The heavens opened with a thick blanket of miserable rain, the type that sticks to you. Big and heavy in which you notice almost every drop! Great, this is going be fun I thought and boy...it was regardless as a heard of like minded music lovers come together on this wet field on Clapham Common, South London.
After 15 years away from the worlds most enigmatic, progressive and exciting music cities in the world, let's talk about sex baby because American hip trio from Queens, New York Salt n Pepper pushed it real good! One of the most succesful female hip hop groups of all time consisting of Cheryl Wray (“Salt”), Sandra Denton (“Pepa”) and Deidre “Dee Dee” Roper (Spinderella) looked hotter than ever as they proclaimed their love of London hitting out with all the 80's classics with crowds on occasion singing along! I was a little unsure if these guys would suit a dance festival but am glad to say they fitted just nice and it was great having them back in London after all this time.
Mr. Zane Lowe, who I must admit I don't usually listen to his voice annoys the hell out of me also blasted out a banging set and when zombie nation came blaring out of the speakers the place went nuts!
Boys noize, what can I say, well I’m a boy I like noise so boys noize is an obvious contender to please my soul. The naughty beats certainly had people pulling faces and cutting shapes as the twisted sound belted from the speakers! Pure filth, loved it! Eeeeerrrrrrrrrr! This German is welcome in London anytime! This could lead nicely onto another DJ/Producer who works as part of a collective with Boys Noize at times...Erol Elkan who also played Sunday however I unfortunately could not catch his set which are always superb!
Jack Beats gave us an upfront mix in the together arena! The place got down and dirty.
The great vibe I got from Sunday was how happy everyone was, it was a great crowd whatever arena you went to. I witnessed not one bit of bother just a lot of positive energy! I thought it was well thought out and the production in each arena was exceptional in terms of decoration. I was amazed at how gorgeous the ladies were about the place, from one boy to another they were FIT! I think also the girls would not have complained because for some reason it was a good looking bunch of people there that made me feel I was not alone! The theme this summer seems to be people wearing an animal head for a mask! Something quite thrilling about raving it up next to someone with a donkey head to the left and a moose to the right!
The only tiny draw back I would have to mention and only real critique Ill make from a negative perspective was the sound system. I understand that its a residential area and the organizers need to respect that however it finishes at 9pm and I feel it could have been slightly louder at some points there were chants from the crowds “Turn it up, turn it up, turn it up!”. Ravers like big sound.
One of the high lights for me was Carl Cox, I really begin to loosen up and start busting out some bad boy moves to this set! He really knows how to work the crowd and again every time I looked left or right, forward or behind someone would be smiling back with that ravers moment look in their eyes.
Definitely for me though the absolute gem of the day/evening was finished off by one of our superstart DJ Fatboy Slim! Norman Cook was immense as he played a medley of beaters. It was deep upfront and certainly a crowd pleaser. “They know what is what but they dont know what is what...what the f@#k!” started with the heavy beats and the word F@#K in massive letters on the screen. The visuals for fatboys set were amazing as were the lights and lazers! Brilliant. What a way to close the festival his set was cram jam packed with everyone about the place all dancing hands in air to classic remix's like “Eye of the Tiger” the set was started with Classic Fatboy Slim anthem “Praise you” with the crowd singing and nodding with satisfied lust! Cook again on fine form at times hid behind his decks in a cheeky fasion. What a way to close the festival from a mammoth DJ. Satisfaction was another big beat he threw into the sea of people and that could not be more apt because that is how I left the day! SW4, SW more!
After 15 years away from the worlds most enigmatic, progressive and exciting music cities in the world, let's talk about sex baby because American hip trio from Queens, New York Salt n Pepper pushed it real good! One of the most succesful female hip hop groups of all time consisting of Cheryl Wray (“Salt”), Sandra Denton (“Pepa”) and Deidre “Dee Dee” Roper (Spinderella) looked hotter than ever as they proclaimed their love of London hitting out with all the 80's classics with crowds on occasion singing along! I was a little unsure if these guys would suit a dance festival but am glad to say they fitted just nice and it was great having them back in London after all this time.
Mr. Zane Lowe, who I must admit I don't usually listen to his voice annoys the hell out of me also blasted out a banging set and when zombie nation came blaring out of the speakers the place went nuts!
Boys noize, what can I say, well I’m a boy I like noise so boys noize is an obvious contender to please my soul. The naughty beats certainly had people pulling faces and cutting shapes as the twisted sound belted from the speakers! Pure filth, loved it! Eeeeerrrrrrrrrr! This German is welcome in London anytime! This could lead nicely onto another DJ/Producer who works as part of a collective with Boys Noize at times...Erol Elkan who also played Sunday however I unfortunately could not catch his set which are always superb!
Jack Beats gave us an upfront mix in the together arena! The place got down and dirty.
The great vibe I got from Sunday was how happy everyone was, it was a great crowd whatever arena you went to. I witnessed not one bit of bother just a lot of positive energy! I thought it was well thought out and the production in each arena was exceptional in terms of decoration. I was amazed at how gorgeous the ladies were about the place, from one boy to another they were FIT! I think also the girls would not have complained because for some reason it was a good looking bunch of people there that made me feel I was not alone! The theme this summer seems to be people wearing an animal head for a mask! Something quite thrilling about raving it up next to someone with a donkey head to the left and a moose to the right!
The only tiny draw back I would have to mention and only real critique Ill make from a negative perspective was the sound system. I understand that its a residential area and the organizers need to respect that however it finishes at 9pm and I feel it could have been slightly louder at some points there were chants from the crowds “Turn it up, turn it up, turn it up!”. Ravers like big sound.
One of the high lights for me was Carl Cox, I really begin to loosen up and start busting out some bad boy moves to this set! He really knows how to work the crowd and again every time I looked left or right, forward or behind someone would be smiling back with that ravers moment look in their eyes.
Definitely for me though the absolute gem of the day/evening was finished off by one of our superstart DJ Fatboy Slim! Norman Cook was immense as he played a medley of beaters. It was deep upfront and certainly a crowd pleaser. “They know what is what but they dont know what is what...what the f@#k!” started with the heavy beats and the word F@#K in massive letters on the screen. The visuals for fatboys set were amazing as were the lights and lazers! Brilliant. What a way to close the festival his set was cram jam packed with everyone about the place all dancing hands in air to classic remix's like “Eye of the Tiger” the set was started with Classic Fatboy Slim anthem “Praise you” with the crowd singing and nodding with satisfied lust! Cook again on fine form at times hid behind his decks in a cheeky fasion. What a way to close the festival from a mammoth DJ. Satisfaction was another big beat he threw into the sea of people and that could not be more apt because that is how I left the day! SW4, SW more!
Kyran Speirs
Published on 12 September 2010 by Wayne Feltham
