Photo: Facebook, WENN
The creative team behind the hugely successful Kendal Calling launched a brand new festival in the South East this past weekend and Gigwise were in attendance to see what Forgotten Fields is all about.
It is safe to say that the inaugural event had some teething issues. Revellers were understandably annoyed and frustrated at the sub-standard camping environment, basic organisation issues and the unimaginative after-hours entertainment on offer but on the whole Forgotten Fields did show an awful lot of potential.
Here’s 9 things we loved…
Basement Jaxx
The perfect Friday night headliners put on one hell of a party for all the family. The 20 year dance music veterans showcased the best in British electronic music with an exciting and invigorating live set that spanned the rather illustrious career they have enjoyed. Felix Buxton and Simon Ratcliffe almost took a back seat as various performing artists, entertainers and main-stay singers Vula Malinga and Sharlene Hector took centre stage to create a real carnival atmosphere. Classics like ‘Good Luck’, ‘Jump n Shout’ and ‘Red Alert’ saw the crowd dancing in unison and as the screams of ‘Where’s your head out’ faded away as the set came to a close, everyone left with a smile on their face.
Local Talent – Horizons Stage
With the festival being held on the border between Kent and Sussex, the Horizons stage, which promised to be a hotspot for discovering the best in upcoming talent, certainly had its fair share of potential to uncover. The local acts that showed great potential Get Inuit, Fickle Friends, First Family, Phoria and Fish Tank.
The Horrors
A band who have always set the bar high in terms of performance and their set at Forgotten Fields was no different. Despite the muted, unmoved and generally unenthusiastic crowd The Horrors remained unfathomed as they rattled through a brilliant set. Mid-set highlight ‘Sea Within a Sea’ sounded as good as ever along with the mesmerising ‘Still Life’. A great professional performance which culminated in front man Farris wind-milling his mic stand over his head in what looked like a real act of defiance.
Family Friendly
Forgotten Fields really did reach out to families. Boasting a children’s area complete with mini-tightropes, diablos and hula-hooping along with kids Zumba classes and UK African acrobats in the Big Top Mania tent, the little people had plenty of things to get stuck into.
The only thing missing (that was actually advertised) was a family camping area. A drunk man dressed as a lion stumbling around at 3am amongst tents full of kids isn’t exactly a great advert for families so something to work on next year!
Super Furry Animals
Headlining the main stage on Saturday was the alternative Welsh icons. Dressed in white boiler suits, and with frontman Gruff Rhys initially wearing a giant astronaut-like helmet the experimental rockers showed just why they are band with such a great live reputation. The mid-set salvo of ‘Juxtaposed with U’, ‘The International Language of Screaming’, and ‘Golden Retriever’ was the obvious high point, although an encore that involved all the band members coming back onto the stage in hairy dog costumes for their showboat ending of ‘The Man Don't Give A Fuck’ was rather special.
Location
The idyllic grounds of Eridge Country Park in Sussex provided the perfect setting for weekend. Glorious weather certainly played its part with not a drop of rain falling for the duration.
De la Soul
Hip Hop is a wonderful thing explained, Posdnuos, one third of De La Soul “you gotta know where it’s coming from to know where it’s going.” Now if there is any act that’s knows the genre it is the trio from Long Island who after 27 years are still going strong. Their Sunday afternoon set is packed with hits, unrivalled crowd participation and even a swear jar. With the sun beaming down and the beats getting everyone moving they created a party that no one wanted to leave. To round off their wonderful set De la Soul split the proceeds of the profanity jar to a number of kids in the audience.
Public Service Broadcasting
J. Willgoose Esq, Wrigglesworth, Mr. B and JF Abraham not only looked the part in their dapper 1940s style suits but they also delivered one of the sets of the weekend on the main stage on Friday. While educating the masses with samples from old public information films may not seem like perfect formula for entertainment, by showcasing stunning visuals and engaging the audience with witty charm by the time set highlight ‘Go’ came around the crowd had been well and truly won over.
Johnny Borrell’s Tash
It has been quite some time since Mr. Johnny Borrell has been in the limelight (for the right reasons) and although Razorlight’s set did impress, it was very difficult to see past the very questionable facial hair he is now sporting…
