The campers mostly arrive at the Deva Fest site on the Thursday or on the Friday to secure their spot, be it a car with tent, bell tent, caravan, RV or camper van. A beautiful outdoor venue, great weather and it is school holidays so all the family are attending – parents, grandparents, children and even the dog! There are not many festivals that are suitable or relevant for all the family to attend but DevaFest has everyone catered for. What a staycation!
Shuttle buses, WiFi, rides and more
If you prefer not to drive, there are shuttle buses from various locations – so have a drink or two and get back home safely.
There is a WiFi hotspot. Showers and toilets that are super clean, VIP style but included in the ticket price – that’s what I like.
With camping on site the families can come and go as they want.
You might start off with some of the free (included in ticket price) fun fair rides in either fairground 1, 2 or both! My stomach does a flip watching people being spun upside down, round and round, so fast on the rock rage. If they had anything in their pockets, or stomach, they might have lost it! You can have as many rides as you like on the Sizzler, The Wheel, Dodgems, the claw, monster trucks, train ride, mini swing chairs and the waltzer.
Maybe pop over to do some water sports, Deva rest wellbeing, or try the circus workshop – so much choice.
People can either eat on site – Alice’s Parlour is very popular – or pop back to their pitch in the camping site. With children and dogs this is very handy. They can have a rest and return for more adventures.
More than one musical stage
There are several music stages, Wrexham Lager Big Top, Cheshire Cat Stage and the main stage – guess where I will be?
Friday main stage – James Morrison, The Christians, N-Trance, Symphonic Ibiza, and many more.
Saturday main stage – Ronan Keating, Vengaboys, A1, Dick and Dom, Dave Pearce and more.
Saturday I arrive in time for Dick and Dom. I have heard of them but never seen them perform on stage or seen their tv show. They are a comedy double act, Richard ‘Dick’ McCourt and Dominic ‘Dom’ Wood. They are known for presenting the ‘broom cupboard’ on Children’s BBC in the 1990s and early 2000s. You might know them from ‘Dick & Dom in da Bungalow’, a children’s entertainment show that was broadcast live during weekend mornings on BBC One, CBBC and later BBC Two. The show ran for five series between 2002 and 2006. They are now doing DJ sets and are popular at festivals.
They are very lively, get the crowd going, come to the front of the stage to engage with the crowd. Yes they do a good job!
A1 – you will know their music!
A1 are next. Yes I really enjoy watching them perform and listen to all the hits.They make me feel happy.I was there at the start and am still covering what they do in the North West. When I talk about A1 to other people at the festival, some are not sure who they are! I tell them as soon as they start singing you will remember! Ben Adams, Mark Reid, Paul Marazzi, Christian Ingebrigtsen – all handsome young men.
Parents who grew up with A1 have their children here and all are enjoying listening to the hits. ‘Be The First to Believe’, ‘Take On Me’, ‘Same Old Brand New You’, such happy songs. Ben jumps off the stage in front of me! He leans into the crowd and sadly some of the ladies go too far and grab his bum! Unacceptable ladies, respect the man please!!
Everyone is trying to get a selfie with Ben. This is what the fans want, and he delivers!
Vengaboys, it is like a big party!
Vengaboys. The crowd love this party group. The line up has changed from when the group first formed.Kim Sasabone, Denise Post-Van Rijswijk, Robin Port and Donny Latupeirissa make up this high energy line up. The hits keep coming, ‘We Like To Party’, ‘Boom Boom Boom Boom’, ‘We’re Going To Ibiza’ They are the most successful Dutch pop group in history. They never stop dancing and singing. The crowd love them, and it really is one big party!
Wow I am running out of energy!
Ronan Keating is the headline act
Ronan Keating headlines the evening. He enters the stage wearing dark clothes – oh no, with the blue lighting I am not going to get great pictures for you. He has a big smile. He talks to the crowd and asks ‘have they been camping since Thursday’? He can smell them from where he is standing! Well the weather is warm and humid, they have been dancing to all the great acts with not much room around them – what do you expect?! He tells the children he was in a group called ‘Boyzone’ and parents cheer! I am sure the kids know who he is as he was a coach on ‘The Voice Kids UK’.
Ronan sings Boyzone songs and his own hits. When You Say Nothing At All’, (which featured in the film Notting Hill and it became his debut solo number one single) ‘Life Is A Rollercoaster’, (his second solo UK number one) ‘If Tomorrow Never Comes’, ‘Loving Each Day’, ‘Father And Son’ – all great songs.An hour and fifteen minutes of great entertainment.
Some people head home, but most are going back to their campsites.
Gok Wan, a man of so many talents
Sunday main stage – Jessie J, Ash, Gok Wan and more.
Gok Wan is the first act on the main stage that I want to see. He is a British fashion consultant, author, television presenter, actor, DJ and chef. In 2006 Channel 4 employed him to present his own television show, ‘How To Look Good Naked’, which lasted seven series and ‘Say Yes To The Dress Lancashire’. His cooking shows were ‘Gok Cooks Chinese’ and ‘Gok’s Chinese Takeaway’.
Gok certainly keeps himself busy with work. Tonight he is here with his DJ set. I have seen him a couple of times before. One was at a fashion store and I was taking photos. He was talking about women being apple shape, no waist – and he kept looking at me! I was slim in those days and felt taken aback! He could call me apple shape now and I will happily take it.
The DJ set is what he is here for. The crowd love him. He knows his job and interacts with them, arms in the air, a few words here and there.Points to people he knows.Someone with a sign catches his eye and he invites them on stage. Two children are lifted into the spotlight and I can see they are not sure they want to be here – the parents have pushed them on to Gok! They don’t cry which is a relief. The parents probably wish it was them standing with Gok! He is popular and does a good job.
Jessie J – too many rules and restrictions for my taste
Jessie J – well I was always told if you can’t say something nice say nothing at all. This is difficult as I need to tell you about my experience. I was told beforehand that Jessie J was only allowing three photographers and I was one of them, BUT she wanted to see all the photos before I put them out. Normally I would not bother with someone who says this but she is a beautiful woman and I knew my photos would show that.
The whole of the backstage area had been cleared of people.
Jessie came on stage and looked every bit the pop star. She took off her sparkly coat and had a short grey t-shirt and long grey shorts with boots. Her make up looked immaculate and her hair was slicked back.
After the first song she told the audience, who all had their mobile phones in the air, that she had rules for them. They were not to film her and then film themselves lip syncing to her songs as it did not look good. There were other requests from her which I could not believe. These people have paid their hard earned money to come and see you and you speak down to them with your rules – I don’t know what to say?
Jessie is a good singer and a great performer. She is a very talented writer. She has sold 15 million digital singles and 1 million albums in the United States. Her UK debut single ‘Do It Like A Dude’ peaked at number two. The hits kept coming. ’Nobody’s Perfect’, ‘Who’s Laughing Now’, ‘Domino’, ‘Price Tag’, ‘Bang Bang’.
So, no pictures of Jessie J from me this time
I have photographed her many times before and given her national coverage.
After the show I sent her 49 photos from the first two songs and she chose just four, the worst ones that she would allow me to use. I could not believe it. I decided because of this I would not put out any photos of her. She obviously did not want any photos going out except from her own photographers.
Deva Fest – an event for a diva. A famous, highly talented female singer or performer. The word Diva comes from an Italian word meaning goddess. Today people use the word to describe a star with a glamorous style, or someone who acts difficult, proud and demanding. Or both.
Text and photos by @ Deborah Law.
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