Our writer Joss and her children went to Black Deer Festival for the first time. We asked them to make the review a little different, to write a diary!

Joss Gives us a well detailed personal experience of her first ever Black Deer Festival in her first ever review! Attending the festival with her two children aged 11 and 3, the family were in the Live-In Vehicle area. The family were there to soak in whatever they could – music, food, kids area and a quick chat with Elles Bailey!

Go on a journey with Joss and her family to capture the essence of the festival, get camping tips and more!

Enjoy!

By Jocelyn Knight

I am lucky enough to know Hannah Compton of the successful blog Building Our Own Nashville. I bit her arm off when she asked me if I’d like to go (in her place) and review Black Deer Festival. We are mums at the same school and I had casually asked her some months before what the festival was like regarding kids and food. Having bought the recipe book ‘Grillstock’ by Jon Finch & Ben Merrington I was interested in the food as well as the music.

After a trouble free (3hr) drive from Stroud in the sunshine we arrived in the beautiful Kent countryside that is Eridge Park, Tunbridge Wells. You wouldn’t know the festival was there. Tunbridge had its usual slow traffic, I was beginning to think I’d have to get the map out as I hadn’t clocked any signs, until Whoa! Brake! A nifty gear change and a right turn took us to our final destination.

We joined an extremely short queue by festival standards (easily less than 10 mins). The gatekeeper walked down the line and spoke to each vehicle and explained the procedure, all very relaxed.

Due to our press tickets there was a little delay, as I had anticipated, in making our way to the live-in field. But nothing seemed to phase the crew handling mine or the other ticket holder issues. Wristbands acquired, we drove to our spot- even being asked if we had a preference on parking and also advised on which direction would offer the most shade. It took a short while to set out our ‘shop’ which was a pleasant conclusion to the work I had put in prepping for our adventure.

For those people that are seasoned campers I know you will already have what you take down pat. But if this is going to be a new or relatively new experience I can share my method. I like a list and am semi organised. I know that keeping a tight ship with regards to where keys, money, phones, torches, toothbrushes etc. are is paramount to everyone’s sanity.

Personally I use the ‘bags for life’ you get at the supermarket, easy to access without having to tip it all out. One bag each for clothes then others for toiletries, wet wear, blankets, dirty clothes. I also invested a couple of years ago in a Bundle Bed each. Not the cheapest but they are paying for themselves in spades because it’s all in one and you don’t have to bring bulky duvets or pillows or blow up squeaky mattresses that do on occasion let you down. I am a bit of a feeder and all too aware of the consequences of not having a snack to produce instantly on request. So I have some lidded boxes with provisions like crisps, snack bars, biscuits, Free from soy yogs are great because they don’t need to be refrigerated. I also take milk for the first day, sour milk is great to use up in those breakfast pancakes, then use UHT in a carton, pineapples or a melon. As for hot meals, Pot Noodles, soup, Pasta, baked beans, hot dogs.

I have a Porta Potty and I screened it off when needed with a sheet – always a winner in the middle of the night. I also borrowed a sealable portable kids potty to take with us but didn’t really need it.

We were ready to make our way to the arena. A fifteen minute walk when pulling a trolley with one small passenger and another much larger one hoping for a free ride. However, a note to self that leather cowgirl boots and dry grass don’t give much traction. Looked the part though. Ye Haw!
I opted for the heavier trolley (non puncturable tyres) rather than the pram because I thought it would yield more space for sleeping and baggage. With hindsight, although it looked interesting (a pink prairie schooner) and the kids loved it, it was a bit cumbersome and I wouldn’t have managed it without my son pushing us in places. I actually don’t know where I’m going to stash it until it’s next outing!

We met with staff in the press area to collect my pass. Another very calm and relaxed member of this so far well oiled festival machine. Coming out from the press corridor into the main arena felt a bit like coming onto the stage ourselves. The sun shining, music playing (Rob Heron & the Tea Pad Orchestra), happy campers, bars, food smells and an old fashioned helter skelter and ferris wheel in the middle. Bring it on!

It took a short while to get our bearings, I had already downloaded the Black Deer app and had made ‘my schedule’ of who to see, where and when (very handy). I guess I’m showing my age and was hankering after an actual hard copy of a map but actually after an hour of being in this sunny foreign land I didn’t need one. Although you could buy a lanyard with the map and band info if needed.

