Photo: Press/WENN/Charly Murgatroyd
Standon Calling has seen a pleasingly organic evolution over the past 10 years. From a barbecue on the lawn of a manor house to a well-established fixture on the small festival circuit – it's an event that can now attract some impressive acts to a sleepy valley in the South East.
So what were this year's highlights? From Grandmaster Flash to rampaging infants, Public Enemy were far from the only show in town.
1. Public Enemy bringing the noise
The combative red flag looked as powerful and menacing as it did 30 years ago. Chuck D's politically-fuelled rhymes bit just as hard as they always have done. Even after all this time, there was never any question of Public Enemy just turning up for one more payday.
Flavor Flav may be better known to a certain demographic for luring young women of questionable morals to a mansion loaned to him from a TV production company. But even in the sleepy Essex countryside, he owned the stage and got people moving. Whatever you think of him – he's a hip-hop pro of the highest calibre.
Terminator X was always going to be missed when he left, but DJ Lord is one of the closet things you'll get to a perfect replacement. Given his own whole segment to thrill the people, he didn't disappoint.
'Fight the Power' still sounded as fresh and vital as the day it was released. A few acts struggled to get the crown going at Standon Calling. Public Enemy were 100% not in that category.
2. Beans on Toast charming the crowd
Irreverent acoustic folk singer Beans On Toast was one of the first people on Friday to get the crowd truly engaged. He didn't have an easy job – several people seemingly either still at work or struggling up the M11.
But through a combination of shambling charm and dogged persistence he somehow made it happen. He can sometimes tread the fine line between astute social poet and slightly annoying druggy-esque show-off, but his sheer weight of charisma saw him win over the festival crowd on Friday.
A guest appearance from Frank Turner on a song about feeling a bit of a tit when the 2012 prophecy didn't come to pass was also a nice touch.
3. Mexican Wrestling
Lucha Britannica's fearsome Mexican wrestlers brought a touch of slightly camp danger to proceedings across the weekend. Who wouldn't want to see men and women in sparkly masks and ever-so-slightly too revealing outfits pummel each other into the ground?
The personas of Central American hardmen slipped slightly when they led a group of unbelievably excited children through a dance-along in the ring. But hey, it was completely adorable so that's okay with us.
4. Maximo Park showing they're true survivors
The North-East indie survivors closed the festival with suitable aplomb on the Sunday night.
Battling nightmare technical synth issues that would have thrown lesser bands off their stride, they carried on with vintage versions of 'Graffiti' and 'Velocity'. Frontman Paul Smith is still a class-act – despite the hat – and he made sure no one left the site without feeling at least slightly nostalgic for the indie revival of 2005.
Relatively new songs like 'National Health' also show that, even though their star has fallen over the years, Maximo Park cannot be dismissed as a travelling jukebox of their former selves.
5. Kids going mental
Standon Calling is, undoubtedly, a family-friendly festival. But unlike Glastonbury where the number of children is diluted by the vast space – or the fact they're all in the dedicated children's areas – swarms of kids roam the open spaces of Standon Calling like so many Mongol horsemen.
But it's great. Either playing enormous games of football of scaring the bejezus out of emotionally fragile punters by wearing brilliant horror outfits, they really add a sense of wonder and fun to the whole weekend.
This probably wouldn't be quite so advisable at, say, Boomtown, but at Standon Calling they rush around without a care in the world. Frankly it's a joy to see.
6. Clean Bandit's electric set
One of the newer additions to the legendary electronic label Black Butter, relatively local heroes Clean Bandit stretched their erudite electronic muscles on the main stage on Saturday.
Looking every part the former Cambridge students they are, their blend of beats and classical elements took the crowd from daylight to dusk in a perfectly pitched set. In many ways the calm before the storm of Public Enemy, they kept everyone at just the right temperature to drift easily into the night time.
7. The Hackney Colliery Band make Sunday fun day
Band leader Steve Pretty's madcap brass revivalists The Hackney Colliery Band made sure any thoughts of sneaking back to London early were quickly dispelled on Sunday. Playing infectious covers of everything from Adele to Blackstreet, with a few of their own impressive compositions thrown in, they put a smile on everyone's face in the mid-afternoon sun.
Additionally, a man who can wear a tuba in lieu of a shirt is always a sight to behold. Thankfully for Standon Calling, this is one part of the weekend they didn't imagine. Glorious it was too.
8. Charlie bringing the XCX factor
The only mystery left around Charlie XCX is how she's not already a pop superstar in her own right. With massive collaborations 'Fancy' and 'I Love It' under her belt, it was surprising to see her in the intimate big top on Friday. But that certainly didn't put her off her stride. With recent top 10 hit 'Boom Clap' in the locker, she showed she's ready to hit the big-time on her own terms.
With dance moves so fierce she looked in danger of pulling muscles previously unknown to man, she brought a show so packed full of pop power it threatened to tear the roof off the circus-themed space.
9. Say Lou Lou melting everyone's hearts
More gently but every bit as powerfully, Say Lou Lou charmed the pants off everyone present on the Sunday evening. Aussie/Scandanavian twins Elektra and Miranda Kilbey presented their dreamlike but dark edged pop like a gift from the Gods.
Standout track 'Beloved' tugged at the heartstrings, while a cover of Nancy Sinatra's 'My Baby Shot Me Down' was dripping with a sound that managed to be sweet without feeling saccharine.
Although they are both great, Miranda stole the show with her rogue attempts at Sinead O'Connor impressions and stories about German nudists. Most of her follies are shot down by a look or a sharp word from Elektra, but I guess that's the price of pop stardom.
10. Carnival Street and the Day of the Dead Shrine
Although small, Standon Calling still managed to put in place some pretty great looking installations around the site. The Carnival Street space was the best example.
With well-adorned seating areas and a space to dance the night away to an eclectic mix of house and samba, it was a place revellers could go to immerse themselves in an atmosphere that was as far from their daily life as possible.
11. Grandmaster Flash is Grandmaster Flash
Tucked away in the Big Top late on the Sunday evening was probably the biggest name of the whole weekend. There's not much you can say about his blockbusting DJ set that doesn't sound obvious. It's just brilliant. From a man who has been a pioneer all his life, you wouldn't expect any less.
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