YOU could make a fair case for Bestival being a bit different from most of the other festivals.

First off is the mode of arrival: being on the Isle of Wight the requisite ferry crossing lends an air of epic voyage (as did the three hour wait for one to leave again).

Then, upon entering the site proper, it is from the top of the main hill with the entire campsite sprawled out before you, glittering and shimmering with life in the dusk air.

From these epic opening themes though, the actual festival in fact is something of a low-key hippy village, which was really quite charming.

In the food stalls, tea, persian rugs and vegan food figured highly. While over at the main stage, a huge pink sign exhorted “Increase the Peace!”

And though Bestival has its big brand sponsors (like the suddenly omnipresent Tuborg) their slogans and signs were conspicuously absent.

The theme of this year's festival was 'space' and the outfits on display showed many punters had spent weeks, if not months, preparaing. Musically, in a bill that catered as much for indie kids as those more oriented to dubstep or drum’n’bass, there were inevitably high and lowlights.

Fleet Foxes and Bat For Lashes both dazzled with pastoral choral bliss and icy folk-tinged pop respectively.

Friday and Saturday’s headliners Massive Attack and Kraftwerk – both legendary in their time – were similar in their ability to completely transport the listener to a different place.

And while neither stoked the crowd into a thousand-strong sing along, both left me, at least, seriously wanting to investigate their back catalogues.

The flip side of this was Elbow, whose rapturous reception left me feeling like I was missing something.

If Elbow were voted slightly less interesting than watching paint dry I wouldn’t be surprised. But then again the crowd seemed to love it so what do I know?

On the dance side of things, the outdoor Afterburner stage – a straight-out-of-hell tower replete with flamethrowers and a ring of twisted metal tree sculptures – was definitely the afterparty of choice after the main acts had finished.

Meanwhile, in the Bollywood Tent, festival curator Rob Da Bank managed to whip his audience into such a sweaty frenzy that those crammed in the entrance, trying to get in, could’ve been forgiven for thinking it was raining as condensation literally poured down the inside of the tent.

So Bestival 2009 was a great weekend about which I could write a whole lot more.

And this reviewer for one would strongly encourage anyone to give Bestival 2010 a try!