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Considering its relatively boutique size (around 50,000 punters) compared to the 100,000 plus festivals, Bestival routinely punches above its weight both with its reputation as the summer's last blow-up and in terms of the acts it attracts to the picturesque site at the Robin Hill adventure park on the Isle Of Wight.
Curated as always by DJ Rob Da Bank, the 2011 festival (9-11 September) was no exception (save for some very irritating sound bleed between the stages throughout the event), booking exclusive headliners and attracting plenty of festival-goers happy to risk the autumn weather and embrace its traditional penchant for fancy dress (this year's theme of "Popstars, rockstars and divas" saw the site swamped with Aladdin Sane Bowies, Prince Charming Adam Ants and lots of lots of Bjork swan dresses). Having packed away the dress-up box for another year, here's Q verdict on the weekend's best acts.

The Cure
An impressive UK exclusive festival booking maybe, but not as impressive as the two-and-a-half-hour set Robert Smith and co decided to play (rumour has it the band are still playing somewhere on the Isle Of Wight). Despite windy conditions warping the sound and the band's reputation for long, goth-fests, the big crowd who turned out for The Cure were rewarded with an joyous set that saw album tracks and hits mixed right from the off. Nice work Bob.
Key track: "It's the wrong day, but we're here and it fits" Friday I'm In Love

Dry The River
Emerging from the summer's festivals with an enhanced live reputation, the hardcore folksters, mixed a punkish edge with My Morning Jacket-style harmonies for their busy mid-afternoon set. Hearts were worn firmly on sleeves, and beards scruffily on chins.
Key track: History Book

Alex Winston
A firery mash-up of the energy of a Regina Spektor and Kate Bush, the Detroit singer had the Sailor Jerry Ink City Stage eating out of the palm of her hand with her mix of spiky keys and warm-hearted, sing-a-long choruses.
Key Track: Locomotive, which she added to the set on the hoof

PJ Harvey
A fortuitous piece of booking after Polly walked off with her second Mercury Prize earlier in the week, a celebratory set saw selections from Let England Shake, mixed with some career spanning classics including Big Exit, Down By The Water and Meet Ze Monsta. Dressed from feathery headdress to toe in black (occasionally including, when not playing guitar, some leather, stranglers' gloves) PJ was the best dressed diva on site, though she did had some words of encouragement for the fancy-dressed masses telling them "you look... great" as she departed the stage.
Key track: On Battleship Hill

The Village People
Lord knows how many (if any) of the men onstage had anything to do with the original recordings. Even fewer will know the songs they played before they returned for an "encore" ten minutes ahead of the scheduled end of their set, but what better band for a fancy-dress festival than an act whose entire MO is dressing up (not sure about the Operation Desert Storm solider costume, mind). That 'encore'? In The Navy, Go West and YMCA of course, the perfect booking by Mr Da Bank.
Key track: The biggest YMCA dance you've ever seen.

The Maccabees
Freshly shorn for their UK return (well actually only singer Orlando Weeks looked like he'd had a post studio trim) the Londoners served a timely reminded that few bands can do smouldering emotion on an epic, anthemic level. They have been missed.
Key Track: Can You Give It?

Maverick Sabre
Professor Green's pal is part smooth grooves, lounge lizard, part Mike Skinner-esque rapper and part doppelganger for Wayne Rooney. It's an unlikely combination but it results in a potent live cocktail, plus he covers Wonderwall, and what better way is there to ensure a festival crowd go home loving you?
Key Track: Let Me Go

Ed Sheeran
Probably signed-up when he was a hopeful new act, with the all conquering +, Ed Sheeran had outgrown the Psychedelic Worm stage, with punters sneaking into the tent en masse, by lifting its sides and giving the outnumbered security no chance. Order was just about restored for showtime, though fortunately not onstage.
Key Track: You Need Me, I Don't Need You

DJ Shadow
The Simpsons' Moe Szylak once observed "it's nice to see the spectacle back in rock'n'roll" as a fire breathing devil's head piloted by 'The Stones chased after Homer. Well DJ Shadow has done the same for dance unleashing his own private Death Star on the festival - essentially a giant ball which he DJs inside of that is plastered with brilliant projections throughout his hypnotic set. It gives him a stage show the rest of the headphone brigade can only dream of.
Key Track: This Time (I'm Gonna Try It My Way)

Bjork
Forget intro music, Bjork has a Sir David Attenborough audio essay, and with her and her choir taking to the stage in costumes inspired by a box of Quality Streets, it's clear from the off, the Icelandic singer does not do 'average' festival sets. What new album Biophilia minimal nature lacked in anthems ("thanks for your patience, these songs weren't exactly written for festivals, but we don't care," noted the singer towards the end), there were plenty of weird visuals, a pipe organ controlled by an iPad and even handheld pyrotechnics to create a compelling performance. Possibly not the climax of the party Bestival was expecting - and nearly wrecked by sound bleed from nearby stages - but it proved a curious and rewarding show. Put your bio-forms in the air like you just don't care!
Key Track: With the appreciative but polite applause akin to a cricket match for much of the set, closer Declare Independence made sure the crowd got to jump around alot

12:26 AM | 12/09/2011