After the staggering void left behind in my soul after the events of last year, I’d been counting down the days to be back on the road to Bygrave Woods. It was time, getting wiggy with the woodland warriors again was an endeavour long overdue. Needless to say, Farr popped again.
Unfortunately I had to endure the entirely unnecessarily longevity of my graduation on the Friday, so actually missed out on the whole first night and just about navigated my way through the campsite as Booka Shade finished their set over in the forest. It was deep to endure, and what do you know, I’m still unemployed. So the truth of it is I missed out on General Levy shredding Farr so that my Mum could cry as I shook someones hand on stage who probably somehow harbours a disinterest in me just about greater than mine in him.
We pitched our tent with some lovely strangers after unsuccessfully locating our pals, handed out a bunch of In-Reach stickers, wolfed down a truffle burger from the incredible Le Bun and headed into the woods. What I love about Farr is that the crowd are so down to earth… None of that ‘Yahhh I’ve been coming since the first yarrrr, it’s so mainstream now, do you know what I mean? Oh wagwarn Henry? Yahhhh I think we should boycott next yar to make a statement’ – I have no time for those people. What I want is someone shouting ‘MATE YOU CAN’T TAKE THE TURNIPS FROM THE FIELD’ to a bewildered girl at 5am for telling everyone she’s vegan and was planning to, well, steal turnips from the field. And that is precisely what I got.
Helena Hauff was the highlight of Farr for me last year in terms of her set, so this year when she was halfway through her set and me and Dan were vibing at the back in our own state of reminiscent bliss, I was both ecstatic and appalled to see my long-lost crew wading through the crowd to sweep us off to DJ Tennis at The Shack. Now, that is arguably my favourite stage at Farr (a very hard choice after the addition of The Factory), but the children’s clothes on hanging lines above the crowd is so creepy I don’t know why they’re there! And I actually love Helana Hauff. However my crew did not dissapoint me, that was my first time seeing Tennis but it definitely will not be my last. He actually looked primal behind the decks, like he was doing it for survival, like nothing else existed besides the set-up in front of him. Fantastic end to the night.
The next day was spent much in recovery, with me limboing between trying to go home and being made to stay (admittedly with little resistance) by my friends. I had a beer festival to attend and a lift to get me there but, try as I might, leaving at noon kept getting pushed back until I finally managed to sneak away at Two AM. I had work at eight AM on Sunday. Trust me it was far from ideal, but if I done it again I’d do it all the same.
On Saturday we rolled around the stages enjoying the sun, listening to moosic and eating as much food as we could. Work to Goodness Gracious Vegan and Chicken Shack (you can’t always be good) for bringing me back round bright and rosy. We went from chilling in the Hidden Forest listening to the wave of Omar-S to switching our footwork sideways at Todd Terje in an absolutely packed Factory stage.When it got a touch too busy to keep all twelve of us together, we made tracks to The Shack to catch the last quarter of Stealth resident Willow’s set, which she ended with this unprecedentedly beautiful wibbly wobbly tune I’ve left for you below.
It was a true shame that I had to leave for work the next day, I didn’t get to make the most of the whole event all in all, like I only tried three food stalls. But to be honest this was planned as a day trip after graduation on Friday with an early leave Saturday morning, so the fact that I ended up finishing the night at a euphoric halfway lull in Floating Points set is a result for me.
Cheers for having us Farr Fest, we look forward to next year.
As always big up Hustle PR too.
Finally, big thanks to Willow for sorting me out the song name in the aftermath.
Peace, Franklin.