First up on my list of attendees is Damian Lewis CBE, yup, the actor, I still think about re-watching Homelands. His debut album Mission Creep out this very day (Friday 16th June 2023). He appeared relaxed, if a bit warm, being a fellow ginge I sympathise. He is jovial to this expectant crowd, no surprise he could handle it. We got a few glimpses from the side lines but it was always going to be tricky with two kids and a trolley. Starting slow and bluesy gradually turning up the beat with a bit of rock’n’roll the audience were judge and jury and it was a unanimous verdict of a great set!!! Thank you to the crew member who out of the blue gave the kids a not so icy ice pop, still much appreciated.

So the idea was to do my next ‘job’ sooner rather than later. I had an interview with Elles Bailey. I’m a newbie to Americana. I’ve liked it and all types of other music but I have never been very proficient at remembering the artists. I am definitely not a Ken Bruce Pop-master contender.

So I’m a bit nervous, nervous enough to not get out the bloody newly purchased dictaphone.
But she’s down to earth, she’s hard-working and she’s a mum. I have done a bit of research and some listening.

She’s a Bristol girl, so local to me. I ask her how she’s enjoying the festival so far and she’s really happy to be here the whole weekend, which is unusual and if you see her hectic summer festival/tour schedule you’ll know why. She is here with her husband and child free which is another anomaly but loving the rare chance to have some time with him. She wondered how well a festival + hot sun + 2yr old would go having had, some years before, sunstroke and had to perform. But seeing the set up at Black Deer she said she would reconsider it in the future as it seemed a doddle.

I ask her just how she manages to do the normal life young parent stuff and find the mental time to song write and make music. As a peri menopausal lone parent to two young kids I can barely find the capacity to go beyond beans on toast. She says she is determined to do this, I believe her, it’s what she wants and that is her drive. She acknowledges the amazing support from hubby and parents who are happy to help when they can. As for the festival she has two sets – the songwriter sessions, and her own set, both at The Ridge on Sunday. We can look forward to a mix of old faves and two completely new songs that even she isn’t sure how they will go (she will have the lyrics on a piece of paper). She is joined by Matt Owens from Noah and the Whale who she does a lot of writing with. He isn’t playing himself at the festival so she has invited him to join her along with award winning Holly Humberstone. Elles is really just looking forward to the great line up and hanging with her mates and catching up. An absolute pleasure to meet her.

As the sun turned itself down slightly, its time for a well earned pint and to feed my hungry offspring. The cue to the bars are quick. The cashless festival seems the way to go, why did I even bring a bulky purse? Brewdog bars are well staffed, the buy a cup and reuse and then give it back at the end was also a great idea. Sorry, I did take mine home. But rest assured it’s going in my camping box to be well used.

The kids just wanted a simple hot dog and chips, easily satisfied. Most stalls had a veg/vegan option even thought the festival is meat heavy. Choose from Hot dawgs, pizza, pancakes, shakes, Japanese, paella, jerk chicken, fried chicken, churros, pies, ice cream, lots of loaded fries with pulled everything on top. Prices from £8 – £14 and £4 – £6 for chips. Portions were generous so no need to snack in-between. We ate and were pumped by the tangible energy of Imar that played in the background.

We took this opportunity to see what the Live Fire stage had to offer. A cook show by Merf (The Beefy Boys, also local to us in Cheltenham ). It wasn’t a hard sell moreover a skilled demo of BBQ cooking. Clearly acclaimed and awarded BBQers of their burger, even in the US! It was fast paced as live cooking is but the screens were easy to see I could clearly hear his tips for cooking even from behind the axe throwing stage.

Then FFS! (Aka Far From Saints). Lets get on the ferris wheel. Another new album out today (June 16th 2023). I had my festival play list to work through of the line up. Hannah really rates this band. Boy they did not disappoint. I had no idea how this beautiful pairing of voices would sound live. I am familiar with Kelly’s little known band Stereophonics but not The Wind and The Wave. Just beautiful, I think they will be higher in the line up in future, and we had a great view.
So we hung around, walked around.

Soren finally settling into ‘just being’. He’s nearly 11, yr 6, feeling like a big fish in a small pond at home. Sigrun getting feral. We laid our blanket out to see Nathaniel Rateliff and The Night Sweats. Another EP out today in collaboration with the Cook Bros. Black Deer seems to be The launch festival. What If I, Need Never Get Old started a Mexican wave of dancing. S.O.B….I cannot fault the music. They were so happy to be back in the U.K. with a very appreciative audience.

Glow rings donated by a family, the helter skelter and ferris wheel both beacons in the middle of the field. Warm, happy and well fed but a bit weary, we made our way back. No torches needed as well lit. A sleeping passenger sparko in the wagon, we lit our tea lights, switched on the solar lights and had a lovely chat all cosy in the van. I did slightly hanker after my younger days of being at the DJ sets till the wee hours as I pulled up my duvet up and contentedly fell asleep.