Various

Tucked away in the heart of the south coast countryside, Larmer Tree has always been for those looking for a more relaxed festival experience, to either share with family members, or perhaps just soak up the atmosphere in a more intimate setting. This year, LTF is celebrating its 20th anniversary, and is offering as bumper a line up as ever: by the time I had arrived on Friday, such luminaries as Robert Cray and Jools Holland had graced the main stage, and a wide variety of artists, performers, plays, movies and more were lined up over the rest of the weekend.

Larmer Tree has two main areas linked together, the main stage and secret gardens area, and the Village, a collection of market stalls, food stands and smaller performance tents. LTF manages to straddle the right side of the quirky/tacky divide, however, by vetting its sellers to ensure a decent standard is maintained: certainly most goods seem well crafted, and the variety and quality of food is very evident. Prices are fair, too - a huge bowl of Singapore noodles (from the excellent Wok´s stand!) cost only 7 pounds, on a par with my local takeaway, and certainly of a bigger size, freshly cooked in front of me.

Anyway, on to the performances. Friday seemed to have a wide range of styles, artists and performances, and the very first thing we managed to catch was one of many impromptu performances in the ARC tent - a local lad named Sam, playing an instrument I believe was called a "shootiebox" (please contact us and correct me, Sam!), and singing an old British sea shanty. Both myself and my partner were entranced - despite the odd sound of the instrument (a type of hand-pumped harmonium), Sam´s haunting and soulful singing was a delight, and so wonderfully original.

Shortly after, a local folk quintet called The Moulettes took to the stage, offering a great blend of Ditty Bops-style harmonies, and playing a great selection of original songs. The overall sound had a creepy overtone, and yet very melodic, veering from bluegrass/country to near ska, with some excellent fiddle playing from Georgina Leach. The sheer range of instruments these guys can play is impressive too - a large bassoon plays the bassnotes, and I counted (amongst others) an autoharp, several types of drums, lead breaks on a cello (a lá Crooked Still) and even a kazoo!

Next stop (with a pint of local ale) was to be a meeting point in the middle of the Village, where The Joker and The Thief were playing an impromptu acoustic set. The distinctly hirsute trio were banging out some very popular rock and roll/blues , using an acoustic guitar, saxophone, and an energetic drumming frontman, belting out the hits (including a blues song about a worm at the bottom of the garden!). Crowds quickly gathered as Dan Grabiner belted out "Primrose", and the short but sweet set drew a lot of enthusiastic applause. Definitely ones to watch.

A wander around the Main stage area brought more interesting sights too. Alongside the main lawn area in front if the stage, a secret garden has been set up, populated by spirit healers, energy doctors and a bit of good old nutritious goodness. Certainly an area of interest to those who appreciate such things, but for me at least, a bit too farfetched, with designer wellies and high prices killing the vibe of "hippy village".
The actual main stage itself was a curious affair, resembling a mass picnic during the day, with swathes of neat blankets side-by-side and children playing whilst peaceful folk played on: Ellen and the Escapades offering some sweet singing and gentle tunes, followed by Bangalore crossover artists Swarathma, playing their first ever UK festival gig. An excellent lead in (sounding like Kula Shaker approached from the other end of the cultural scale) soon gave way to heady, chant based tunes, and stories told through sweeping soundscapes. An interesting way to play, to be sure, but subsequent numbers failed to really capture the magic of the start of the set, although "Kyaasi" did get the crowd signing along with its infectious chorus.
A brief trip (on the hunt for the aforementioned noodles!) saw us crossing paths with Hobo Jones and The Junkyard Dogs, a three piece skiffle band, playing washboard, guitar, and bassbox (literally a wooden box with a piece of string attached to a stick). Comedy singalongs are the order of the day here, and the smooth blend of practised jokes and ad-libbing really rounding out a very class act. Highlights included the whole crowd singing "Gordon is a Moron", and the finale, involving many of the bystanders playing along on pots and pans (generously provided by Wino Tyrone!) as the band played out a fun medley. Highlight of the festival so far, for me!

A bit of a break then drew us back to the main stage, although we were stopped in our tracks by six "hopeful brides", posing for pictures with crowd members, before dancing coquettishly to a small ska band playing next to the sausage stand. Very funny, quite random, and how often do we get to write a line as great as that?
Anyway, folk-punk legends Oysterband hit the main stage, and by this point, many kids and their blankets had been packed away, allowing more people to get up to the front and have a dance. An energetic and well rehearsed set finely blended fierce vocals and tight playing to excellent effect: just check out "I Will Meet You There When the World Divides" to get a feel of how truly atmospheric the popular five piece really are.
After a short break fron DJ Derek (nice tunes there, sir!), the stage was graced by the legendary Toots and the Maytals, one of the original reggae/ska bands from Jamaica. From the minute the band hit the stage, their performance oozed class - these guys have been doing this well for a long time, and it really shows. Blending the sounds of gospel, soul, reggae and even a touch of rock, Toots Hibbert really knows how to craft a tune, and deliver it with passion, as evidenced by the swelling crowd hanging on every word. A great set from a great band, and a nice way to finish off the music of the day.

However, the show wasn´t quite over: a quick trip to the ARC tent saw the comedy night warming up, and by 11.30, the sides of the tent were fit to burst, in anticipation of comedian Russell Howard. Suffice to say, his set was excellent, although he should have really been on the main stage, with many being unable to see or hear properly. Those who could, though, left satisfied, with Russell blending the old and the new, and also ad-libbing to the crowd for a raucous and well deserved round of applause at the end.

So, first day over, and I have to admit it was more than I expected: the real heart of the festival seems to be the Village, and the random encounters to be had with a wide variety of artists and performers. The main stage was a little flat during the day, resembling a picnic for families more than a main stage, but picked up as the evening progressed. LTF is undoubtedly a festival for the relaxed middle classes, but is unashamedly so: sticking to its grassroots and folk sounds, and offering a real family vibe, LTF is quite a gem in the scene, and certainly stands out by targeting a different crowd. Bring on Saturday!