I have properly ‘done’ festival season this summer, and I’ve had an absolute blast. I’ve never been a massive festival person, weirdly, because I have always been a massive live music person. It is perhaps the immersiveness, the committing to a full weekend, the organisation and the camping that has put me off in the past, but I’ve gone all in and have had the opportunity to do some really fun festivals this time around.
My final festival of the year was Electric Picnic, which Rocket Dog kindly flew me over to Ireland for, and kitted me out with the white trainers pictured above (reserved for first day dry weather only) and the appropriately named waterproof ‘rainy’ boots in the other outfit here (very necessary by the second day).
Millie and I started our festival on Friday evening with Nas, The 1975 and Chemical Brothers and lots of beer and chips, followed by an night of getting extremely lost in the woods (drop a pin at your tent, kids).
The most pleasant surprise of the festival came in the form of Whitney, whose easygoing, heart swelling and just plain lovely songs were exactly what I needed to drag me out of the (figurative) bin on Saturday afternoon – I don’t think I have gone more than a day or so without listening to Light Upon The Lake since (actually though). After a dance at Mura Masa, we headed over to Noel Gallagher and I sang my northern heart out in the rain to Oasis banger after Oasis banger in what turned out to be one of the highlights of the whole weekend. The reason I wanted to go to EP in the first place was because LCD Soundsystem were headlining the Saturday – they absolutely did not disappoint and, let me assure you, I danced my lil socks off.
The Sunday of a festival can be a struggle, but Savages‘ set got me in the mood to power onwards. I don’t know if I want to be Jehnny Beth or marry her, but Savages are one of the most incredible things to watch live. Afterwards, we watched the extremely talented and frankly adorable Nao before (another festival highlight) New Order. For a band I thought I would maybe never get to see, I’ve now seen New Order three times and dancing along with all the dads (‘1987! What a year! Before you were born that’ said one to me during Bizarre Love Triangle) isn’t getting old. Lana Del Ray headlined the main stage on Sunday and, as much as I love Born To Die, I found her somewhat boring (although I’d love to try to watch her again in nice weather or at her own concert) and we decided to escape the rain and watch Skepta instead who was, obviously, class.
See you next year, festival season.
I’d definitely recommend watching Lana Del Rey at her own concert. I’ve been to one before and it was absolutely incredible. She’s a much better performer in her own setting and with her own fans apparently.
And I’m so jealous that you got to see New Order and Nas!!
xo Aya
http://www.girlfromnorthlondon.co.uk
Great photography! Very jealous you got to see Nas, and I bet Noel Gallagher was a blast haha. xx
Y x | http://www.thesweetsevenfive.com