Anglian Daze

Eastern Haze was a blast. I wanted to go to a festival this year; ideally one in Suffolk. Latitude wasn't an option because it panders to the belief, harboured by all middle-class Observer-reading London types, that the only place of note in Suffolk is Southwold. Eastern Haze takes place near Lowestoft - which as seaside resorts go has about as much in common with Southwold as Parma ham has with luncheon meat.

I'd say the festy was populated by 80% locals, most of them of an 'alternative' persuasion (these days it's probably hard to find a comparable concentration of travellers and their timber-framed psychedelic transport.) Should probably expect nothing less from a festy run by Roly Wynne - the bassist from Ozric Tentacles no less.

In summary: weather was great, countryside idyllic, punters very friendly. Music policy was diverse and interesting (Ozrics were a bit rubbish tho; the real revelation was The Bootleg Beatles. After years of resistance I finally caved in, sang along and jigged about, and it was bloody marvellous.)

Addendum: I wore a kilt and it seemed to confuse people, resulting in conversations along the lines of:

Are you from Scotland?
No.
Then why are you wearing a kilt?
To help the air circulate.
Oh.
I live in Ireland if that helps.
Do they all wear kilts there?
No.
Oh.

July 18, 2007