When it comes to Festival’s that offer an all-round package, we are running low on unused superlatives to describe our affection for Field Day. Since it’s inception in 2007 it has developed from its origins as a one-day affair and refined itself into an extended two-day extravaganza that crucially continues to value its original ethos as an experimental festival with expansive music programming and village-fete activities. With such a varied outlay of allures that stretch far beyond the music how many other festivals can proudly boast such qualities?
Yet away from the village green and the copious amount of team sports on offer there’s also the matter of an impressive variety of acts to wrap your ears around, with everyone from Caribou to Hudson Mohawke, & FKA Twigs to Ten Walls – in what can only be perceived as it’s widest-spanning line up to date.
With usual curators Eat Your Own Ears bringing over a variety of artist’s who have seldom been seen on UK shores including Future Brown, SOPHIE, Cashmere Cat & Chet Faker to name a few we could hardly be more amped for the takeover of Victoria Park. Crucially with the festivities only a few weeks away we took the opportunity to catch up with Field Day partner and Bugged Out founder Johnno Burgess, the man responsible for booking the stages to find out how it all began, favourite moments thus far, who to look out for this year and why nettle-eating competitions remain a must try…
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Hi John, thanks for taking the time to talk with us. With Field Day now recognized as one of the UK’s finest festivals, what were your original intentions and where did the idea come from?
The original idea came from a small event in Shoreditch Tom and Marcus Weedon put on in 2006 called Return to the Rural which was a similar mix of music and village fete style games that’s at the heart of Field Day.
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And now in it’s ninth year did you ever expect it to become such a success?
We started in 2007 so ten years next year! I think when you start any event you never know what’s going to happen, but in 2006 when the team was formed it felt right and that the parts would form a brilliant whole. I think what it’s become is a London festival that hopefully has a good chunk of the new acts that are on your must-see list for that year.
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The Festival’s programming has always been renowned for supporting alternative and indie artists equally of established and emerging status, has there been any difficulties or changes in the way you’ve curated the line up over the years?
We had Florence and the Machine first on at the first event and the xx played a very early show on the smallest stage before they went super nova. I don’t think our approach has changed really, we just try and get all the hot acts of that year we want to see – this year fka Twigs was very much at the top of our list with Caribou and Ben Klock. It’s interesting to see how dance music has evolved over the years with Justice at the first one, dubstep represented in 2008 and now Caribou closing the main stage where the likes of Franz Ferdinand have played before.
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Over the years the likes of SBTRKT, Benga, Mount Kimbie & Carl Craig have given us some unforgettable memories, looking back what’s been your personal highlights?
Jamie xx last year – the tent was brimful; Disclosure in 2013 – you could see almost half the site migrate towards the Bugged Out tent just before they went on; Chilly Gonzales was brilliant in 2010 him at the piano, flanked by two drummers, a really unique show. It’s always interesting to see which acts will go huge from the initial booking to them taking the stage in June like Future Island last year or Grimes in 2012 – suddenly the tent isn’t big enough for them. In terms of headline acts I thought Phoenix nailed it in 2009.
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Field Day has always been renowned for its fete-like activities including tug of war, egg and spoon and sack races within the village mentality area, what activities should we be preparing for this time around?
There’s a tenuous wildlife theme due to Caribou, Ride and ‘Horses’ performed by Patti Smith. I’m sure we’ll have the nettle-eating contest again too.
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Looking at the line up we can’t wait to see Caribou, FKA Twigs and Madlib to name a few, who are you most looking forward to watching?
I’m looking forward to Ten Walls and Daniel Avery going b2b with Andrew Weatherall, Hudson Mohawke’s new live show and Todd Terje & the Olsens on the main stage.
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Which emerging artists should we be looking out for?
The Tradiio stage will be good for that, artists have been winning a chance to play through the music discovery app – tradiio.com
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Furthermore what do you believe Field Day has got to do to make sure it remains the best festival of its kind in the UK?
Keep booking the most cutting edge artists that have emerged that year and continue to combine them with nettle eating competitions.
Remaining individual & weekend tickets for Field Day can be purchased online here.
