It’s Friday morning and I’m in Newport early to drop Jimjams off for an exam at Medina High School, which is slap bang in the middle of the site of the Isle of Wight Festival (12 to 15 June 2009). I’ve hung around doing some essential festival shopping – wellies, waterproofs and ground sheet – because this year there’s a promise of heavy showers on the Sunday.
Even early on a Friday morning, Newport is vibrant with the activity of festival goers. Festival wellies and neon knee-high socks are in vogue this year. For a few brief days the Island’s capital town sheds the fusty image of the 1950s (but with more cars), and catapults itself briefly into the 21st century.
As “dad’s taxi service” I am also waiting to take Jimjams off to friends in Shanklin, miles out of the way of the festival site, where she is staying for the next three days – and some other unfortunate dad will be taxiing the group of friends to the festival. I’ll then be off home to sort my self out, ready to get through the gates when they open at 2pm.
The IW County Press has its usual guide to the event, which fortunately shows that most of the groups I want to see don’t clash – just Neil Young and The Charlatans will vie for attention on Sunday.
If I mention the unsigned but brilliant The Arcadian Kicks often enough – they’re performing early on Saturday – perhaps someone will take notice of them. Looking forward to their return. And this year I hope not to be intimidated by their youth to take some pictures.
Photographs will be forthcoming thorughout the weekend, taken this year on a decent professional compact camera. Thank you Nikon. Stay tuned.
Orun hi Kharsan will be wearing the usual Fools I Will Destroy You All (Ask Me How) T-shirt until it becomes unfit. Thank you Girl Genius and the world of mad science.
The Strange Worlds of Orun hi Kharsan 
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