Looking good, SGP
Words by Olivia Outram
With April having fooled us pale-and-sun-hungry Brits into thinking summer was already here (ha!), it has brought on quite the festival hunger pangs. Sold out again this year is my personal favourite, Secret Garden Party. But why write a preview if it’s already sold out? I hear you ask. Why tantalise us with forbidden fruits available only to a privileged (and they are very privileged) few? Why would you be such an insensitive, FOMO-inducing, festival-tease, Liv, why? Well calm down you silly things, for there is a resale coming up on Thursday 14th May. So as long as you can drag yourself out of bed in time for 9am you should be able to nab yourself a couple of tickets to a not-at-all Secret Garden Party.
This year the Secret Garden Party theme (there’s always a theme. Last year’s was Goodbye Yellow Brick Road) is Childish Things. Fred Fellowes, the impresario behind SGP, or ‘Head Gardener’, promises this year’s festival will constitute a ’100-acre toy box’. From the meandering forests, which feel like they were landscaped by a visionary seven-year-old, to the annual paint fight where each secret gardener must make the pivotal decision of whether to get involved (fun, but dirty) or just take snaps for their phone screensaver, it’s always a cornucopia of childish delight. And the crème-de-la-crème of childish whims comes on the Saturday night. Last year’s was the wittiest, most spectacular firework display I have ever seen, so hopefully it’s set to make pint size pyromaniacs of us all this year too.
On the music front, Secret Garden Party is set to be the ultimate people pleaser. This year we have headliners ‘Jungle’ and ‘The Cat Empire’ on the Great Stage. Jungle, a British soul and funk collective that’s burst onto the scene over the past 2 years will be transporting secret gardeners to the tropics with their steel drums, “tropical percussion, wildlife noises, falsetto yelps, psychedelic washes and badoinking bass” (‘Everything You Need To Know About Britain’s Hottest Band’. Esquire. 2014-07-01).
Aussie band The Cat Empire are set to be another highlight, with their fusing of jazz, ska, funk, rock and Latin influences. Like Jungle they will be intermixing decks and vocals with a rich array of instruments from trumpets, percussion, keyboard and double bass.
But if a trip to the tropics isn’t your cup of tea, then put down your piña colada and join the hardcore ravers down at The Drop with the likes of Ben UFO and Joy Orbison. Most of the dance line-up is yet to be announced, but these two Djs who are already on the bill are a good sign of things to come. Individually they could headline any night very respectably, but at SGP this year they will be on stage together, pumping out the choicest of beats back to back. It’ll be well worth a look. Techno lovers please keep your pants on.
Oh Secret Garden Party, how you spoil us…