zap! bang! Magazine

• Underhill Festival review

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  Balkan-themed music festivals are quite the rarity, as are ambitious small events that seek to expand. Underhill was both of those – and despite an approach that may not have glistened with glossy production it more than made up with a warm and welcoming vibe absent from many modern festivals. While the Balkan stage hosted acts from the UK scene, Bristol and Bournemouth promotions provided the DJs over two further tents in a Wiltshire field with Erol Alkan, Martyn, Alex Metric and Round Table Knights among the leading names performing. It didn’t quite go to plan at times, though the amateur mistakes could easily be avoided if Underhill Festival returns next year.

  Arriving early evening on Friday it quickly became clear that there had been some oversights. The music had started but there was plenty of site construction happening as fences were erected while it seemed many of the revellers were to arrive well into the first night’s entertainment. One glaring error was the presence of just three portaloos on the campsite for about a thousand people – not an ideal number. Even so, spirits were high as the happy campers got to know each other by dropping by each other’s group of tents and there was plenty of room to manoeuvres around guy ropes. Our party kicked backed and chilled out to soak up the atmosphere, then took a wander round the stages for a first look.

  Martyn’s hour was the finest of the weekend and ensured Underhillians went to bed with anticipation of the Saturday ahead.

  All the basics were present and correct – crisp sound in the tents instilled confidence for the headliners, the bars stoked Bath-produced cider and ale for that local flavour and there was just enough food stalls to provide fuel for the next 24 hours. Sadly Lone was unable to play on the Saturday, but Julio Bashmore’s acid house stylings brought with it a packed main tent for the Crazylegs crew before Friday’s headliner Martyn treated us to his new live show. The man famed for melding dubstep with techy influences has crafted inventive beats and bleeps on a funky tip that never seek your attention, but rather earn it. Martyn’s hour was the finest of the weekend and ensured Underhillians went to bed with anticipation of the Saturday ahead.

  Saturday proved a revelation at Underhill. The light rain, which had dampened spirits a little on Friday, gave way to bright sunshine while the artwork promised around the site had begun to take shape as graffiti artists got to work and luminous illustrations were hung in the main tent. A quick coffee and a campsite breakfast revived the senses and it was with some excitement we made it to Krafty Kuts and A-Skills for some dubstep and breaks to ease into the music. Party tunes were the order of the day early doors, though while many crowded into the main tent curated by Bristol’s Blowpop, even more opted to bask in the sun’s rays on the bank to the side where the music carried nicely. Elsewhere We Are Your Friends brought an eclectic mix of tunes ranging from drum and bass and dubstep to electro and house but attention was grabbed by the Balkan fun in the Balkanarama tent. There, belly dancers wobbled as Gypsy Hill presented their vibrant mix of trumpet, guitar, trombone, tuba drums, decks and laptop. They were a glowing advert for Balkan sounds, and sent the audience into a jumping frenzy.

  Underhill Festival created a community feel and could be one to watch next year for fans of intimate festivals.

  After the Balkan fun, it was time to get back to the Blowpop tent for a purple patch of Oliver $, Round Table Knights and the Zombie Disco Squad. Oliver $ and the Round Table Knights got the atmosphere revved up with their house sounds, though the Knights’ remix of Tensnake’s “Coma Cat” flattered to deceive. The Zombie Disco Squad surprised with a dash of hip hop before launching into their lively electro but as the lasers appeared ahead of the arrival of Erol Alkan disaster struck: there wasn’t the right equipment on stage for the headliner to perform. Thankfully up stepped Alex Metric to keep the audience sweet, but it was a major blow for many who had got themselves hyped for the big name on the Saturday night.

  Still, it didn’t spoil the atmosphere: for the second night in a row Underhill was alive and kicking until 4am. What was a shame was that Saturday marked the end of the event: it felt like the festival had just started to come together on the second day and then it was over. Better to go out on a high, some would say, and by the close Underhill organisers had shown they could generate a night-time playground, but perhaps needed to work more on the music and entertainment during the day. A few bands as a break from the dance music would have gone down well and it would have been nice to be able to get a coffee before heading home on the Sunday, yet all-in-all Underhill created a community feel and, with careful consideration of feedback, could be one to watch next year for fans of intimate festivals.

  Photography by Freya van Lessen.

by Mike Barnard