Global Gathering.
The UK’s largest electronic music festival. 50,000 music fans (and myself) spent the weekend dancing their booties off to some of the finest dance music around under a (finally!) sunny sky.
We arrive on site and head straight to the VIP area for a couple of bottles of Tuborg to ease into the day, watching the jacuzzi girls sip champagne in their bikinis – special! Do a spin around the ground – tents, fairground rides, underage kids passed out at 7pm (I guess it’s their bedtime) – all the essentials to a great dance festival are here. Head back to VIP to watch the passing parade of colourful outfits: neon, sequins and girls wearing not much at all.
Skipping around the festival, popping from tent to tent, I was amazed by the diversity of the musical offerings: German techno prince, Sven Vath, thrilled the packed tent with a minimal set that was, quite simply, mind blowing. House guru Roger Sanchez (how DOES he get his beard so perfect?) was an absolute treat, playing the tunes I knew and loved as an eighteen year-old house head including one of my favourites, ‘Another Chance’.
Night falls and it’s time for headliner Kanye West’s boundary pushing, meant-to-be-phenomenal ‘Glow in the Dark’ concert. A concert it was, glow in the dark it was not. Billed as the ‘most exciting, avant-garde concept in music’, I was slightly disappointed that the only thing glowing in the dark were the glow sticks spun about at lightning speed by the raver beside me. Ripping through his set, playing all the hits including ‘I Wonder’, ‘Gold Digger’ and ‘Stronger’, Kanye did a great job with the somewhat lacking sound system. The personal highlight for me was Kanye’s guitarist who appeared to be wearing a welding mask. Pure gold. Make mental note to self that I should try to incorporate said mask into my daily wardrobe. Kanye ends and we wander off to a fabulously decorated Double Decker Bus where Moby was rocking his vegan heart out, we have a decent dance (I am at a dance festival for God’s sake) to ‘Go’ and ‘Why Does My Heart Feel So Sad’. The wee hours of Saturday morning arrive and it’s time to go back to civilization (Thankyou Jason’s Mum for having us to stay!) for a shower and bed.
Saturday comes around and it’s time for some more dancing fun. Saturday features two of the fittest men in music: the too-cute-for-words Sam Sparro and the every-luscious Mark Ronson. Sam Sparro, without a doubt the most charming pop performer around, was an absolute delight to watch, and despite the fact that his presence on the bill was perhaps a little unappreciated by most, my appreciation for Sir Sparro made up for those taste focused elsewhere.
Platinum blonde Robyn eased the crowd into Saturday night, the audience building as she played, readying themselves for a good vantage point for Mr. Ronson, while Roisin Murphy gave the Gathering her usual high-octane, multiple-costumed set. Ronson, headlining on the main stage, was full of energy. Impeccably dressed (as usual) and accompanied on stage with grime artist Wiley playing ‘My Rolex’, the crowd (and myself) went mad to his pop classics. Perfect weather (I even got a bit of a tan!), amazing headliners and as much neon as one could imagine – all in all, a fabulous weekend.
Part of our Tuborg Festival Blogger series!
