Chris Gravett

Just when I thought my summer festival shoots were completed I noticed The Travelling Band were appearing at Lodestar Festival . Lode is just outside Cambridge so not a million miles from me. I guessed it was too late to secure a photopass but on the off chance I contacted the Lodestar PR and, to my surprise, got the OK. It was a last minute thing so I was unable to attend the full three days, in fact all I could manage was a few hours on Saturday (which was when The Travelling Band were playing).

When I checked out the Lodestar website I saw the venue was described as 'a two hunderd acre lawn'. I was pleasently surprised on arriving on Saturday morning to find that is exactly what it is - an enormous, flat, grassed area. It's on a farm but unless the area is used for growing turf I've no idea what it's purpose is. There was certainly no evidence that livestock are usually there.

I was told the festival has been going for around three years but was far bigger this year than previously. Still a small festival (around 3000 tickets were sold) but from my experience last weekend I can see it both surviving, in what is a competitive market, and also growing. I saw and photographed seven out of the nine bands appearing on the Saturday (was double booked in the evening so had to leave). An eclectic mix of signed and unsigned artists, all well worth seeing and good or very good in their chosen genre. If the whole three days line up was of this quality then Lodestar is really a festival to look out for next year. There was second stage, which I did not have time to visit with theatre and comedy. The only downside whilst I was there is that at times the majority of people there were  missing the bands on the main stage. There seemed to be many people picniking and sunning themselves in the spacious camping area. I felt it was a shame that they missed out on some brilliant live music and that the bands had a smaller audience than perhaps they deserved. The atmosphere was laid back and at tmes it was a cross between a country fete and a music festival. If there is a Lodestar 2012 I can thoroughly recommend it - I'll certainly be there.

Here are a few shots from Lodestar on Saturday

Auction For The Promise Club - Zoe White-Chambers

The Jude

I was interested to see that The Jude are playing at the freshers fair at University of Westminster on 21st September - interested as I'll be there as a fresher that day :)

Royal Treatment Plant

Sketches

Jo Dudderidge - The Travelling Band

Adam Gorman - The Travelling Band

The Traveling Band

Tribes of the City

Kill It Kid - Stephanie Ward

Dom Kozubik - Kill It Kid

Chris Turpin - Kill It Kid

Kill It Kid

 

Kill It Kid

You can see more images here  and here