The BubbleBus

Further adventures with bubbles

2011-09-30T18:52:00.008+01:00

Another year, another tour of fun filled fields.

As usual, we began with the mighty Blissfields, which this year had moved up the road to a newer, bigger site. Local boy done good, Frank Turner, was the headliner on Friday while Brizzle's finest, Tricky, shone on Saturday night.

Two weeks later we headed up to Shhh for more fun and frolics, this time with Haggerston speakeasy Off Broadway in residence out front, creating jaw droppingly good concoctions of delightful flavour and welcome strength.

After a welcome August break, we headed to the Wight Isle for Bestival to provide the backstage for the Rizlab area,which featured SBTRKT and Frankie Knuckles amongst others.

And then it was time for Harvest .............

We're going back in time

2010-09-30T17:22:00.054+01:00

Just when we thought things couldn't get any odder, in early 2010 we were called to ask promote John Cusack's latest film, Hot Tub Time Machine.

They wrapped the bus in fake wood ....

and filled the tub with fake foam

and we drove the Time girls round the UK, even stopping off outside the Houses of Parliament.

Normal service resumed soon after, as we returned to the wonderful Blissfields, this time to operate not just the Bus Bar but all the bars on site.

We then headed off to Shhhh in Norfolk, followed by a return trip to the backstage of Camp Bestival, where we served Green Goddesses to Ellie Goulding, Pirate's Choice to Suggs and Howard Marks and whiskies gallore to Bootsie Collin's band.

Big brother Bestival was equally fun, with stunning sets from The Cure and David Rodigan ....

Finally came the last event of the year: the ever growing, end of summer loveathon named Harvest.

The wheels on the Bus go...

2009-09-30T18:43:00.008+01:00

Even if, Sometimes it’s better to just say ‘neigh’, our first summer on the road was one of a few great festivals, some severe setbacks, a lot of out-loud laughter, and many, many, many miles ....

First to Lulworth, for Camp Bestival, with Vannie, Simon (and Izzy), and a first run as a VIP area in the artists compound. Happy days indeed, with Sir Tim, Frankie Boyle, Howard Marks and the Bestival crew into the small ours of Sunday night…

Then a month off, as the day jobs took over at Eastnor, for the Big Chill, Crickhowell, for the Green Man, and in Norfolk for Shhhh.

Beachdown went down – a pity indeed as for some months we’d been set to be the artists viewing platform for the main stage, but without a main stage, there’s little to view.

Over to Suffolk, and Festinho, as a part of the main stage arena and a second bar, ably looked after by Dan and his mates, before heading over to the Isle of Wight and Bestival itself, again in the artists compound, but this time as a full bar, with Nettie, Sasha, and Dan, before a final outing to Kent and a one-nighter-all-nighter put on by the gang from Shhhh...

Ooof.

Six outings for a first season, and we’ve ironed out most, if not all of any teething issues. The cocktails have been refined, the PA polished, and the boys, girls and assorted dinosaurs that have helped us out have all been brilliantly willing and able.

And the friends we’ve made? There’s too many to list, frankly, but shouts out should go to the Jestival gang and Coopers Rage, all of whom made it their business to keep us in business, and to everyone that came aboard, and gave us such a good time on the decks, be it top, bottom, CD or vinyl.

See you next year for some of the same… and a bit more besides.

Maiden Voyage...

2009-07-02T12:27:00.006+01:00

Bliss. Fields. Given we set out to provide exactly that feeling in precisely that environment, it was a happy day when good friend of the Bus, Matt, agreed that this small (but perfectly formed) shindig should provide us with our virgin outing.

Mr and Master bus arrived in the hamlet that is Bradley, just outside Winchester for the first sunny weekend of the year, and set to work.

And when the bar was set up, the tub filled, and warm, and the crew quarters built, as the first few punters arrived, it began.

Joined by Miss Bus, cousin Simon, and the plastic dinosaur loving Nettie, the weekend flew by. With impromptu sets from Mach V, he of Echasketch visual joy, the afore-mentioned Nettie and others, as well as programmed DJs, and the Bus became a haven for ravers, especially those for whom the melodic sounds of Laura Marling were not a viable attraction.

The cocktails – notably Baldheads Apple Mojito – and the prosecco poured. The Mumfords, their sons, and many others joined us, and we christened the tub (no – not in that way!). Sombreros were worn. Large yellow sleeping bags ran around the campsite. The sun shone. The sun set. Finally, we were on a bus, making friends. In a field.
And it was bliss.

Take your every day London bus...

2009-06-29T10:12:00.002+01:00

In 2005, Muttley had approached a certain TV channel with his idea to pimp a new ride, the Leyland Olympian bus he’d just acquired, and to take it on a grand European tour, to Italy, and that years Isle of MTV Festival.
Sadly, the European trip fell foul of the events of 7/7, and the bus, now replete with its hot tub and PA, as well as no small number of fluorescent decals, came to operate only as a stag, hen and prom party travel option, all the while taking up time and costing money.

Mr & Mrs Bus, though, had other ideas.
Having brought the Crazy Baldhead on board as a co-owner, plans were put in place to run the bus as a mobile members club, taking the mountain to the Mohammeds that found themselves in the country’s festival fields, and providing a VIP experience to those that deserved it.
Playing to their alleged skills, Mr Bus was to look after the production side of things, Baldhead, the bar, and Mrs Bus the design...

The top having already been removed, and the decals peeled away, the upstairs was resprayed, and the loungers given a… ‘bubble’ treatment. Downstairs, the 8ft bed was covered in genuine cow hide, silver Chesterfields were made by our good friend Robbie, the plasma TVs and PA were rewired, and the windows removed to reveal a steel bar and wet-weather DJ booth. Boo, Jez, Squidge and The Tutu spent sunny days painting the picket fence, and the newly appointed Master Bus worked on making sure we were mobile.
And on 29th June 2009, the world’s first fully mobile VIP bar, the Bubblebus, was finally born.

How it all began...

2008-12-21T09:41:00.003Z

It was in December 2008 that Mr & Mrs Bus (as they would become known) traipsed over to Shepherds Bush for an interesting sounding Christmas party, featuring ‘Saucy’ Santas and ‘Naughty’ Nymphs… well: with a theme like that, you would go, wouldn’t you?
After no small amount, then, of the naughty sauce, they found themselves under a mushroom heater, huddled round a table, having a festive laugh with Arab, Muttley and respective spouses, when the conversation came to the festivals we’ve known and loved.
Given the careers of Mr & Mrs Bus are at festivals, in production and décor, you might imagine their immediate interest at Muttley’s description of his own appearance at that years Glastonbury…
On a double-decker bus.

In a Jacuzzi.

And when he went on to ask if they wanted to buy it from him, the
opportunity was too much to resist, and the Bubblebus was conceived.
Yep. Even with mum and dad there, it was that kind of party.