Whilst many were tucked up in their warm beds, in dry homes, only the brave flocked to the unpredictable British countryside for five days of unruly mayhem. Those who brave it can only, and do, pray for sun and not only dry but solid ground. However, the dream did not become a reality for this year's Secret Gardeners, instead they were left with two days of solid rain, soup-y ground and threatening winds. Despite this, all was not lost. Determined festival goers did not let the grey sky, hunt for ponchos and sodden tents disgruntle them, nay, the party continued and glitter remained rife. For this years theme head gardeners a like provided a party of 'childish things'; and what with the alphabet-block lights plastered over the festival, the notorious fox dressed as Basil Brush and an island stage made from what looked like Playmobil not an element of childhood went a miss- even mud pies were of unlimited supply.The festival itself appeals to many different people, varying in music taste and style. This said variety of audience members enables the festival to have a vast array of different stages and places to play, why you only have to walk through the 'Lost Woods' to discover two very different styles of music within metres of each other. This wonderful mismatch congregation of gardeners means that everyone experiences the festival very differently, creating an individual and almost sentimental feeling towards Secret Garden Party- which seemingly resonates in not only those who return year after year but SGP virgins also. As a gardener of this year's party myself I felt it necessary to compile a playlist of songs which sum the wonderfully wet weekend that was Secret Garden Party 2015, so without further adieu here's a list of songs and more banging on about how wet it was (ooer).
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| Basil Brush source: 405 |
1) Hozier- Take Me To Church
This may seem like a peculiar one, mainly to those who attended the party, as Hozier wasn't at this year's party but to those who spent a majority of their time in the north field will know that Hozier's existence at the festival was all too real. As for every day, without fail, this very song was played. Although their was no set take-me-to-church-time, it was a guarantee, thus it makes the list as an although not a good song it was a most definitely a memorable one.
2) Jungle- Busy Earnin'
Although Friday saw the first of the two days of non-stop rain, it also saw jingly-jangly Jungle hit The Great Stage. Much of the festival fled to The Great Stage to see the 'neo-soul' duo and whilst the gardeners were drenched by the infinite drizzle, Jungle performed a set that drowned in lush falsettos and sumptuous synths. Busy Earnin' is one of the band's most popular hits, since emerging on the music scene in 2013, and seemed to not only follow you around the festival, but also set dancing feet in motion for the rest of the weekend.
3) Darwin Deez- Bad Day
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| Darwin Deez source: Secret Garden Party |
For some of the gardeners Jungle's dreamy performance was interrupted towards the end by New York's sassy foursome Darwin Deez. As an avid fan of the band their performance was more than I could I have ever hoped for, and I think it's pretty safe to say whether you were a fan or not if you were in the crowd you had a good time. Despite the socially awkward stance, the quarto are charismatic and hilariously funny, putting on a performance of not only brilliantly witty written songs but also choreographed dance routines running throughout! They undeniably performed a set built for a sing-a-long, stealing the attention away from the rain and leaving the crowd craving the next dance interval. The band's song Bad Day, in particular, seemed to hit a special love spot for the crowd, catalysing a unified sing song to the sarcastic and clever ditty which, much like an indirect tweet, you hope is never aimed at you.
4) Angus and Julia Stone- Big Jet Plane
Saturday saw some sun! And along with the sun came the Australian bother-sister duo Angus and Julia Stone. The low-key folk rock duo are mesmerisingly talented, from the low murmurs and deep reverberating guitar from enigmatic brother Angus to the flittering Julia makes between instruments from guitar, keyboard to trumpet it's no surprise that the duo make sounds which certainly have the goose-bump-effect. The sweetly bleak song Big Jet Plane (an Angus hit from 2010) was one the whole crowd knew the lyrics to, whilst the song was full of woebegone vibes the crowd definitely wasn't and enjoyed every minute of the duo's instalment of country tunes and some Aussie sunshine which they bought to The Great Stage.
