This weekend, from the 20-22nd of July, I was lucky enough to
attend the best birthday party of the summer; the 10th anniversary of the
Secret Garden Party. What originally began a decade ago as an invitation only
private garden party has developed into a marvellously eccentric
weekend of music, art, food and fun. Luckily for the 30,000 festival goers, or
'gardeners' as they are affectionately referred to, the festival has managed to
maintain the adjectives that give it its name: it remains relatively unknown,
and the line-up is strong yet not over publicised; it unfolds a
midst the beautiful Cambridgeshire countryside with a
picturesque lake as its centre piece; and, above all, it is a party arguably
second to none.
The festival has many attractions, including a giant paint fight
and a lake you can swim in. This lake also has a stage in the middle which is
ceremoniously burnt down on the Saturday night for the punters pyromaniac
pleasure. However, although it is not necessarily at the heart of the weekend,
the variety of good quality music performed across the unique stages is not overshadowed
by pure hedonistic joy. Here's a breakdown of my two favourite acts from the
weekend.
King Charles
Until you have heard King Charles, it is hard to imagine his
original blend of folk, rock n' roll and pop-electro, all performed with
the spearhead of an egocentric lead singer. In his prime on stage the ‘King’ often
looks like a blur of flying dreadlocks. This was the second time that I'd seen
King Charles this summer, the first being at the Latitude festival, and it
is indisputably the case that his performance at SGP on the Where the Wild Things Are stage was head and shoulders above the
other, and not just because I watched from above. The stage was enchantingly entwined
in a delicate wooden structure, but not so delicate to prevent me climbing up
and marvelling from above as the West Londoner captivated his
audience with his skilful guitar solos, poetic lyrics and pop melodies. He
performed with a slightly tongue-in-cheek arrogance which left many teenage
girls in the crowd (and to my surprise some fully grown men!) screaming for
more.
This acoustic rendition of 'Love is the Cure' demonstrates the
soulful lyricism which won him the prestigious International Song writing
Competition in 2009, which has been judged by the likes of Tom Waits, Robert
Smith and Adele. http://www.virginmedia.com/music/video/player/king-charles/love-is-the-cure-(live-acoustic)/1341407192001/#vid-1341407192001
However, for a better idea of what the gardeners at SGP
experienced, listen to his song 'Lady Percy' http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slm3BcOqMlk
Lianne La Havas
Although I missed Lianne's full performance at SGP I made sure I
was present for her breathtakingly intimate acoustic set on the Living Room stage. This area imitated a
living room with sofas to sit on, and although I was stuck on the muddy floor, my
wet bum was quickly forgotten as Lianne strolled on stage and cemented herself
as one of my favourite artists. Her skillful blues-esque guitar playing and
perceivable confidence in her own ability meant that Lianne gave off the
impression of being born to play music. Looking relaxed, and playing virtually the
whole set with a smile on her face, are two examples of the many endearing qualities
she possesses- she was definitely gifted with more than her fair share.
The first time I saw Lianne was whilst watching Later with
Jools Holland where she
performed her song ‘Age’. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYDhQdzo4Io
I find that when Lianne naturally drops the cute girl persona and
transforms into a strong woman that she is most captivating. At SGP, it was when
she was reaching for the tough notes in her song 'Forget' that the
smile disappeared and was replaced by a steely strength. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPrdfvBVaA8
So yeah, they're my shouts for the weekend! But the Secret Garden
Party is amazing not solely because of the great music, the stunning scenery, or the
casual nakedness you encounter- what makes it truly remarkable
is simply the spectacle of an awesome party!
