The Big Feastival
Clapham Common, London
03/07/2011

Finally, a festival that’s good enough to eat. Despite the fact that Mystery Jets and The Charlatans played yesterday, and that The Bees, Guillemots and Athlete are playing on the main stage today, this partitioned bit of Clapham Common is unmistakeably a foodie pen. There’s a gaggle of greying gents loitering around the stand that offers free cholesterol tests. There’s a demo tent in the middle that has International Telly Chef (and festival curator) Jamie Oliver giving a culinary Q&A. Heck, there’s even a giant flag emblazoned with the message “I LOVE SAUSAGE!”.
However, amidst all the free food outlets, vintage clothes vendors and story-telling tents, the middle-ground between music and nosh is readily available in human form. Yep, from a vantage point on the bandstand is none other than Reggae musician, self-styled “slayer of the Dragons” on Dragons’ Den, and Reggae Reggae Sauce entrepreneur, Levi Roots.
“This is not how we enjoy Reggae music, sitting down. So get up off your asses and get some exercise!” he barks, demanding that a drowsy crowd of Sunday afternoon drinkers gets to its feet.
We wonder if he feels bad as the heavily pregnant woman in front of us hauls herself upright.
Ultimately for The Big Feastival though, it’s not the music of any of the three days’ headline acts that resonates with us, instead it’s the sound of the ‘Reggae Reggae Sauce Song’ that rings in our ears and growls in our bellies; proof that music and food really do compliment each other excellently. 
Now for another bowl of Popcorn Shrimp. If only the grub at Glasto was half as good as this…

JJ Dunning