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“Don’t call it a comeback” is a phrase that has been bandied about by promo and associates leading into the return of Bloc Weekend. One that recalls the brand’s fascination with good music, “old skool” and new school, summoning up memories of LL Cool J, hip-hop and Salt ‘N’ Pepa’s legendary Bloc Weekend performance of 2010.
But comebacks are few and far between in 2015, the festival economy has become more tumultuous than ever, leaving brands like The Big Chill, Hop Farm and many others in financial purgatory. After a 2012 event left Bloc facing insolvency, as a result of alleged fraudulent behavior from developers of London’s Pleasure Gardens and a company’s on site ticketing failure, things looked bad.
In a brave move, organizers Alex Benson and George Hull have spent the last three years restoring Bloc to its former glory. Holding events at the Autumn Street warehouse in Hackney Wick, including a free party and barbecue with Green Velvet (to say “thank you”), it has been a step-by-step revival that like Rome has led all roads back to Butlins.
When our buses pulled in front of the check-in desk, with the familiar spires of Butlin’s skyline pavilion looming in front, impromptu applause broke out. Then following a stringent search from security, we were settled into our stocked up Oyster Bay chalet and ready to go.
The three nights that followed we heard some of the best electronic music around, from techno to jungle, to electro to reggae. Whether you’re watching Autechre’s dark Saturday night IDM, Hudson Mohawke dropping his seminal tracks or Dillinja’s euphoric jungle closing set, Bloc’s arrangement makes DJ sets feel like real performances. This isn’t a green field festival where the ground and sound is muddy, this is a series of six expertly crafted rooms, with clean sound systems and bright light shows. All credit to sound engineers Joe Toll and James Watkins whose working credits include The Roundhouse and Outlook.
To quote, R. Kelly, after the show, there’s the after party… If you attend, expect to end up at various a stranger’s chalet making friends. You may well find a new person strolling past your window and have a bizarro chat like you were neighbours back home. Then by the end of three (or four days) of great music and great company, you and your friends have become family. It’s a close knit crowd at Bloc, with attendees returning year on year following their first experience and the festval is all the better for it.
Then there is Bloc. TV, the figurative cherry on the cake… Using Butlins’ in house broadcast system, organizers transmit some of the weirdest (and greatest) films, shorts and performances into your chalet. This year we saw the legendary Troll 2, Peter Jackson’s disgusting Meet The Feebles and Deadball, an incredible Dragon Ball Z meets baseball mash-up. There was also a channel playing Groundhog Day on repeat… Make of that what you will.
The only shame is that it’s now over for another year. Sadly time flies when you’re having fun. Calling it a “comeback” is now apt because the return to form is complete and Bloc has returned stronger than ever.
It’s quite simply the best electronic music experience the UK has to offer and at this stage is a strong contender for festival of the year. Focused on music and not trends, there is an incredible amount of thought that goes into the whole thing, from what you hear to what you watch to where you stay. In an age when festivals are frequently invaded by big business and lifestyle brands this is something to be treasured.
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