5) The Prodigy- Fire Starter
Another random one, but a song that was central to the festival nonetheless . Fire was firstly a focal attraction due to the never-ending rainfall which left gardeners chilly and dishevelled evoking a state of cavemanism where the search for warmth turned quickly into "man need fire". However, fire was not only focal for its conventional uses but also for blowing shit up. Saturday night saw the burning of a giant projection screen which, before it turned to ashes, added to the childish theme playing childhood classics. The screen took its time to burn, and revealed the ominous message: 'Game Over'. The Sunday saw the pinnacle event: 'The Big Burn', whereby the island in the middle diminishes from inside out, creating a glorious light in the centre of the festival and emitting a surprising amount of warmth. However, fire was not only central for the festival itself but also for brilliantly brainy 'Guerilla Science' tent, which ran a performance of fire and sound, all weekend, through the biggest fire organ in the UK. Thus the infamous rave hit Fire Starter went down a storm in regards to the spread of fire which thankfully was a safe theme at Secret Garden Party.
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| Big Burn source: Secret Garden Party |
After the 'Saturday Spectacular' firework display, it was to Where The Wild Things Are we went to find The Acid in the early hours of Sunday morning. Cold and draped in coats the crowd swayed uncontrollably to infectious beats of trio The Acid. The band's set aimed to thump through the bodies of both those standing next to speakers to those sitting at the back. They are definitely a band to move to, who create psychedelic house beats carrying contrastingly prominent heavy guitar running throughout. Their song Creeper is not only one of my personal favourites due to it's heavy tone and haunting lyrics ("I want to love you like a creeper") but is also enjoyable in the way that when you yell the title to a friend in a crowd they easily misinterpret it as an insult against the man who is innocently standing in front of you.
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| Saturday Spectacular source: Secret Garden Party |
7) The Indiana Jones Theme Tune
As aforementioned the central attraction of Saturday at Secret Garden Party is their 'Saturday Spectacular' fire work display, which, sticking to the theme of childish things, was orchestrated by that classic hit The Indiana Jones Theme Tune. As a series of 'aws' and 'ahs' echoed through the audience it was clear that while the fireworks were sparked by the hands of the trained said theme tune sparked an explosion of nostalgia for all involved.
8) RHODES- Turning Back Around
On the last day gardeners were once again met with more rain... however they were also greeted by the melodies of the young British singer song-writer RHODES. With a wealthy history of supporting such indie-folk singers as Nick Mulvey and Laura Marling it comes as no surprise to find that the songs that David Rhodes creates are ones similar in more ways than one. Yet that's not to say that the relaxed folk vibes weren't appreciated, on the contrary, rather they were welcomed by the weak arms of the last-night-crowd as if Rhodes himself had wove his audience two soft pillows for their ears with his tongue and guitar. Turning Back Around seemingly is his most popular song, given it was the song that most of the crowd knew the words to, its mellow guitar and husky tones are both calming at chilling giving Rhodes the opportunity to show off just how nibble his fingers are but also how extensive his vocal chords are too.
9) Bernhoft- C'mon Talk
Following Rhodes was Norway's home grown mulit-instrumentalist and lyricist- the one man band- Jarle Bernhoft. Bernhoft, who enters the stage with nothing but a mic, pedals and a guitar, seems to offer not a lot in the way of fellow band members yet when he plays he covers all elements of the musical spectrum. Whilst he is on stage he not only sings and plays guitar, but creates the backing track to go with it as well as the percussion he produces with only his mouth! His musical talents, which although for me had gone unnoticed until now, have not gone unrecognised and this year even saw him be nominated for a Grammy (for Best R&B Album I'll have you know). His song C'mon Talk is an older track from his 2011 album and reaches the extremities of soul and R&B, ticking all the boxes for a soulful seduction and exposing his baffling skill of coordinating the stepping on pedals with his swaying of hips (which are anything but "rusty" as Bernhoft himself had described them)
10) Floella Grace- ODSM
Bizarrely enough I've decided to end this elongated list with a song I didn't even hear until I arrived home on the Monday, but have faith there is reason in the madness... Whilst I attempt to not get too meaningful and deep man I will say this, that there are some people that are just nice, a genuine nice that you only have to experience once and will stick with you forever. My friends and I were lucky enough to experience this when we met Flo and Garreth from Floella Grace, and although that Sunday will never be recreated their music is a reminder not just for those who shared that reality but for everyone that this is what we live for, to meet new people and share experiences we will never forget- I mean that's what festivals are about: the removal of all social norms for a weekend. ODSM is emotive and delicate, as songs go, and is worth a listen to even if you ignore the sloppy stuff written above.
Fin, till next year SGP.
Be a gardener at the next party (which we hope will be less wet): Secret Garden Party 2016
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