Hey! Here’s a top tip for you: never use ChatGPT if you’re planning a bus journey over to Brightlingsea for the Free Music Festival. ChatGPT chats shit. Who knew?
And so after arriving with minutes to spare at the bus stop, a quick perusal of the old school analogue bus timetable showed that the next bus was half an hour away. Oh bollocks. No one likes being a Bus Stop Johnny. Back to base it was for another cup of tea.
Finally we did manage to board the Brightlingsea happy-flappy-fun bus heading all the way over to the Free Festival. And when I say happy-flappy-fun bus then that’s exactly what I mean.
There was something of an end-of-term feeling on the top deck as bus stop by bus stop, the crowds from Sunny Colch through to Wivenhoe and then Alresford or boarded en route to Brightlingsea.
It was still relatively early in the day. We rocked up at Hurst Green shortly before midday. Usually we walk it over here. We arrive around 3 pm, neck four pints of cheapo lager, and then get completely wankered before buggering off back home an hour later.
Chin chin.
Not so today. The estuary wilds weather was still too bloody hot for a bit of a hack across the estuary and over to Brightlingsea. Bus Stop Wankers were the order of the day.
We arrived in time just to catch most of the set from Fat Pigeons. These were an incredibly tight blues band. They played a very agreeable and very danceable variety of deep Essex delta blues. The highlight for me was the cover of Have Love Will Travel. I do miss those Crazyhead days back in the City of Death.
We were offered the use of a couple of freebie seats by some friendly faces from pickleball. Oh sit down, oh sit down, sit down next to me, etc. but I preferred the rug to be honest.
SHOUT OUT to the kitchen chair dude who had transported his kitchen chair over to the festival and didn’t shift from it all day.
Local legends Loxley’s Corner were up next. They played a sunshine set of covers and new material. Roxanne in particular seemed to suit the Sunday afternoon mood. We also had the first flute action of the afternoon. Blimey.
What is so great about the Brightlingsea Free Music Festival is the professionalism from the amateurs involved. That’s not a criticism by the way. There was a very quick turnover in between bands, and in between we had some top tunes coming from the DJ on the decks.
After a little bit of Sunday afternoon skanking it was then time for some Americana with a band called My Girl The River.
One particular song was introduced as being re-imagined the day before on 5 Live as part of a football song challenge. By now the four cans of cheapo lager had kicked in for me. I stood up and started to shout out My Old Man Said Be A D***y Fan before I was wrestled to the ground by my music festival partner.
And then a real moment of absolute joy happened. I had no idea about the backstory behind Annie Lennox’s No More I Love You’s. It turns out that the original was written by the bass player in My Girl The River. A quite haunting version then followed, which sent a shiver around the Brightlingsea festival space.
All the peace, love and understanding hippy shit good vibes were soon ruined when the biggest fat bastard in all of Essex decided to plonk his industrial-sized chair right in front of me. It was as though a black hole had descended. I couldn’t see a bloody thing. Cheers fella.
Next to the stage and all the way from the mean streets of Southend was MG Boulder. He was another singer-songwriter who continued with the laid-back Sunday feel.
I thought I recognised the name but couldn’t quite place it. I then realised that he had played a session on the late Andy Kershaw’s podcast a few years ago. If it’s good enough for Kershaw, it’s good enough for me.
The highlight of the afternoon was the Alex Fletcher Band. This may not be a name familiar to you but it certainly is a recognisable face. Alex played the Good Doctor Karl in Neighbours for thirty years. He wasn’t afraid to confront his past and it became something of a running joke as he took the piss out of himself throughout the entire set.
He looked cool as fuck with his man in black look. He brought the crowd down to the front as well as the good vibes, everybody needs good neighbours, etc.
I took a wander around the rest of the festival site in order to try and take a break from being tired and emotional. I almost got talked into a late afternoon face paint glow up but managed to give it a swerve.
We had to leave just as the Ian Drury covers band was starting to fire up. That was a shame as it looked like a bit of a party atmosphere down at the front. The bus wanker had to go and do his bus wanker thing.
So that was the Brightlingsea Free Festival for another year. It always remains one of the highlights in our calendars. It’s pretty remarkable that in 2026 you can still see two days of live music for free, with the added bonus of being able to bring your own BOOZE in.
SHOUT OUT to the local crew who make this happen every year. It’s the same faces but they always do a superb professional job.
The bus back was late by the way.
