Festival Review: Field Day 2009

It’s all in one day. And in a field. And features Little Boots, Santigold, Mystery Jets and Mogwai...

It’s fair to say this young fest hasn’t the best rep - the first was a disorganised debacle and the second one saw scenesters drowned in the apocalyptic rain - but what you can always count on is an eclectic line-up.

This year was no exception with Mercury-nominated goth band The Horrors, Santogold’s funk, fun from Mystery Jets and Michachu and the Shapes’ new material drawing the punters in, despite the rather ‘inclement’ conditions.

Yes, it bloody poured... again. Welcome, August and the Great British Summer. Still, it didn’t stop East End hipsters donning Rough Trade and Guardian ponchos (gives you an idea of the crowd) and heading out to Victoria Park.

The main stage may have gotten swampy, but luckily the tents were huge. Taking cover in the Bugged Out tent, you could check out Erol Alkan and Aeroplane DJs pumping out hot beats to a sticky and dripping crowd. Who cared about the nightmare rain?

Other highlights? The instrument-swapping Wild Beasts played bouncy indie-pop such as The Fun Powder Plot and Hooting and Howling from their new album Two Dancers. Plus, The Thing ticked the jaw-dropping jazzy punk box, Little Boots drew one of the biggest crowds of the day and Drums of Death, oh my god. His bass blew the tent’s roof off.

Mogwai’s lighting technician obviously had a word with the great controller in the sky as the downpour stopped just in time for the headliners’ blissful sunset sonic pyrotechnics. The Scottish post-rock band’s track Fear Satan sounded as awesome as it did 12 years ago.  Suddenly everything was red. Some had closed their eyes – open them, fools, and look at the darkening sky. It was epic.

This year the organisers got it right, they just couldn’t control the weather. Fingers crossed for next year.

Next day? Sunshine... typical.

By Lisa Goldapple