Global Gathering 2012: Review

Friday 27th to Saturday 28th July 2012 - Global Gathering @ Long Marston Airfield, Stratford Words: Craig Muff

Bass fiends, house enthusiasts and trance addicts – for all manner of electronic dance music fans, Global Gathering is the hot ticket of the year. Over 60,000 eager ravers make their way to Long Marston Airfield in Warwickshire every year for their chance to experience some of the world’s most in-demand acts and DJs.

The airfield itself makes for a fascinating backdrop to this festival, with abandoned ‘planes and aircraft hangars incorporated as quirky hide-outs and food stalls for those who venture away from the main attractions of the arena. Far out of the way from the sleepy, picturesque town of Stratford-upon-Avon, the Global site takes on a very different atmosphere for the weekend, as the masses anticipate soaring beats and brutal bass.

A fortunate blessing of scorching sunshine on Friday afternoon set the tone for the weekend, as the performers began to make their appearances across the festival’s multitude of stages and arenas. Tranquil, chilled-out vibes from the likes of TOTALLY ENORMOUS EXTINCT DINOSAURS in the Electric tent were set to contrast with some heartier bass-driven beats from ROSKA & JAMIE GEORGE and vibrant offerings from the House arena from producers such as ROB GUSON and R3HAB.

With the festival truly in full swing, a host of the expectant masses made their way to the main stage to experience something entirely different in the form of rapper and vocalist, MAVERICK SABRE. In amongst the pounding of elevating synths and electronic creations from elsewhere, the Hackney-born singer-songwriter worked his way through a blend of acoustic guitar and R&B vocals. Announcing to the crowd “I know this is a dance festival, but who wants to hear a bit of soul?” before playing singles such as ‘I Need’ and ‘Let Me Go’, Sabre provided a relaxing and welcome break for some.

For a seamlessly-organised festival, one potential stumbling point for attendees could present itself in the ruling that no alcohol is to be taken into the campsite. The reasoning behind this becomes clear to the more cynical amongst us, as the campsite bars open with the eye-watering price tag of £4.50 for a 500ml bottle of lager. Prices aside, it is easy for the hordes to overcome this minimal gripe as the atmosphere in the sites remains elated and the spirits high.

For the drum & bass fans, Friday was all about the arrival of Alive, the live show of the genre’s veteran, ANDY C. The full-to-capacity UKF tent were not disappointed as the DJ powered relentlessly through a set full of his trademark stomach-turning bass and creative remixes. The live element of the show is also a sight to behold with visuals controlled by the man himself suspended above the stage, and blasts of ice-cold air directed into the expectant crowds.

The UKF stage’s special guest eventually made way to the energetic dubstep stylings of KNIFE PARTY. Originally intended as a side-project for Rob Swire and Gareth McGrillen, since the official announcement that Pendulum were to split, the duo have been focusing all of their attention on the new venture. However, with little more than a handful of UK live shows under their belts, the duo took to the decks with much of the crowd not entirely sure what to expect. However, their modified sound, with more than little hints of Pendulum, but with the added layering of electro-house and dubstep influences, went down a treat with the party-ready fans that had made their way into the depths of the UKF crowds as the sun set on the first evening of Global Gathering 2012. The pair played tracks from both of their EP releases, including the online hit ‘Internet Friends’ as well as ‘Centipede’ and a host of other big, bold mixes.

The decision as to which late-night set to choose proved an issue for many as TINIE TEMPAH played the first main stage headline slot of the weekend, before ANNIE MAC closed the Electric tent, Skream and Benga pulled together MAGNETIC MAN to finish proceedings in the Rinse tent and the ever-controversial SKRILLEX saw out the UKF crowds in style. As always, the latter’s somewhat eclectic set divided opinion straight down the middle as some applauded his admirably enormous sounds and others dismissed it as an ear-drum-shredding offence to the senses. One thing that can be said about Skrillex is that he certainly provokes discussion amongst electronic music fans; the debates regarding his merits were there to be heard around the festival site long after his stint on stage had finished.

Thousands of bleary-eyed revellers emerged from their tents on the Saturday morning to be greeted by another glorious day (the only rain of the event in fact came as the campers scrambled to get out on Sunday).

In the Metropolis tent – freshly branded for the start of a new day – NORTH BASE made a difficult midday set look easy as they doubled the viewing crowds many times over with their old-school brand of junglist drum & bass. Following the outfit on stage were CITIZEN, a fascinating live drum & bass band who were let down considerably by their poor sound set-up and overpowering female vocals.

Following on from the success of their recent number one single, RUDIMENTAL made an early afternoon appearance, producing one of the crowd-pleasing moments of the festival as they encouraged a full sing-a-long of ‘Feel the Love’.

The varied nature of Global Gathering means that there really is something for everyone – usually on at the same time. In fact, the compactness of the two-day festival means that clashes are perhaps an issue for many as huge acts of all dance music genres play off against each other on stages just yards apart.

An exclusive back-to-back house and techno set from JORIS VOORN and NIC FANCIULLI mesmerised into the early hours with smooth beats and a captivating psychedelic light-show. This came long after CHASE & STATUS continued their festival dominance this summer by closing out the main stage for the weekend. Thousands came out to see the duo spin tracks such as ‘Flashing Lights’ and to utilise the vocals of Plan B on ‘Pieces’ and ‘End Credits’. They, as always, produced a huge set which is certain to get the crowds bouncing and left them wanting more as the main stage arena was closed off before midnight struck.

Global Gathering may appeal to a niche market in that it is a dance music festival, yet what you can only really experience by visiting is just how varied the musical options are for the punters. Be it house, techno, trance, drum & bass or dubstep that takes your fancy, you can be sure to find it her in Warwickshire every July.