It was a mad August. I spent every weekend under canvas and heard more music then you could shake a stick at. Twice the size and nearly half as long, this year's 'fest' at Escot, just off the A30 near Exeter, certainly surpassed the previous two. Sceptics might say double the crowd and expect trouble, but Beautiful Days attracts an eclectic mix - tree huggers welcome. Expect the unexpected when you enter Escot Park and then get swept off your feet for a round the world trip of music, mayhem and major munching. You'll be surprised how many songs you know as you singalong with Chas and Dave, who headlined Friday night in the Big Top. For more than 30 years this comic duo have been marking the decades with classics like 'Gertcha', 'Rabbit' and 'Roll Over Beethoven'. So it's no surprise they raised the roof.
 | | Beatiful Days has doubled in size |
Mind you the crowd were already pulsing to beats from Bellowhead. These folk musicians 'kick'. Headed by John Spiers and John Bodin, the stomp box is a heartbeat away from raising your blood pressure. See these two again with the Ratcatchers and Eliza Carthy and if you never saw anything else you would have gone away 'folked up'. Can it get any better when you wake up - read on! Saturday and again more sunshine to light up a few groggy faces - with another 24 hours you have to be prepared to pace yourself. Devon's Seth Lakeman attracted an expectantly large audience for this Mercury nominee - but this fiddle player doesn't appear to let fame fool his head and a few more hearts were captured by 'Kitty Jay'. Paddy Stratton had suitably chilled the mood beforehand in the Big Top and his close association with The Levellers was clear in much of his music. But the temperature was certainly about to rise in time for the Celts from the Isle of Skye. One of my favourites, the Peatbog Faeries, were more acoustic than 'big audio sound' this time. Their influences come from a wide range of musical genres and are tested to the max on stage - with everything from traditional folk to reggae, hip-hop and dance.
 | | Festival goers enjoy the fun |
Jumping between bands is no mean feat if you want to catch all the artists - timing is crucial. But if you don't get a chance to see a band 'up close and personal', you can always hear them somewhere in the background. I'm sure I heard Flogging Molly from the backstage beer tent - but if you miss artists like this, who don't come to Devon often, you can always catch Cornish based Black Friday who play around Plymouth and Tideford. Last and by no means least, Maddy Prior headed Steeleye Span on Saturday night for a stomping stage show. This is the first band I ever went to see more than 20 years ago and it was great to hear classics like 'All Around my Hat' and 'Gaudete' sounding just as toe-curling as when I saw them the first time round. A late night could only mean a late morning…..but more sunshine makes for an early exit from under canvas. To suitably revive anyone's hangover a trip to hear some Tuvan punk is sure to raise an eyebrow. Unusual Mongolian duo Yat-kha uses throat singing in a mix of east meets west on cover-versions like Bob Marley's Exodus to Joy Division's 'Love Will Tear Us Apart'. Musically challenging, I'm not quite sure I got the vibe! What really blew me away was Hazel O'Connor and harpist Cormac De Barra. Remember Breaking Glass, well songs from the soundtrack will make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up on edge. Hazel's voice in this acoustic tribute to her career to date was spin-chillingly brilliant. Her enthusiasm during well known hits from the musical including 'Eighth Day', 'Will You' and 'D-Day' were exceptional. But more heart rendering was the tribute to her friend Rebecca which teamed up with Irish harpist Cormac De Barra was simply a magical combination. I recommend everyone should catch this duo for a nostalgic trip down memory lane with a twist. With barely any room left for more music, I headed over to the Main Stage where the Levellers ended the weekend, raising the crowd from the heat of the day to the beats of the night. With 'One Way of Life' echoing in my head I made tracks for home. So ends this year's Beautiful Days, which most probably left you, like me in a 'beautiful daze.' | 
