Festivals

Field Day 2014

7th - 8th June 2014

Despite predictions of hurricanes and torrential rain the sun beats down on Victoria Park for the duration of Field Day’s newly expanded two-day festivities.

Words: Danny Wright
Photos: Emma Swann
6th November 2014

Spilling out over two days seems to suit it: the first day a cavalcade of interesting and eccentric new music gems stretching from dance to hip-hop, the second day – headlined by the Pixies – a more staunchly indie day dominated by The Horrors.

Saturday’s proceedings start with Sky Ferreira but someone has forgotten to tell her the sun is out: she wears a duffle coat all the way through her performance, yet the ‘Night Time, My Time’ songs have a light touch that cut through the blue sky.

Nighttime seems to be everyone’s time through the afternoon: SOHN appears, obscured by his black oversized hood, his set – including a mesmerising ‘The Wheel” – darkly captivates. John Wizards seem to have one member auditioning for The Strokes and one for Crocodile Dundee II but their colourful cocktail of light harmonies, hyperactive rhythms and bubbling synths has the whole of the Shacklewell Arms tent bouncing as if it’s 3AM.

Enveloped in the canopy of Resident Advisor tent Todd Terje’s kaleidoscopic and joyful set is perfectly paced, providing many highs, notably Delorean Dynamite. Pulsing and rising, it’s easy to imagine yourself wearing a white suit and chasing a criminal across a yacht while listening to his undulating slippery dance. Jon Hopkins finds it slightly more lost on the big stage but you can’t escape from the immersive qualities of 'Collider' and ‘Open Eye Signal' as balloons fall around.

The end of the day is left to Metronomy, as Joe Mount and his white-suited bandmates take centre stage framed by the cut out clouds in their backdrop (the first we’ve seen of the day). ‘The Look’ is is infectious and the ‘Nights Out’-era cuts such as west country funk of ‘Radio Ladio’ are welcomed like old friends. It’s ‘Corrine’, however, that's beautiful as the stars twinkle above.

The decision to put Future Islands on at a time when not one other band is playing across the entire site means a sign says ‘Tent full’ as the band begin. “I’m drunk as shit,” says Samuel T Herring as he takes to the stage. At one point he spins around the stage as if he’s going to carry on forever. “I don’t know where that Whirling Dervish shit came from,” he admits. Half pro-wrestler, half Shakespearean actor, you can’t take your eyes off Herring for a second as he beats his chest and growls theatrically. It’s utterly captivating but the songs are there too: huge synth pop numbers like ‘Sun In The Morning’ and ‘Doves’ which have the crowd dancing until their feet bleed.

Compare and contrast that with Frank Black on the main stage who stands motionless and grimacing for most of Pixies’ headline set. And yet… it still works. A stretched out ‘Vamos’ feels alive, the whole crowd dance along to ‘Here Comes Your Man’ and ‘Hey’ somehow becomes a singalong anthem. When they finish under the dark clear sky by playing 'Where is My Mind?' you know you have a show on your hands.

View more photos of Saturday at Field Day here, and Sunday here.

Tags: Metronomy, Pixies, Field Day, Festivals, Reviews, Live Reviews

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