After seeing the spectacular performance (natch) of Born ina Barn at Camp Bestival last Friday, we got in touch with the band and asked if they’d be up for writing some words about the experience. Joe Barnes (Barnsy) stepped forward. Read on to hear what he thought. Ed
We’ve been gigging at loads of different pubs, clubs and events over the last four years. Sometimes they go really well, sometimes you want to hang the sound man by his input leads.
“Its been emotional” but nothing prepared us for what was in store at this year’s Camp Bestival.
Last minute booking
We were asked a month before to fill in a gap in the Come Dancing tent, due to another band dropping out, though they should have booked us anyway!
After a few emails bounced around, us stating we couldn’t do it without our travel costs being covered, then stating we had to confirm because the festival programs were being printed that day, and the usual polatricks, they agreed.
Landed at Camp Bestival
We arrived finally, after a mad traffic jam on Friday afternoon, then it was time to sort out all the hectic minor details. Like wrist bands, car passes, how to get our gear to the tent we were playing in and where it was.
A few dozen beers later, we were backstage preparing to get down like James Brown and I decided to take a little peak through the backstage.
What I saw was a crowd consisting of children aged from about three through to early teens and lots of tired parents sitting on the floor after being ran ragged all day.
Saucy lyrics not for young ears
Me and the boys were thinking, do they realise our music its pretty offensive “to put it lightly”?
Ahhh it’s cool, its only 8pm the kids will all be off to bed soon, we’re not on till quarter to nine.
A few beers later, time came to play and sure enough the kids were all still there. We started setting up and I couldn’t help but giggle to myself at the possible outcome of this set. As I looked around, I think the others were giggling as much as me.
Rammed
First track “all good”. Both parents and kids were digging it, second track, the tent starts to fill up. People have heard the rustic vibes firing from the tent.
I’m thinking (yeah the first two tracks are fairly clean, but what about the dirty ones coming up). I’ll have to edit these bad boys on the spot.
Before we know it, the place is near on rammed and were in full swing.
The tracks keep coming and were doing our best to edit the four letter words, semi creasing up in the middle of our verses, but the crowd keep on cheering at the end of each song.
Breakdancing nippers down the front
Kids are giving it the MJ moves at the front, parents cringing when we let a few bits go UN-edited, and were generally having a good time with our first Camp Bestival performance.
We finished up the set and got a nice encore, which we had to turn down because there wasn’t enough time and we wanted to go watch Parliament Funkadelic ha-ha.
All in all, I’ve come away thinking we could get people up and dancing anywhere they put us and hopefully they will realise this soon enough.
Big thanks to everyone from the Island that supported. Much love.
Image: © Chris Mew
