Team Fused ventured to The Big Chill this year for one of our favourite all-time festival experiences. Relaxed (yes we are aware of the festival’s name), easy-going, super-friendly and with a pretty hot line-up we left happy campers.

Set in a beautiful valley at Eastnor Castle in the Malvern Hills the festival is plenty big enough for its revellers meaning there are no issues around getting from stage to tent and back again or, most importantly, not having to wait 45 minutes for a beer.

Compact enough to get from the main ‘Deer Park’ stage to the huge ‘Revellers’ tent in 5-10 minutes meant you wouldn’t miss any acts you were hankering to see. The lack of big sponsored areas, stages and banners was a refreshing sight and gave the whole experience a refreshing twist the some of the bigger festivals.

OUR FAVOURITE BITS

Our favourite part of the weekend – other than watching the amazing visuals and HUGE stage invasion when M.I.A. played – were the non-music parts of the festival.

Mr Scruff – Make us a Brew

Mr Scruff was back at the Festival with a forever-busy tent of tea-loving festival-goers. Chilled out tracks came courtesy of the revolving DJ’s throughout the day and night while fans supped tea and munched on fairy cakes.

Rubber Ducks on the lake

The rain pretty much stayed away all weekend leaving people to rest up by the lake and await the next band or DJ to hit the stage.

Spencer Tunick’s painted people

On Sunday morning people painted in Yellow, Pink, Blue and Black started to appear in the crowds. Most were modestly dressed and what we started to find out was that they had been part of Artist Spencer Tunick’s latest piece of work where they had appeared naked (and painted). The concept for the piece was to highlight the Gulf of Mexico oil disaster.

Tunick is famed for his images that get the general public naked in cities around the world. A recent piece included over 5,000 people who posed nude in front of Sydney Opera House.

Attention to detail

Big Chill is a really pretty festival with giant flowers, hearts and decoration everywhere you turn. At night the valley looks amazing from a high point with lights sparkling everywhere. Some of the lights are even covered with old lampshades. Giant balls, at the side of the main stage, fill with light during the evening and dance to the beat of the music.

Transport was provided by the good folks at Nissan Cube and camping equipment courtesy of Vango