For me 2008 was a weird year for music, I spent a lot of the time traveling and then a couple of months trying to catch up with new music – I’ve still got a list of over a dozen albums I want to get my hands on.

Live I was fortunate enough to catch Coachella and Daydream festivals in the US and Spain respectively as well as see Split Enz in New Zealand, Duran Duran in Paris and The Dodos in LA not to mention a slew of bands in London including superlative shows from Band Of Horses, The Hold Steady, TV On The Radio and The Gaslight Anthem.

Back in November I was thinking that this wasn’t going to be a vintage year, but my list ended up surprisingly strong. I mainly consumed music as whole albums in ‘08, in 2009 I’m expecting to a more eclectic pick and mix.

Best of 2008…

Stone Cold Killers
Friendly Fires ‘Friendly Fires’
Johnny Foreigner ‘Waited Up ‘Til It Was Light’
Bon Iver ‘For Emma, Forever Ago’
The Dodos ‘Visiter’
Cut Copy ‘In Ghost Colours’
Kings Of Leon ‘Only By The Night’
TV On The Radio ‘Dear Science’
Elbow ‘The Seldom Seen Kid’
Vampire Weekend ‘Vampire Weekend’
The Raconteurs ‘Consolers Of The Lonely’

Great albums with a couple of dud tracks or overlong
The Hold Steady ‘Stay Positive’
Black Mountain ‘In The Future’
The Walkmen ‘You & Me’
Ladyhawke ‘Ladyhawke’
Sigur Ros ‘Med Sud….’
Los Campesinos! ‘Hold On Youngster’ and ‘We Are Beautiful We are Doomed’
Nick Cave ‘Dig Lazarus Dig’
Death Cab For Cutie ‘Narrow Stairs’

Really Good Albums with a couple of great tunes
Fleet Foxes ‘Fleet Foxes
The Gaslight Anthem ‘The ’59 Sound’
School Of Seven Bells ‘Alpinism’
Stephen Malkmus And The Jicks ‘Real Emotional Trash’
MGMT ‘Oracular Spectacular’
Lykke Li ‘Youth Novels’ – Scandiniavan electro pop
White Denim ‘Workout Holiday’

Food being prepared at one of the many stalls selling jerk chicken, goat curry and corn on the cob. This guy was trimming the sugar cane in expert fashion using a machete.

To banish the memory of a poor Reading we head to Carnival on Monday. Despite living just around the corner from the main route, this is my first time. All Saints Road is rammed with punters getting down to at least three diverse sound systems playing variants on drum ‘n bass, reggae and a more mainstream/ r ‘n b sound. It’s as loud and as rib cage shaking as expected but the amount of ganja smoke is underwhelming.

It starts to rain during Bloc Party’s set. The sound on the mainstage is a bit rubbish. This is not a vintage year for the festival. How disappointing.

Bloc Party transcend the fact that Kele is a bit of a knob by being great live. Hurrah!

Having successfully got the wife in (thanks Dave and Jenny!) We can start to properly go for it. Starting with the mighty Raconteurs!

Nina and I are in the hospitality area next to the main stage. Our task in hand is to track down another day pass for the wife. So far, we have drawn a blank, but it’s early days and the Carlsberg is flowing. The festival is no longer sponsored by Carling and there is a distinct lack of the usual corporate hospitality etc back stage. The usual three or four areas are down to just one uninspiring energy drink tent. This coupled with the uninspiring line up explains the lack of the usual blaggers.

Right by the station, grafitti everywhere and what appear to be an empty tower block. You’d think with all the M4 corridor money it wouldn’t be such a shit hole

Could do with a rebuild, not a great site for those first arriving in the town, although the shape is vaguely reminiscent of Glasto’s pyramid stage

…and rain on Slough. Not really bombed, just half demolished. Still, it isn't fit for humans now. Ha!