06/15/12 - 0 Comments
Festival Fun in the UK Kicks Off with Parklife
It’s that time of year again—the beginning of festival season! Time to squeeze into those high waisted, tie-dye denim shorts, invest in yet another pair of oversized sunglasses and blow the dust off your straw hat. Well, maybe not quite that time for we Brits, as attire donned by those of us in the UK who attended the Parklife Festival last weekend was a far cry from said fashions. But, anyway…
For its third and final year, Manchester’s Platt Fields Park played host to 30,000 fun-loving festival-goers for a manic weekend of music and mud galore. The entirely washed-out venue could hardly come as a surprise, as Britain’s northern city is notorious for its non-stop drizzle, forcing the crowds to fish out their wellies and anoraks in an attempt to stay somewhat dry.
Despite the weather (which did seem to brighten up slightly on Sunday), Parklife once again set the stage for a winning lineup, opening its doors to the likes of Noah and the Whale, the Flaming Lips and Kelis on the main stage on Saturday, whilst Sunday saw performances from De La Soul, Dizzee Rascal and a collaboration between Johnny Marr and Chic. Disappointingly, though, reflecting true pathetic fallacy, the iffy sound system made the overall mood surrounding the main stage rather lifeless. It was in fact the sounds reverberating from the smaller tents that livened up the atmosphere, as hoards of people crowded into the large multicolored circus-esque gazebos to take in acts such as Ghostpoet, Julio Bashmore and Joy Orbison.
Aside from the lineup itself, a huge amount of thought obviously went into the plethora of entertainment options over the jam-packed days. Distractions included an innovative silent disco encircling the deejay, who towered above in a giant fake treehouse, oversized straw-like installations resembling scarecrows and endless rows of top-notch food, including a Wagamama stall.
So, Parklife was a weekend of ups and downpours, but if you’re in the UK for the summer and your kind of thing is a (hopefully) sunnier and hippier affair, then Cambrdigeshire’s renowned Secret Garden Party (July 19-22) is definitely for you. With an eclectic mix of music, as well as numerous art installations, which include participatory events and absurd performances, this year looks set to be one to remember. Unfortunately tickets are now sold out, but you can join the waiting list or investigate some of its sister festivals, like the Glade Festival (June 14-17,) for some electronic fun, or the Wilderness Festival (August 10-12), set in a nature reserve, for the ultimate relaxation.
Photo credit: Nick Caro Photography, Anthony Mooney
