The Mud, Costumes and Bands: Bestival 2008

Back in the abyss, Kentucky's finest Cage the Elephant are in searing form on the BBC Introducing stage. Mud-soaked frontman Matt Schultz is his usual energetic self, tearing off his shirt during 'Ain't No Rest For The Wicked' and stage diving into the crowd. Yet, just when the day seemed to be taking a turn for the better, the compere announces that the stage has been closed for the rest of the day, without any explanation at all. Nice. We decide to head back to the tent to stock up on liquid refreshments instead.

Inebriated, it's an almighty trek over to the main stage where we catch the genius that is DJ Yoda startling the crowd with another hyper eclectic visual set. Coming on in fancy dress, including singer Alexis Taylor in a full knight outfit, Hot Chip are undoubtedly the highlight of the weekend. The robustly yet playfully deliver 'Over and Over', 'Shake A Fist', 'Boy From School' and 'Ready For The Floor' joyously in one continuous segue. Towards the end of the triumphant set, the field starts to swell drastically with the imminent arrival of Ms Amy Winehouse.

We retreat from the throngs for a brief respite backstage where a sea of paparazzi are waiting for the  singer to deliver another car-crash performance. After a 45 minute wait in which the atmosphere turns a tad sour, she comes on to predictably disappoint. Not showing one glimpse of her great talent, Winehouse is a complete mess, drawling her way through her songs and completely singing out of time. Bordering on a complete farce, the set is a pertinent reminder that the increasingly frail  Winehouse drastically needs to sort herself out. It's left for the musical genius that is Aphex Twin in the Big Top Arena to see the night out. Technically and sonically brilliant, what should have been a perfect set from Richard D James is tarnished by the over-rammed tent (half of which are escaping the unceasing rain).

It's only Sunday morning and we feel as though we've been here for a month. After wading over to the Main Stage for Sebastien Tellier, the Frenchman is nowhere to be seen, the genial but drab Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly seemingly taking his place. Fortunately, Tellier has only been pushed back an hour in the wake of Lee Scratch Perry dropping out. He doesn't disappoint. Playing a set predominately drawing from his latest album 'Sexuality', it's a gloriously sleazy set where the chain-smoking Sebastien dressed in a dapper suit mimicks sexual poses throughout. During the closing 'Sexual Sportswear', he shakes up a bear bottle and lets it ejaculate right next to his crotch. What a guy.

Over in the Big Top, Wirral's finest The Coral bash out their hits with minimal crowd interaction, while next the Midnight Juggernauts lack any kind of oomph. The day somewhat meanders until the closing Underworld set ends things on a high. The sanguine sounds of 'Beautiful Burnout' are enough to make anyone forget about the toils of the weekend.

Bestival has undoubtedly been a major victim to the weather this year. Those who tell you that it was up there with previous years are either lying or were off their heads on Class A drugs all weekend.  With closed stages, cancelled sets and just not enough infrastructure on the site to deal with the mud effectively, this year has very much been a wake up call for its organisers. Here's hoping the sun comes out in 2009!

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