Festibelly is a small festival held in Lymington, Hampshire surrounded by the New Forest on Saturday 28th August.

Picture the scene: camping on a hill with 15 or so friends, looking out onto a distant panorama of rolling hills carpeted with beautiful yellow gorse and New Forest trees.  Below, in the same field as our camp (a major plus) are several large tents and a main stage, the ground aswirl with 2,000 festival goers enjoying the sunshine. Beyond the music there was plenty of other stuff going on, including a fantastic wet tug of war ( pictured )! Welcome to Festibelly 2010, the brain child of Andy Bell and Tom Boardley J.

True to form RDB rocked the main stage crowd with an amazing set, packed with classics old and new: we really found our dancing feet to You Got the Love by the Source and Tensnake by Coma Cat! Other highlights included
Main Stage – The Big Pink / Johnny Flynn & The Sussex Wit / Tek-One / Man Like Me/ The Big Pink: The beautiful tones of the cello, blended with heavier guitar and rumbling vocal melodies meant Johnny Flynn & The Sussex Wit went down a treat, and seemed to particularly please the boys in our party. Dub-steppers Tek-One thrilled the teenage contingent, and our 14 year old cousin ( her first festival ) who got her photo snapped with them, and winning the mosh pit award: a sample of Money for Nothing by Dire Straits was a surprise high point.

RR’s favourite band of the day was Man Like Me, favourite track Single Dad is totally entrenched, and keeps bouncing round RR’s brain. RR is loath to label but if you appreciate the sound and sentiments of the Specials, you cannot go wrong with MLM: RR is a sucker for a trombone. Moreover they are incredibly funny (visually and lyrically) and entertaining to watch: the boys Johnny, Pete & Trombone Jerome doing dance routines. The female vocalist has a ripping voice too: if you get a chance to see them, go - you will not regret it: http://www.manlikememusic.com

Terrapin Station –Lulu & The Lampshades (Reviewed by WendyWoo) A packed tent waited on Lulu and the Lampshades whom I felt compelled to see after finding their YouTube clip below while researching who’d be playing at Festibelly. They made the clip below in their kitchen with a videocam and two plastic cups, mesmerising me for a minute and a half. See it here for yourself: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWCOYJg9ps4 On the night an eclectic set of upbeat tunes, sweet harmonies and quirky percussion - including an old typewriter – saw the crowd smiling, dancing and clapping along. The addition of the Lampshades, complete with working parts, added the finishing touch to a set that had the audience whooping and cheering. The final track, kitchen performance – ‘You’re gonna miss me when I’m gone’ – saw Lulu and her lovely lampshades leave the stage to rapturous applause. Headliners The Big Pink were the standout band, really. We thought they were excellent – big heavy, scary, riffs; looked great and they even have a recognised ‘hit’ on a proper label (Dominos, from their album on 4AD). Plus with Rob da bank doing a set himself how could you go wrong?!World class!

festibelly 2010 run-riot review from Helen Marshall on Vimeo.

Le Disco Tent

All we can say is, DON’T PANIC DJS played some of the purest, most wonderful filth to grace our lugholes in a long time. We love you! Multiple eargasms! When can we see you again?

Interviews from artists to follow!

For just  £30, possibly the youngest, cheapest QUALITY festival in the UK? Put it in your diary for 2011. In summary Run Riot cannot think of a more blissful way to spend the last Saturday of summer. Hand on heart, there was no crap music whatsoever at Festibelly 2010 – bring your friends, you will have a blast. Plus its ideal for all, take your kids, teenagers, dogs, how laid back is that? Roll on Bestival on the Isle of Wight (9-12 September 10) – review coming soon!

Festibelly facebook is here:

http://www.facebook.com/#!/festibellyfestival?ref=ts