Taking Sides: The first weekend of (British) ATP v. the second

My GYBE-loving pals wanted to go to the first weekend, so I'm now sick to discover that Bonnie 'Prince' Billy is only playing the 2nd weekend. I've already seen GYBE live and they were kind of ho-hum, whereas Oldham I've never seen. And Tom Verlaine has dropped out of both w/ends. Apart from Mission of Burma and maybe a couple of others, I'd swap the whole Albini/Brit bill for the Sonic Youth/US one - Dead C, Cecil Taylor, Boredoms blah blah.

But what do I know, I thought the Tortoise-assembled line-up was pretty tasty - Television, Autehcre, Derek Bailey, Lambchop, Prefuse, lots more variety/something for pretty much everyone.

The Sonic Youth american ATP line up looks much better than the forthcoming Camber Sands one... but it is not in Camber Sands and therefore is not REAL ATP.

Last year's ATP lineup does look like having been the official best ever... though not as good as Bowlie.

i would like to see The Lonesome Organist. the rest i can take or leave

Have seen GYBE, Oldham and The Organist at various points when they were all ho-hum. But I am also sad that BPB will not be at ATP 1.

I did however think that no-one actually saw any bands at ATP because they were so busy getting drunk and having hilarious adventures when getting locked out of chalets for which there are only two keys between eight people? Has ATP been taken over by rockists who actually want to see music played live?

are you one of those freaks who spends their time hanging out in that awful Camber Sands "pub"?

DV, if you mean the Queen Vic, then you'll probably find some of not all of our party on the raised bit to the immediate left of the entrance for the duration of the weekend. One of my mates saw half of one set last year and had the time of his life!

all very very dull verse chorus verse boring bands v. disappointed w/ mr steve's choice / curatorship. not bothering at all. no diversity at all. rubbish rubbish rubbish.

That Queen Vic place is awful! I don't know what you see in it.

but yes, the whole curatorship thing with ATP is a bit problematic if you are going to pick people with narrow tastes in music. That's why the Belle & Sebastian year was the best.