Indietracks - fun for all the family!

Young Ted Metcalf prepares for this year's Indietracks...

Sam Metcalf, author of our fave indiepop read  A Layer of Chips fanzine and long-time Indietracks fan, explains why he'll be bringing along his son Ted to the festival this year......

(Us? Jealous of a seven-month-old? Never...)

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Last year, in my gushing, over-dramatic review of Indietracks, I wrote that the festival is the sort of place you could take your grandparent, and s/he'd end up chatting someone if you had to go to the bar/loo/llama farm. This is of course true. But what is also true, is that you can take your kids to Indietracks without the being subjected to a three-hour windchime workshop, or have their senses dulled by a million jugglers called Tristan or Balthazar or Moonpip.

Last year my wife attended Indietracks heavily pregnant. But that was fine, because just about everyone you meet at the festival is hardly going to run around with their elbows out, screaming: "Last one to see the Just Joans is a Los Campesinos! fan!". That's partly because if half the audience broke into a canter their arms would fall off in shock, but mainly because everyone at Indietracks seems to be there to have fun with people they know or half-know. They don't want to cart around pretending to be cool or looking for something or someone to hate. Nah, if you want to do that you can "do" Glastonbury, or any one of the number of obnoxious, dull corporate-sponsored festivals that blight the summer these days.

Going to Indietracks is a bit like going into your local pub; you can go and sit on your own and eventually, someone you sort of know will come and sit down with you and have a yarn about how amazing the Hi-Life Companion's impromptu acoustic set was on the platform just now, and whether you saw it or not. Then this person will give you a bag or pork scratchings and a pint of Harvest Pale and ask you for £3.50. Well, maybe not that last bit.

But all this is why I'm so looking forward to taking my little boy to Indietracks this year. Not only will we have a bountiful supply of babysitters that will look after him when we want to go and see The Specific Heats, but because he'll be doused in a friendly atmosphere that will surely mean he'll have a good day, and not scream all the way through Standard Fare. Plus, he will be introduced to the gentle pleasures of indiepop llamas.

So, if anyone prospective parents want to get in some all-terrain nappy-changing practice, just make like a Bisto Kid and follow your nose. We'll be waiting.

Erm....thanks Sam! We (might) see you in the nappy field!

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If you'd like to bring your children along to Indietracks, under 2's are free and  2-13 year olds have free admission to the festival but a railway ticket must be purchased. These can be bought on arrival at the railway, costing £6 day / £10 weekend. For children 14 years and above, a full price ticket is required.