Field Day line up – Saturday 6th June:
G. Cook/ Andrew Weatherall b2b Daniel Avery/Antix/ Astronomyy/ Awesome Tapes From Africa/ Bad Vibrations DJs/ Ben Klock b2b Marcel Dettmann/ Bok Bok/ Boxed In/ Caribou/ Cashmere Cat/ Cheatahs/ Chet Faker/ Clarence Clarity/ Clark – live/ Danny L Harle/ DJ Barely Legal/ Django Django/ Elijah & Skilliam/ FKA Twigs/ Floating Points/ Formation/ Frau DJs/ Fryars/ Future Brown/ Ghost Culture/ Hackney Colliery Band/ Hailu Mergia with Tony Buck & Mike Majkowski/ HONNE/ Hooton Tennis Club/ Hudson Mohawke – live/ Huw Stephens/ i-D DJs/ Jack Garratt/ Jagaara/ Jen Long DJ/ John Talabot/ Jolta/ Jungle – DJ/ Kindness/ Klaves/ LA Priest/ Lemmy Ashton/ Leon Vynehall/ LUKA/ Madlib – DJ/ Matthew and Me/ Max Tundra – DJ/ Mssingno/ Mumdance/ Murkage/ Nina Kraviz/ Owen Pallett/ Phil Taggart/ Philip Selway/ QT/ Rae Morris/ Rat Boy/ Ratking/ ReviveHER/ Run The Jewels – live/ SAOIRSE/ Shacklewell Arms DJs/ Shanti Celeste/ Shura/ SOPHIE – live/ Spector/ Sylvan Esso/ TÃLÃ/ Tei Shi/ Ten Walls – live/ Telegram/ Todd Terje & The Olsens/ Tom Baker Soundsystem/ Tom Ravenscroft/ Toumani & Sidiki Diabaté/ Tropics/ Tune-Yards/ Vaults/ Volte-Face/ Yossarian/ Yung Gud/ Zibra
Field Day line up – Sunday 7th June:
Allah-Las/ All Tvvins/ Andy Votel/ Bad Breeding/ Baxter Dury/ Bernard and Edith/ Beyond the Wizards Sleeve/ Cairobi/ Cut Ribbons/ DIIV/ DJ Haai/ Ducktails/ Eagulls/ Errors/ Ex Hex/ Gaz Coombes/ Gengahr/ Georgie Rogers/ Gulf/ Hælos/ Heavenly Jukebox/ Hookworms/ Jane Weaver/ Justin Robertson/ Kagoule/ Mac DeMarco/ Matthew E. White/ My Brightest Diamond/ Nimmo/ Outfit/ Pale/ Patti Smith & band perform Horses/ Peter Bibby/ Ride/ Savages/ Shacklewell Arms DJs/ Sonic Cathedral DJs/ Spring King/Tom Baker Soundsystem/ Toy/ Tuff Love/ Viet Cong/ Whilk & Misky/ Zun Zun Egui
Victoria Park, E3 London
You can buy Field Day tickets in person from the following outlets:
The Abbey Tavern – 124 Kentish Town Road, London, NW1 9QB
The Adam & Eve – 155 Homerton High Street, London, E9 6AS
The Beehive – Stoneleigh Road, London, N17 9BQ
The Chequers – 145 High Street, London, E17 7BX
Defector’s Weld – 170 Uxbridge Road, London W12 8AA
The Lock Tavern – 35 Chalk Farm Road, London, NW1 8AJ
Phonica – 51 Poland Street, London, W1F 7LZ
Piccadilly Records, 53 Oldham Street, Manchester, M1 1RJ
People’s Park Tavern – 360 Victoria Park Road, London, E9 7BT
Pub on the Park – 19 Martello Street, London, E8 3PE
Rough Trade East – Dray Walk, 91 Brick Lane, London, E1 6QL
The Shacklewell Arms – 71 Shacklewell Lane, London, E8 2EB
Sister Ray, 100 Shoreditch High Street, London, E1 6JQ
The Three Crowns – 175 Stoke Newington High Street, London, N16 0LH
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