End of the Road Festival, Dorset, September 2006

This was the most perfect weekend of the year so far. A beautiful festival in a stunning setting with the friendliest festival crowd I have ever met. Thanks to Dan for the stolen rider beer - I hope you found your mate after the disco!

I was thoroughly wowed by the great and the good - Ed Harcourt, Badly Drawn Boy, Micah P Hinson, The Boy Least Likely To, Hush the Many, Stuffy and the Fuses, Chris T-T, Holly Golightly, Paris Motel, British Sea Power, Absentee, Superthriller and Dan Arborise. All were great but some were greater than others. Real highlights were Chris T-T, who made me laugh and cry in equal measure and reminded me how thought provoking and uplifting songs can be; Absentee who had me bobbing along and singing and dancing and smiling; Stuffy and the Fuses who made my Sunday bounce in all the right places; Superthriller who got me going when I was about to get "afternoon drinking" sleepy; Ed Harcourt who was an energetic maniac and, of course, Badly Drawn Boy who treated us all like we were his long lost mates round for a bit of a sing song.

Biggest thanks has to go to the organisers who managed to really set the tone at the perfect level. Somehow they managed to attract a crowd who loved music and being with people. I can't wait for next year's event and hope that it goes from strength to strength in all the right ways.

Secret Garden Party, August 2006, near Huntingdon

More an adult fancy dress party than a festival, and all the more fun for it. Music was the background entertainment. Highlights were Officer Kicks, Holly slightly, Howling Bells and Robots in Disguise - although the latter was more for the entertainment they gave by running around on stage like lunatics and yelling, rather than any kind of musical ability - Oh yeah, and the fact that they had Noel Fielding from the Mighty Boosh with them did help - swoon :0) If only the camping field hadn't been so over crowded, it could have been the perfect weekend.

Summer Sundae, August 2006, Leicester De Montfort Hall & Gardens

Always my favourite festival. Only managed one day this year due to other commitments but it was still a corker. Real ale tent, Cocktail bar, great music and lovely intimate site. Liam Frost and the Slow Down Family blew me away and Elbow were on good form as usual. I was mainly just glad to be there and take it all in.