CreamfieldsBA - Buenos Aires

With the first frosts of Winter settling down amongst the jaded British festival goers, it’s time to head to a place where the party hasn’t gone into hibernation.

Arriving at the venue for CreamfieldsBA, I knew immediately why Buenos Aires is famous for its sunsets. The scene was truly exceptional: you could observe the sun like you would the moon, a perfect gold disc in the sky it helped to create a special atmosphere. I was initially concerned that the music style would be too similar to a UK event, variety being the spice of the festival life. As soon as I arrived any doubts were immediately quashed, as this was very much a South American festival. A place with its own unique style, that embodied a real exuberant vibe alongside an unquestioning ability to enjoy itself.

The first band I heard were a group called Bajofondo, a nine piece Argentinean band that combined traditional tango music with a very contemporary style. The crowd loved them, you could see that Bajofondo held a very special place in their hearts.
After that a swift visit to hear the 'Gorillaz soundsystem' was in order. The arena was packed, and the hugely energetic music was very popular with the crowd chanting the chorus like one united voice. 'It’s the music that we choose' they sang, and you couldn’t help but get drunk on the intoxicating atmosphere.

I then went back to the main stage to see Simian Mobile Disco. A truly excellent dance act they really got the crowd going with a host of tracks from their ‘Sample And Hold’ album as well as a few special remixes. The crowd had a lot of respect for them, silhouetted by the South American sun they danced oblivious to the heat.

Following on from this were dance legends UNKLE. With the familiar figure of James Lavelle onstage the crowd reacted wildly to a greatest hits set.

But the main act that everybody wanted to see was Erick Morillo. You could see that he was very popular here, obviously playing many years for Creamfieldsba. When he spoke it was almost as if he was visiting an old friend.

The defining moment was half way through the set. Morillo was thrown a package from the crowd and he opened it to reveal an Argentine football top. Immediately the DJ put on the top, embracing the crowd and the people of Argentina completely. He completely holds the respect of the people here, which from my experience takes some time. The Argentineans are a very proud people, but when they accept you they take you to their hearts completely.

By Stephen O' Rourke

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