After a slow line-up of soul and reggae on day one, Saturday’s eclectic mix of attendees was a far cry from the theatrics of Cleo Sol and Chronnixx.
It was notably much busier too, as long queues formed at every bar and toilet on site while everyone took breaks from two-stepping.
Kicking off the day were the deep jungle sounds of 4am Kru and Nia Archives, both utilising well-known samples combined with heavy bassline.
A short break for a delicious truffle filled burger at – you guessed it, Truffle – gave my weary legs a rest ahead of a star-studded evening.
Overmono kept the East Stage ticking with his euphoric beats and hip-hop samples – dazzling the crowd which then swiftly fled for Sammy Virji.
The best act of the day, Virji’s energy and seamless transitioning made for an unbelievable set with non-stop raving. My last time seeing the red-hot DJ was at Sheffield University student union, and it’s safe to say he has stepped up.
Dance legends Chase & Status were a fantastic finale, shutting down the East Stage with help from special guests Tom Grennan, IRAH, Flowdan and Trigga.
Classics like End Credits and Blind Faith wowed attendees who sung along – all the way to their newest beats.
You ain’t got a ‘Backbone was a mantra for the crowd as flames shot skywards, and Gunfinger (Salute) roared across the field from Takura, Trigga and Irah.
Then there was a showstopper with Grennan careening up and down the stage during All Goes Wrong. “Make some noise for Chase & Status,” he shouted as he exited to a fantastic pyrotechnic show.
Sault and Cleo Sol arguably lacked momentum for their headline performance, and this was the opposite. It was non-stop, fast-paced filthy dance music, that even my friends who don’t like the genre thoroughly enjoyed.
As the sun went down and the light show ensued, very few headed home early, hoping to hear just one more song. There was no need for story lines or messages, it was pure dance music.
