The Social Festival — Festival season has begun

Festival season has begun

With an incredibly promising line up I was keen to arrive in Kent at the idyllic setting that holds host to The Winter Social festival. Despite the grey, damp and rather windy weather, my spirits were high and I couldn’t wait to get stuck in to see what all the acts playing that day had to offer.

Upon arrival, it was pleasantly easy getting in without too much waiting around and there was plenty of space once inside (both rarities at day festivals). The energy was high with the crowd, as expected, largely made up of typical new-age techno lovers, distinctive with their black clothing and creative hair cuts.

Getting to the bar was easy due to the token system, although it wasn’t great value for money. Once drinks were sorted and navigation around the event had been figured out, it was time to get stuck in with Ame and Maya Jane Coles who did not fail to impress. Dropping constant fist-pumping techno beats from start to finish, accompanied with mesmerising lighting it was a visual feast for the senses. The Meadow, a space which served as the main room, was fantastic and not too crowded which allowed for comfortable space to dance.

Moving into The Barn, Steve Lawler gave 100% in all ways possible. From the moment you entered it was impossible not to dance: the energy was incredible and again you had room to move. There was a real sense of togetherness amongst the crowd while Lawler smashed out beat after beat. He never plays a disappointing set, and this was no exception. Handing over to Eats Everything and Yousef b2b the guys came in with a bang and kept the energy up and the crowd moving.

Half an hour later, it was time to move back to The Meadow for the techno acid house queen that is Nina Kraviz. The woman can do no wrong! The vibe was enticing, her tracks were hard and they had everyone in the room going for it. Famous for her bouncy techno dancing while on stage, Nina was bopping away in true style and without a doubt this was one of the best sets of the night. Following in her footsteps to maintain the hype were Nic Fanciulli and Joris Voorn b2b for a whopping two hours. Their infamous tech house sound was constant throughout the set with a magical moment when they dropped Dusky’s track ‘Skin Deep’ mixed with Eric Prydz ‘Opus’, from their EP Ordinary World. A true goosebumps moment. As always with the duo, just when you think they had hit the nail on the head with their set, they closed it all with an absolute classic that I’m sure everyone in the crowd hadn’t heard in years: ‘Mylo - Drop The Pressure’. For me, this is what Nic and Joris do best – provide a constant flow of techy vibes whilst dropping in classics that grab every dance music lover by the heart.

Leaving the festival was a breeze and the crowd all left on a high. Compared to a lot of other day festivals, The Social was smoothly run, nicely laid out, not over filled and packed with a constant stream of great music and production.

Written by: Frances Shillito