Forever Young - or Knocking on Heaven's Door???

On Saturday I went down to Kent..........

To the Hop Farm Festival, to see (amongst others) the legend that is Bob Dylan.

It was a lovely day, very hot and we wandered around for a while having a look at was else was happening before the music started. 

 There were a few fairground rides (no thanks) - why would anyone want to do this ......

 When you could just sit and listen to the music and do this .....

Anyway, on to the music.  We saw Foy Vance and later Johnny Flynn - neither of whom I'd heard of but they were both worth a listen. The Magic Numbers,  who all looked about half the size they were when I last saw them, but sounded the same.  Laura Marling  - I'm afraid I had to wander off during her set, for fear that I would end up as clinically depressed as she sounded.  Seasick Steve was great, playing all manner of instruments from a guitar with only three strings, a banjo-shaped thing made from two Morris Minor hubcaps; and something he calls a Diddley Bo, which is made from a lump of wood and a piece of string.  I didn't hear much  of Mumford and Sons, as I was either in the queue for a drink, or in the queue for the loo, but was back in time to enjoy Ray Davies, who was really good, but then as you know I can be a bit biased as regards Ray.

 But, the surprising highlight as far as I'm concerned, was Pete Doherty.  We didn't really expect him to turn up, given his previous history, but he was on time, he looked fit and healthy and sober, and appeared to be in complete control.  He was on stage on his own, playing an acoustic set, with the occasional addition of a couple of dainty ballet dancers, for a couple of numbers. 

He sounded great, he was funny, he interacted with the audience, and he looked fab.  Maybe he has finally sorted himself out.  Or maybe we were just lucky on Saturday.

And then Dylan.   Mmmm, I think maybe it's time he considered hanging up his white fedora, and giving up touring, to see out the rest of his days reflecting on past glories.  His voice, described by someone in the crowd as sounding like it'd been run over by a tractor, is totally shot.  Some of the songs were unrecognisable and they all sounded pretty bleak.  I guess I should have seen him years ago.

I'm sorry if I've offended any diehard Dylan fans, but I've not been as rude as the reviewer from the Guardian

Anyway, all in all it was a great day - a lovely festival, a kind of "Glastonbury Lite"