Review: Field Day 2011

On face value, this year’s Field Day looked like the perfect day out for anyone that enjoys a range of exciting music.

With a lineup boasting some of the biggest names in contemporary dance music, as well as the more experimental side of electronic sounds, it appeared that nothing could go wrong with such an impressive array of talent being platformed over the course of the day.

Unfortunately possessing such a diverse and interesting lineup wasn’t enough to mask some of the basic elements that were clearly not addressed in the planning of the event.

It was a genuine struggle to move around the festival site, with hoards of party goers desperately squeezing past each other in a vain attempt to enjoy those on display over the course of the day. By the time festival heavyweights Jamie XX and SBTRKT took to the stage in the early evening it was near impossible to get anywhere near the perimeter of the tent in which they were playing. This was an issue that was not limited to just one stage, with every arena on site bursting at the seams by mid-afternoon. It appears that organisers failed to gauge the correct number of tickets to go on sale, as the site was clearly way over capacity, making for a rather aggravating and fruitless search for music.

Those that were lucky enough to bustle their way through the crowds were met with another issue that plagues festivals up and down the UK – the sound systems were simply nowhere near loud enough. Unless one was fortunate enough to make it midway into an arena, it was extremely difficult to hear any sound with particular clarity. Smothered by the din of chatty ravers, the sound systems failed to inspire the effortless dancing that was craved throughout, with the sub woofers offering no more than a gentle peck on the cheek to all those involved. This downfall once again highlights a problem that has burdened inner city festivals since they began, and even though Field Day is not the first, combined with the jammed pack nature of the day, it certainly made proceedings that little bit more exasperating.

Despite all of this, there was one extremely inspiring performance that helped to relieve some of the built up tension. Konono No1, an African band that assembles their instruments from used car parts and other make shift materials, offered a vibrant and energetic display on one of the festival’s smaller, more intimate stages. After being reviewed in this month’s edition of The Wire, it was fantastic to experience the live performance of such an intuitive and interesting group of musicians.

For the most part, this year’s Field Day was one that caused a great deal of stress and disappointment, with the constant battle to get to music being the overriding factor.

Although some of the most talented performers were on display, due to the site being stretched to full capacity, it was impossible to fully enjoy what they had to offer.

Words: Tom Mullett

Find out more about Field Day 2011 here