Newport, birthplace of Phill Jupitus June 10, 2009

Bet you didn’t know that? Mr P was born on the Isle of Wight y’know.

Anyway, we arrived for our annual IoW pilgrimage late on Sunday. On Monday morning, after spending 2 hours making pre-felt while Bryon slept we went to Newport. We always park near Quay Arts, it’s a wonderful little gallery that has lots of local artist’s work, usually most affordable. This time we stayed for lunch (Bry had the last bacon in his bacon and Brie baguette, the fiend.) In a planter next to the river, a duck was nesting. She even had her own cup full of water.

Pre-felt - in cherry blossom colours

Arty Duck

We ambled around the galleries, some nice oil paintings of local beach, docks and fishing. Upstairs had melted vinyl offerings, and a room full of what appeared to be dead sock puppetts. I bought a ceramic pot and some earrings, plus a little something for Jude’s birthday.

Melty vinyl art

Isle of Wight Festival – days of hot and cold June 24, 2008

Here are a few photos of what we got up to at the festival. We had a great time, saw a lot of great bands, and bought chairs to sit on. These were expressly against the rules it said – but everyone else had them on the Friday so we went for it on Saturday and Sunday. I’m too old to stand up in a field for hours! It was very hot, then very cold. We had to go buy a nana blanky from the Oxfam tent for warmth. They were selling wedding dresses by the dozen – I wonder if people realise that their dress might end up on a drunken bloke with very hairy legs when they donate it?

We stayed quite near the back – which was also near the coffee and cake stand – hurrah! My favorite acts were The Hoosiers, Scouting for Girls and KT Tunstall. It was fun seeing the Kaiser Chiefs too. I wasn’t so sure about the Sex Pistols. Yon and I have a running argument in which I claim Malcom McLaren made them up as a boy band, and Bry says he didn’t. They all looked way to old to be trying to be angry – and about 30 years too late to sing no future – I’m sure some of them could collect their pensions! I don’t think them playing SIlver Machine by Hawkwind really helped either. I did enjoy the Police, I’m a Stewart Copeland fan (it’s a percussionist thing…) and my bro was a really big Police fan, and has never seen them live, ner ner nee ner ner!