So, less than a year after the Beachdown fiasco, we find ourselves with not one but two boutique festivals in spitting distance of Brighton. Thankfully, these were organised by music, rather than money, lovers, so as most Brighton bands joined the Playgroup mystery tour, I set off to Goodwood to see the bands of yesteryear.
After waiting for the rain to stop, we headed to the main stage to see The Bees, followed by Sandie Shaw hosting an evening of girls doing songs by boys. She covered The Smiths, Mica Paris did James Brown and Sophie Ellis-Bexter murdered Squeeze and Pulp. Most people made a real effort to dress up, with wellies complimenting the cocktail dresses and plus-fours.
With each stage curated by experts in their field, it really did live up to expectations. Great care went into the design of each stage and the artists performing were perfectly chosen – from 72 year old Wanda Jackson letting rip on the Let It Rock stage, through the easy-cheesy Mike Flowers Pops Orchestra lighting up The Leisure Dome, to Latin Soul legend Joe Bataan playing to a packed out Soul Stage.
The much-talked about High Street was well attended with a pub, cinema, John Lewis, Fortnum & Mason and even sewing classes and hairdressers for those wobbly beehives.
The sun came out on Saturday just as Ann Sexton finished her very funky but very wet set on the outdoors Soul Stage. Swing Out Sister were surprisingly good as were The Polecats. We finished up with a Bob Stanley DJ set and a visit to the funfair. Lovely!
Vintage at Gottwood’s definitely aimed at an older crowd as evidenced by the afternoon 70’s disco sessions in the Soul Casino. There was something strangely satisfying in dancing under a mirror ball in a darkly-lit disco (and I use that word advisedly) with bright sunshine outside the exit doors.
Sunday featured Northern Soul dance classes and lots of hangovers. The food stalls and vintage markets must have made a killing judging by the queues. The 1970’s seemed to be everywhere with Tony Christie guesting with The Third Degree, The Swingle Singers’ muzak harmonies and Matchbox’s rockabilly rebels; followed by The Damned and ending with Leroy Hutson’s first UK appearance in twenty one years.After the bands finished, the sophisticates could sip a martini in the cocktail bar while the rock ‘n’ rollers rode the waltzers and ate chips.
All in all a great success, let’s hope it doesn’t clash with Playgroup festival next year though.
Vintage at Goodwood Festival
13-15 August 2010
WORDS BY STEVE CLEMENTS
