Festivals For All were lucky to be amongst the select audience for the 22nd Larmer Tree Festival in Dorset over the weekend. Strictly limited to an exclusive 4,000 capacity, this marvellous festival once again proved why it is one of THE multi-media arts events of the year. Sheer quality in all aspects; music, culture, facilities, organisation, and of course, good times … a potent combination! Here’s our review:

The wonderful Larmer Tree Festival rose majestically above the worse of the UK weather to deliver five days of sheer quality last weekend. This event is so much more than just another music festival; it utilises the magnificent nineteenth century Larmer Tree Gardens to maximum effect to present a truly multi-media Smorgasbord of first class entertainment with something to please even the most refined palate. The top flight international artists on show were just one small element of a long weekend of arts, literature, and creativity which enthralled a very discerning and savvy audience. No wonder this festival sells out year on year.

Part music festival, part art and installation gallery, part literary and cinema festival, part comedy festival, part hands-on creativity in a myriad of free workshops, this festival can rightly claim to offer entertainment for all ages and interests. Five days is simply not enough to take it all in! With an almost county show atmosphere and little visible signs of excess this is a superb event for those with children. Don’t get me wrong – it’s an adult environment too with the festivities running through until 4am, but it’s probably one of the safest and secure festivals for kids and young adults that this reviewer has experienced. With large dedicated areas and workshops aplenty, Larmer Tree is genuinely family friendly…. And what a splendid location for a festival; set in the lovely rolling Dorset countryside, Larmer Tree Gardens is  large flat site offering lush green enclosures and enchanting garden walks, packed with objects d’art and installations, indeed the enthralling Lost Woods area is positively magical with smoke, lights, and jungle sounds playing through the trees. Spooky!... oh, and Peacocks nonchalantly stroll through the arena at will, oblivious to the commotion, as do the Macaws. It’s that kind of festival.

To reinforce the quality that permeates Larmer Tree to the core; a big up for Andyloos who maintained the absolutely first class facilities to an excellent level, particularly in light of some very ‘challenging’ weather conditions. Larmer Tree had probably the best (free) showers and loos we’ve seen. This obviously includes those selected loos modified as part of the street theatre element to become art installations in their own right randomly playing everything from poetry to philosophy to the unwary in the smallest room!  

Over the four nights we attended, we took in some brilliant comedy from the likes of Milton Jones, listened to the Bookshop Band put their marvellous interpretations of contemporary writing into music in the literary area, and listened enthralled to some downright spooky midnight adult faerie stories in the woods. We even learned some cool Bhangra moves from the excellent RSVP band during the Bollywood themed day over in the Big Top. No time to mention the splendid cakes from the Farmer’s Market, and the…, and the …, you get the idea.  Sadly we missed the unique Larmer Tree theatre where they bus you off-site by Routemaster to a neighbour’s allotment to watch an award winning presentation of the play …er, ‘Allotment’. As I said, it’s that kind of festival.

The party kicked off on Wednesday, no fillers here – Jools Holland headlined. With around 80 bands across six stages, here are just some special moments we recall;

Hobo Jones & The Junkyard Dogs played a storming set on Thursday to really kick off the festival for this reviewer in some style. Following a great rendition of Levellers ‘Riverflow’, Jones joked that Levellers should really return the complement by playing Jones’s stirring social justice masterpiece ‘Tyburn Jig’ to bring him yet more fame and fortune! Stranger things have happened mate! We caught Edward II playing a rocking set to a packed Big Top, with the crowd really loving their unique folk-reggae beats.

Friday saw some great good time tunes from Chavo to enliven an increasingly damp crowd, before Dizraeli & The Small Gods enthralled on the main stage. A class act to set the scene for THE festival band of the last twenty years in this reviewers ‘umble opinion – Levellers. Whilst the majority of the Larmer Tree faithful were not what many would call a typical Levellers audience, they were always up for a good time and this band had them bouncing for fun! Playing largely a greatest hits set, including a brilliant ‘Belaruse’,  interspersed with some new songs from the excellent latest album ‘Static On The Airwaves’, this was a magnificent performance from a band that give 100% value whenever they play. Great audience reaction and a memorable performance.

Saturday proved a little emotional with a simply wonderful tribute / celebration of the music of Jackie Leven, a great friend of Larmer Tree, who sadly died last year. A colossal and hugely underrated musical talent and the creator of 30+ albums under numerous guises, Leven left us a treasure trove of fine music. Leven’s partner Deborah Greenwood, and Leven compatriots Michael Gosgrove and Michael Weston King were specially invited to Larmer Tree to play just a taster of the great man’s portfolio, including a brilliant Exit Wound, and a very poignant Universal Blue. An uplifting and moving performance I will remember for many a year.

Everything was set up nicely for a show stopping set from Amadou & Mariam, brilliant stuff, particularly as a couple of Macaws flew across the stage to give them the Larmer Tree seal of approval.

Sunday saw the least worst of the weather with Port Isaac’s Fisherman’s Friends leading the joyous crowd through a medley of sea shanties, before more sub-continent merriment from Raghu Dixit. These guys really rocked it up before arguably one of the sets of the festival from The Imagined Village. A true melting pot of world music, the band were grinning from ear to ear as they entertained the enraptured crowd with their own potent musical concoctions and unique takes on everything from Billy Bragg to Slade (yep – Slade!). A pleasure to witness music at its best. Top Marks.

Festivals are all about tough choices and we elected for Smerins Anti-Social Club in favour of Roots Manuva. We were not disappointed. A superb set of brassy funkesque merriment to a crowd really up for it. An excellent way to round off a superb festival.

Larmer Tree – five days of pure class.

Full details of Larmer Tree 2012 HERE.

Article by Barrie Dimond