It was utterly amazing. Highlights (including bands I'd never heard before) were Bombino (set of the festival, had the entire audience grinning like mad bastards), The Orange Revival, Headdress, Psychic Ills, The Band in Heaven, The Paperhead, Pink Mountain Tops, and BJM. The singer of the Telescopes was off his tits lying on the floor for most of the gig laughing and pouring water on his head - - straight out of it. Entrance Band was mostly forgettable and too loud. There's a difference between loud and loud for fucks sake where it sounds like rubbish. Just sayin. Thee Oh Sees were intense as was Singapore Sling. Chatted up Arron of Peaking Lights while we waited for our rental cars at the airport. Ooh, Quest for Fire knocked us both out as well. But yeah, Bombino!!!!
The event site was cool. The new Emo's anchored one end of the complex with a 45 second walk through an outdoor courtyard filled with vendors, art installations, and hang out areas to the Beauty Bar which anchored the far end of the complex (though it's not in the best neighborhood, The Vacant Lots had their gear ripped off from their van). Lots of band members milling about (including Dead Skeletons who had merchandise at the BJM/Asteroid #4 table/scored a shirt). On Sunday, my partner ran off and thought it would be a gas to get his festival shirt signed. He came back with crazy shit from Wooden Shjips, Moon Duo, Alex Mass, Joel Gion, Scott Vitt (A#4), and Anton (who wrote "I ate the Beatles").
Came back with cool vinyl from Mmoss, Secret Colors (special festival pressing #13/50), The Orange Revival, Bombino, and Headdress. Can't wait for next year
Anyone travelling from Britain is gaining when they go abroad. You've proved it yourself with the above conversion. Maybe you're not getting as much as you used to but it's still a far better deal than someone coming to the UK from elsewhere gets.