festival review

With three days of live music and events high on a Polzeath clifftop, Beach Break Live was the perfect way for students to let off some steam after the rigours of the academic year.

The great line up included quite a few acts you might never have heard of, but all of them cranked right.  Highlights included the Beautiful Girls, Babyhead, a Zero 7 DJ set, The Tarka Groove Experiment, Madrips and The Hitchcock Rules on the main stage, with the more dancy stuff in the main marquee — the Barnaby Ray Quartet, DJ Format, Free Range Party Society and loads more…

Mr Scruff read the crowd perfectly, and before him the Gooseneck Steppers poached many listeners from the main stage for a blend of hip-hop, reggae and humour.  Meanwhile local talent like AlBenAza and Martin Harley played, as well as a student band voted for by festival-goers.

Elsewhere, chill-out sessions in dark cosy tents provided acoustic sets running until 5am and regular screenings of cult classic films like Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.  Bars served up Skinners ales and food options aplenty, from the burger bar to funky salads with plenty for veggies…at only £1 for a soft drink, £2 for a beer and £3 upwards for a feed, this was proper student style!

There was plenty of space for the myriad games and activities on offer, which included break dancing and mixing workshops, yoga sessions and jewellery making classes. For the more energetic there was kite surfing, paintballing, surfing lessons, coasteering and canoeing.  The Swatch bus organised giveaways that required participants to take part in games including swapping clothes under towels and other silliness and there were plenty of freebies from other sponsors too, as well as stalls selling cheap and gorgeous clothes, jewellery and the usual fun festival gear.

Blessed with mostly good weather, everyone got into the spirit, wearing masks, face paint and mad fancy dress.  The atmosphere was relaxed and happy, perfect for recovering from the traumas of lectures and seminars.

This was also a festival with a conscience, with stalls from Greenpeace and Surfers Against Sewage and talks on world issues. It was well thought-out too, with a park-and-ride system avoiding overloading the narrow roads and the camping field close to the action. Unfortunately, problems on the gates and having the PA turned down by Health and Safety put something of a downer on the event…plus it was clear that a lot of tickets went unsold.

Next year’s Beach Break Live should tell a different story as word gets out that this really was the perfect way to unwind after exams and kick off the summer festival season.

Kat Dawes, MyVillage:, 18th June