At long last we can say festivals are back in full swing this summer. Many festival goers might be feeling pessimistic as to whether the complete festival experience will remain, but if you tired of seeing the same old scenery 😉 then book the next South Facing event ASAP!
Over the years I have ventured to many festivals and found that any top festival must excel in these major categories; Music, Venue, Crowd and Food & Drink. I went there investigating how each of these aspects would perform.
Music: 4⁄5
It is fair to say the line-up for South Facing festival wasn’t as stacked as other festival similar but boy did it deliver. Truthfully that is down to the headliner, Dizzee Rascal and The Outlook Orchestra. Before we get into his performance we must dissect the rest of the line-up.
Not going to name names but the majority of the acts were there to warm up the crowd and struggled to do so. Shout out to Dreya Mac & Sir Spyro however, for shelling it. It wasn’t the first time I saw the special guest Ghetts preform at a festival and I doubt it will be the last. If you’re a fan of his music I am sure he is incredible, if you’re a fan of music you can appreciate what he is doing, if your neither… you’re just waiting for him to finish.
Now time for the main event of the evening. Dizzee Rascal! What.A.Show. It was everything I was hoping for from a Dizzee Rascal set and more. The live band added an extra element of greatness and grandness. Fitting for one of the great UK artists. On top of that he was given an hour and twenty minutes (often rare for a headliner) which he filled with all his bangers. There was a sense of relief when he opened with ‘Just a Rascal’ and from then on, he dropped tune after tune after tune.
Venue: 3.5/5
Crystal Palace Bowl is a historic venue, previously hosting some huge legends such as Bob Marley. Looking up the venue looks like beforehand I was a bit disappointed that the stage wasn’t surrounded by a pond, that if the mood was right we could all jump in. Instead we got a moat. Having said this the venue was what you would expect for a small one-day event. Short queues getting in and even shorter ones getting to the toilets.
I was very impressed with the sound system they had and overall that is the most important thing. The areas they could improve on though would have to be the light and entrainment system. It was a bit dull, a lack of fireworks, smoke, lasers, confetti. But that’s just me being picky.
Crowd: 2.7/5
I was quick to realise I was in the younger demographic for this festival, excluding the couple of infants being treated to their first live music event. It was fair enough considering Dizzee’s catalogue stretches back 25 years. Throughout the day the crowd interaction was almost non-existent. It was not the sort of festival where you are constantly wondering off to make friends and start dancing with strangers. Many people prepared for a sit down do and had bought along their own blankets. It wasn’t until Ghetts turned up that the crowd quickly followed.
Food & Drink: 4⁄5
DANK. The food was dank. And that would remain the same no matter how much you drank. They had more choices of cuisine than a Lanzarote hotel but with the street food quality that gets you excited to spend the high prices. I would highly recommend the cheesy chips and pizza.
With the drink you still have to pay the stupid prices that as festival goers we have come to accept. But they have great options. From beer to canned rum and coke, the bar has you covered.
Overall: 3.6/5
Oh, what a day.
Photography By Luke Dyson
Oscar Green
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