Forgotten Fields — A supersized fun-fair

A supersized fun-fair

On arrival Forgotten Fields had the feeling of a wonderful fun-fair – complete with the stalls, games, music, familiar smells and sounds. The massive ferris wheel only further encouraged the illusion.

From the creators of Kendal Calling, it was the first year for Forgotten Fields. The festival attracted young families – the boutique, local feel of the festival no doubt induced this. The crowd was varied though, and there was something for everyone.

The summer-wear was fully out, and everyone made the most it. There was plenty of space to relax on the grass, even by the stages it was a tranquil atmosphere as the festival goers lay on the Eridge Park turf, soaking in the sun as well as the music. The food was plentiful, and even better than that – good quality and affordable.

Beans on Toast introduced the festival on the Main Stage with a typically comedic set, performed off the stage and amongst the crowd – getting everyone involved and setting the precedent for the feel of the festival. Slamboree kick-started the evening with a weird and wonderful, superbly lively performance – the fancy dress on stage was certainly interestingly niche. It was very easy to get from one stage to another, and with the variety of music on offer it was a must.

Plastic Mermaids was a particular highlight on the House Party stage; the crowd was relatively small which made it all the better. Look out for these guys – their sound is refreshingly different and they’re doing the festival rounds. The short walk then took us to the main stage where Basement Jaxx were in full flow. People were on each other’s shoulders, flinging each other around, huge bubbles glistened amongst the light show. The spectacle didn’t disappoint with ‘where’s your head at’ helping to closing the main stage on a high.<p?> </p?>

It was one of the first times at a music festival where every performance seen, known or not, were on point. The only drawback was that we weren’t able to stay longer. Next year has a lot of promise based on this.