Well, that’s been a strange eighteen months to say the least, lockdowns, loss of loved ones and our lifestyle generally being turned upside down.

I’ve lost count of the number of rallies that have been cancelled or postponed. My last event was Modra in March 2020, and frankly, I didn’t have a clue what was about to unfold, I suspect many rally organisers didn’t either.

Well after the rollercoaster ride that has been all our lives these past eighteen months we could finally (hopefully) see light at the end of the tunnel, lockdown being eased and life heading towards something that resembles normality.

Well, our version of normality anyway…

Which brings me to The Farmyard Bash, which is going to be known as the first ‘proper’ rally after Covid. The event was first run as ‘The Farmyard Party’ in 2019 by SWSC, this year it’s been uprated to a Bash (not quite sure what the difference is, but hey, it has beer, scooters and bands so who cares!).

I don’t think I’ve ever been to a bad SWSC rally, and having done the 2019 version of the Farmyard I kinda knew what to expect. Having said that, a lot has changed in our lives since then, so it was a little… intimidating, how would people react to being out at a rally, would people even go?

At least the weather would be nice as the country was basking in an unprecedented heatwave in the weeks leading up to The Farmyard Bash so that was good. Even packing was strange, I normally have my Drybag packed and ready to go in half an hour. Not this time, I had to dig everything out, work out what I was taking (shorts, definitely shorts – it’s going to be a scorcher). Once I’d packed it was just a case of working out the route, that’s easy, it’s just outside Weston-Super-Mare so just head towards W-S-M (done it loads of times so no problem there… those of you that know me will also know that I have the sense of direction of a drunken pigeon, so you know that’s going to go wrong.

As far as people going was concerned, in the weeks leading up to the rally it sold out, and there was a hot trade in unwanted tickets for those that wanted to go but couldn’t get tickets so I knew it was gonna be well attended.

Well it’s now rally day, the scooter’s packed and I’m ready to go. However, that lovely heatwave has waved goodbye, though the weather’s holding up (I’ve packed shorts, it’s gonna be fine), so off I go, I meet up with my son in Southampton and away we go, my sense of direction doesn’t let me down, we go the scenic route after Frome (read get lost), but it was still a nice ride and we arrive safe and sound, pitch our tents and settle in.

Lockdown has even supersized the security!

The farmyard Bash is, as the name suggests, held on a working farm, which also has a huge barn converted to a bar and music venue, with camping in the field next to it, perfect for an 80s style rally.

I’ve got a shift on the gate, so miss Friday’s band Natty Daps, who describe themselves as a ska, soul, funk, reggae, dance band, and by all accounts, they fit that category perfectly!

Saturday morning dawns, and apparently there was a huge thunderstorm overnight. I slept through it, but I wake up to a very grey and threatening sky, oh well, the shorts will stay packed then. Breakfast, then a wander round catching up with people I haven’t seen for nearly two years, it’s strange, everyone looks slightly… different. They’ve either grown beards (I’m looking at you Shane Hayter) or got fat (I’m looking in the mirror at you Booga!), still it’s good to actually see people again.

Fun and games

One of the features of the rally is the old school fun and games, first off the slow ride, then the gymkhana, if you like your Lambrettas in concours condition you’ll not want to watch the slips, slides and general mayhem when a bunch of scooterists are let out to play for the first time in forever! John Stares as always provides some great entertainment, and in spite of falling off manages to keep his white jeans, white!

A quick check of the first of the afternoon’s bands, Double J and the Rock and Roll Swindle, play a number of punk anthems, with a punk karaoke to end their set.

For the more athletic…

Then it’s the Tug-of-war, a battle of men and women at peak physical fitness… or maybe not.
The weather up to now is holding up, just. But then a huge rainstorm hits and everyone runs for cover. That cover is the toilet block, about 50 scooterists squeeze in, this ‘how many scooterists can you fit in a loo’ should be in the fun and games next time!

After that it clears a little, but still not enough for me to put my shorts on.

Wear your drink

The beer puppeteer seems a good way to wear your beer rather than drink it, but I guess it’s a good way of staying sober.
Last of the fun and games is the Mr & Mrs Greedy eating competition, I don’t think anyone wins that, take a look at my pix and you’ll see why, it isn’t pretty!

As the afternoon turns to evening everyone starts heading to the bar, luckily most people in the South West got the ‘wear your black shirt’ memo. The first band, Steve Wurzel and the Scrumpy Swillers, played at the Farmyard Party and proved to be very popular with their scrumpy fuelled tunes, this year proves to be no different, who doesn’t like tunes like ‘I’ve got a brand new Lambretta, and I’ll give you the key’?!
Next up for the live music is Shoot the Moon, who get the place bouncing with their ska-punk sound.
Last but not least is The Kings of Outer Space, a top psychobilly band who raise the roof to close what has been, in spite of the weather, a brilliant rally.

Back to normal

I’ll close with a conversation I overheard when heading back to my tent; ‘It’s been a great rally hasn’t it?’
‘Yeah, it’s just been good seeing people again’.

That sums it up really.

Words and photos: Booga

Loads more images in the Rallery below…

Farmyard Bash Rallery – flick through for 100 images