B Live 2005 vs. Fruitstock 2005
With London being loved up
with so many festivals this summer – it can be hard to decide which
ones are worth your while. So, to help keep you in the know and to
assist you in making informed decisions we attended two festivals so
you know where to head in 2006.
Clapham Common (easily accessible
by tube or bus) was the venue for B Live 2005 which featured live
headline acts by the Grammy award winning Spanish Harlem Orchestra,
legendary DJ Paul Oakenfold and funk delicious Jamiroquai.
This year’s three day festival was held on the weekend of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd
of July. Tickets were available for daily attendance or a weekend
pass could be purchased allowing access for the entire festival at a
cheaper rate.
The cash machines inside the venue were heaven
sent and the numerous food stalls catered for everyone from burger
lovers to curry munchers and even offered a variety of vegetarian
dishes. Bars were conveniently located nearby main event areas and a
couple of tanks filled with drinking water were made freely available
to keep avid party-goers happy and refreshed.
The Strongbow
Rooms made for a stylish chill out area while the Bacardi (sponsors of
the event) B-Bar spared no expense in providing a trendy party space.
Tents around the main stage housed the musical bliss of world renowned
Ministry of Sound and reputed record label Hed Kandi.
The
festival got off to a slow start and was and the performances on the
main stage was largely disappointing with only a few acts making the
night worthwhile including the head line act from New York, Alex Wilson
& His R & B Latino Project and an excellent display by the
Capoeira masters.
On Saturday those not fortunate enough to
attend Bob Geldof’s Live 8 concert poured into the common. For the
better part of the day main stage events were undermined by the stylish
sets effortlessly provided by the Hed Kandi team. Audio Bullys enjoyed
great support from the audience and we were all there to witness
a thrilling set by Oakenfold.
Closing night saw the Common
bombarded by fans eager to welcome Jamiroquai back to stage after a
break from performing in what became the highlight of the event. His
performance was magnificent and essentially made the entire experience
worthwhile.
VS
Fruitstcock 2005 in Regents
Park is a free festival of music, smoothies and other attractions. All
proceeds go to charity which means you get to party for a good cause.
It was held from the 6th to the 7th
of August on the Gloucester Green which is within walking distance from
tube stations and there are several buses that pass the park en route.
Saturday
seemed to be a gentle beginning as the crowd consisted of mostly
friends and family enjoying picnics and laid back music. A separate
area was dedicated entirely to kids which kept them safely entertained.
Attractions for the day included free Yoga lessons for
beginners, massages (at a price) by Neal Yard’s Remedies and a flirting
area which drew a great deal of attention from single hopefuls.
A
Mumm Champagne tent provided stylish seating to enjoy it’s lavish
bubbly whilst the range of fresh foods on sale kept people coming back
for more.
Giles Peterson delivered a phenomenal set and made a
fantastic compere. The soulful music of The Rebirth (who were available
for autographs after their gig) eased us into the sounds of Alice
Russell, newcomer Nate James and multi talented Nitin Sawhney.
The DJ tent provided a range of beats and saw Hed Kandi kicking it at yet another hot event this summer.
What
seemed to be a soft start rocketed into an enormous crowd with a
healthy appetite for all that was on offer the next day.
Live
acts from renowned Alex Wilson was a definite favourite but
extraordinary performances by Kari Kleiv, Hal and the awe inspiring US3
kept the crowd roaring with enthusiasm.
Free entertainment of
this caliber is enough to seduce anyone away from the telly and what
better way to spend a summery weekend?
