Photo: James Berry
As music lovers celebrated the beginning of the festival season with the Isle Of Wight, Rockness and Download festival those up North decided to stick to what they know and love best...Manchester.
Yes the city known for its endless rain and Gallagher brothers fills up with the best of dance music and to be honest the best atmosphere that beats many of the big festival contenders.
Located in the centre of Manchester's student hub, Platt Fields Park is transformed into a corner of the country. With flags and vagina themed tents (yes!), Parklife has officially begun.
If you have never been to Parklife, many may be surprised at the sheer size of it; with six tents and a main stage it certainly packs in a line-up for a two day festival. And the advantage of this festival is the non-camping, come 11pm it is then time to carry on the party with the rest of the lovely Northern folk.
Kicking off on Saturday, the rain drenches those who have decided that flip flops and white t-shirts are appropriate for the unreliable Manchester weather. Everything Everything, dressed in what can only be described as Gostbusters themed outfits, fill up the main stage around 3pm. On a large stage, they just don't seem to find their stride as they have in their own shows, 'My Kz, Ur Bf" and Suffragette Suffragette certainly reinforce the brilliance of their 'Man Alive' debut.
For those who have never had the pleasure of seeing Fake Blood live it certainly is something else. It seems the whole of Parklife has heard the buzz surrounding this man and his gold glasses. Crammed in to the tent, the afternoon is drawing to a close and beer has certainly kicked in. Known for 'I Think I Like' from his 2009 EP 'Fix Your Accent', Fake Blood smashed through a hefty hour and a half set never once letting the crowd or the pace drop.
With his remixes of Adele's 'Rolling In The Deep' and an album of the year contender with the late Gill Scott, Jamie XX is a man in demand. Many in the crowd may only be familiar for his work in The XX but it is clear by the end of this set that all are now truly turned by this young man's talent.
Unlike many other festivals even the variety of food and drink on offer is a class above the ordinary. Who would have thought that Wagamama's would have chosen Parklife to launch it's new festival lounge. A stop off for noodles then over to the main stage.
Before long the sun and the endless beer had made time fly by. Just catching the last half of London girl Katy B's set the crowd are pumped for Kelis. I didn't have the highest expectation of what her set would offer but when she pulls such tracks as 'Milkshake', 'Acapella', 'Lil Star' and 'Trick Me' it is just what a Saturday night needs. Incorporating a fair amount of covers into her set the New Yorker has done good.
At a festival with some pretty big name acts you may have not expected Two Door Cinema Club to be topping the bill. But after an incredible year the lads certainly deserve their place on the main stage. Tracks 'Something Good Can Work' and 'Undercover Martyn' bring the first day of Parklife to an incredible end.
