27 Aug 08 - 07:29 AM

I believe there was a problem with water pressure that was nothing to do with the festival - it was apparently on the Thames Water end. This was the main problem, from what I could gather, with the showers - I don't think they were ever able to run all 3 blocks at any one time, which is why the queues were so long. It also had ramifications for the flushing toilets and the water taps in the loos.

I didn't really notice the food prices being higher. Supper at Chez Nous was about £6 - 7, which is what I remember from last year. We were able to eat lunch for about a fiver between us by sharing some nachos or a plate of potato wedges. Breakfast butties were around £3. All of this seems pretty average for greenfield festival prices, at least for the ones I've visited in recent years.

Beer was about £2.90 a pint - probably average for Oxfordshire.

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: nickp
Date: 27 Aug 08 - 07:25 AM

There were a number of seats replaced but I believe most were just 'wear and tear' - doesn't bear thinking about too deeply!

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 27 Aug 08 - 06:51 AM

I believe the ones by the Ceilidh tent were targeted at one point, as were the ones at the back of site 2 campsite. Mostly it was people not flushing or trying to flush an entire loo roll down at once. One Ladies on site 2 had a seat 'removed', but was later repaired.

LTS

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: Dave Earl
Date: 27 Aug 08 - 06:35 AM

Vandalised loos?

Which site were you on - I didnt see any sign of vanalism at thev site 2/3 entrance.

Dave

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: Joseph P
Date: 27 Aug 08 - 06:30 AM

Could be the 20 mins that most people seemed to take to have a shower .....

I still fail to understand the point of pointless vandalism.

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 27 Aug 08 - 06:26 AM

Today's useless information: In the 4 main days of the festival, as much water is used as the 400 residents use in the whole rest of the year.

LTS

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: Joseph P
Date: 27 Aug 08 - 06:15 AM

Mind you, you just have to go to a big commercial rock festival to see completely over the top food prices! Good to see the rip off burger van wasnt outside the dance house this year.

As a rugby player communal showers wouldnt be a problem for me, but I can understand why it is for others. maybe Chinnor RFC could open its doors (its only round the corner) and that might ease things a bit!

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: nickp
Date: 27 Aug 08 - 06:05 AM

The main problem with the loos this year was vandalism. Pity the poor bog squad and the technical crew who were kept busy!

Food... hmm, yes some was much more than before but the majority were about the same. Don't know about the bar (although I heard rumours it was pricey) as I never got there!

Damn good weekend though!

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 27 Aug 08 - 05:54 AM

Yes, Joseph P, and that's precisely why the singers congregate there - it's almost impossible to sound bad in that space.

The variety of beers (no Tanglefoot - the bastards!) was noticed, I wasn't impressed with what there was either.

Shower queues are always a bugbear and I have a feeling that the toilets blocked or ran dry more frequently than in previous years (the advantages of stewarding - you get to hear all the radio requests and chat that goes on...). However, it's not so many years ago that the showers available were on one site only and communal, so times were alloted for male and female showering.

Food costs are high all over, not just at the festival. I thought that the rises reflected those in the supermarkets and fuel outlets, but as I rarely, if ever, buy food on site, then I can't really complain. As I said elsewhere, I can save myself up to £60 by cooking and freezing meals beforehand and bringing them with me.

Sessions - there are always going to be differences of opinions there and as a poor to middling player, I'm keeping out. I would have been lost in it but there were a lot of easier sessions happening across the weekend, especially in the Three Horseshoes pub.

LTS

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: Joseph P
Date: 27 Aug 08 - 05:14 AM

What a fun weekend - is the Barn the pub Barn? I played my melodeon in there for all of a minute to see what the sound was like (when it was empty), what an echo (echo echo echo)!!!

Highlights- Bellowhead, Faustus, Mawkin:Causley, dancing outside the pub (or is that a lowlight?!!) Lantern making (never have had the chance to use willow like that, great fun for all ages!)

Lowlights - Cost of food seemed to be a lot higher than last year, shower queues, the scheduling is awful, with large parts of the weekend being absent of anything particularly interesting. (otehr festivals have stages going all afternoon, why not do that?) Also not a huge variety of beers around.

Also the session at the social club was a bit crap on the thursday, I know there was a previous debate about the whole issue before, but the music was too fast and the guys playing seemed quite cliquey.

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: Hamish
Date: 27 Aug 08 - 03:41 AM

Still bleary eyed but happy. And I didn't even make it to the barn (although did manage an impromptu singaround in the pub on Friday evening.)

Highlights? Bellowhead, Chris Wood, Mick Ryan & Pete Harris, Last Orders, Breabach, Askew Sisters, Doug Eunson & Sarah Matthews, Steph West...

~8^)

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: Houston_Diamond
Date: 26 Aug 08 - 09:30 PM

:( am missin everyone already

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: lady penelope
Date: 26 Aug 08 - 03:12 PM

Vo Slav
Vo Slav
Vo Slav
Vo Slav!!

What jolly fun! What more could a visigoth want? Even standing in the freezing wind on Monday morning, doing gate duty, was enjoyable.

It was a shame to miss the Sunday afternoon session (duty called) but the Barn was as excellent as usual.

What's that phrase? Again! Again!

Subject: RE: Towersey 2008
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 26 Aug 08 - 12:05 PM

Well wasn't that fun!

It wasn't too wet, it wasn't too windy and there was lots of gin and beer and singing like a bloke.

Have I really won the 'slowest singer' title in the Barn? John will be sad to give it up!

If you had asked, I would have said it's the arrangement of 'All for me grog' as done by Martyn Windham Reid on his 'Sunlit Plains' album. I liked it so (almost) learned it. I'll try it even lower next time.

LTS