I would like to start my review of Nozstock 2019 with a story. When I was 5 I had a picture book, it told the tale of a family at a picnic watching fireworks, I remember the painted fireworks looked so real they were almost moving across the illuminated sky, and seeing the silhouette of the family snuggled up together under a blanket made me feel so warm and loved.
I have just returned from Nozstock Festival 2019. Sitting on the hill on the closing day; feeling warmth from the incredible bonfire, sky lit with pink and gold fireworks and surrounded by families, friends and laughter, I remembered the picture book that has remained covered in dust in our attic for over 20 years; because I suddenly felt the same way I felt looking at those pictures all those years ago.
The truth is Nozstock is a fairy tale land, somehow it just doesn’t seem like it can be real, the rolling hills and the incredible backdrop make you feel like you have been dropped straight into a story book, you feel like anything is possible here, the rules don’t apply, and magic waits at every corner. For the first time in months I totally lost any sense of the time, commitments and work worries left my mind and even the sky and clouds seemed to move differently in the sky, big, beautiful and cartoon like.
The honest truth is I believe Nozstock is the best festival in the UK; It feels so genuine and is so relaxed, at the same time as bringing incredible line-ups, and some seriously fantastic sound. The cubicles stage which is a converted cow shed, has some of the best sound I have ever heard at an outdoor stage; the sound is crisp and seems at the same level from inside the shed, to right at the back of the yard; It really is incredible.
The Nozstock line-up manages to incorporate classic pre 90’s bands such as Soul II Soul and the Skatalites, at the same time as covering a solid DnB line-up, this means you have something for everyone, keeping the Festival a family affair, where the kids and parents can enjoy themselves equally, but at different stages.
You can walk a full loop of the festival in 15 minutes, yet you still seem to see something new every time; the human fruit machine and cinema to name just a few of the weird and wonderful, with actors in dress up dotted around to make you feel like part of the story; I have to give a shout out to the four girls dressed in swimming costumes offering out free washes in a kids paddling pool, and the guy in white pants writhing about in the mud, I can’t say I was expecting that.
Every year Noz opens up his home and his heart to us all, and I discovered this year that Noz and his family have never taken a penny from Nozstockl, they do it for the love and oh my goodness is shows! I really hope to see you next year, early bird tickets already available, check out all details below:
- Nozstock – The Hidden Valley 2020
- Thursday 23rd – Sunday 26th July 2020
- Super early bird tickets on sale now: https://nozstock.com/tickets/buy-tickets-online/
- www.nozstock.com @nozstock(Header image credit: Charlie Rimmer)
