It's a Bank Holiday Sunday and I head to Get Loaded in the Park, Clapham Common's annual summer festival, praying that the overcast sky contains any hint of rain. The day is so far ideal for carefree revelling to a soundtrack of top-notch electronic beats – or so I imagine. The caveat about these kinds of events is that they always look better on paper.
For anybody serious about electronic music, you have to go with an open mind. Yes, the basic set-up is fairly flawless: Clapham Common is a good location and the organisation is decent, with friendly security, plenty of portable toilets, and several guarded posts offering free drinking water (so essential). Meanwhile, the layout is easy to navigate, with the main open-air stage and three accompanying tents all labelled and colour-coded. There are numerous food stalls and bars, and even a few fairground rides.
Nevertheless, you don't pay £40 plus booking fee just to feel grateful for toilet roll or the chance to ride on a giant rotating hammer. Get Loaded is thus worthwhile only if you've got a few artists you particularly want to see and a few likeminded friends. You have to be determined to get the most out of it, since there are several aspects that detract from the experience. One is subpar sound quality (especially with regards to the lack of bass) and another is the complete absence of information detailing times and line-ups.
Furthermore, innumerable artists are squeezed onto four stages during a mere eight-hour timespan, requiring many to limit their sets to a mere half-hour. The choice comes down to either staying put primarily at one stage, or sampling a sprinkling of artists without fully absorbing their sets – perfect only if you have an attention deficit.
As I wander the premises with two friends, I am also struck by how many people seem disinterested in the actual music. While there are still many genuine fans eager to catch a set from a favourite DJ or outfit, a lot of attendees are there to drink themselves silly in the trashiest of ways and their attitude isn't an especially convivial one.
But, ah well, what can you do? You've got to make your own fun and my friends I certainly do. We catch snippets of Royksopp, Krafty Kuts, Steve Aoki and Orbital, all of whom deliver heartfelt performances. Here are the artists whose sets I catch in their totality (or near-totality):
Miss Kittin & The Hacker
Kudos to the Get Loaded organisers for getting this evasive pair on board. The recent release of sophomore collaboration 'Two' means they're probably seeking to reignite interest in their brand of absurdist electro-clash, and if so, this is a solid effort. Sporting her infamous fringe, Miss Kittin emerges onto the Clash stage in a black sequined jumpsuit to join The Hacker, who's looking very focused, almost sombre, at the decks.
It's a short performance, but worth it for the chance to see classic track 'Frank Sinatra' performed live. The inane spoken vocals ('Do you know Frank Sinatra? He's dead, hahahaha!') and old-school synths capture their signature sound. New song 'Indulgence', although still good, proves a departure, with a spacier, more uptempo beat and reverb-laden vocals.
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Miss Kittin and The Hacker: brilliantly aloof.
Count on the Canadian glam-punk e-clasher to put on a totally insane show. Forty minutes at the Clash stage proves enough for three costume changes and a couple of gravity-defying antics. As ridiculous as she looks, bouncing out in a puffy red bodysuit and curly mohawk-style mullet, her unapologetic attitude instantly charms the crowd.
'My name is Peaches,' she exclaims nonchalantly to incessant cheers and flailing hands before breaking into a high-spirited rendition of 2006 single 'Boys Wanna Be Her', backed by her equally-ostentatious band, The Sweet Machine. Next she strips down into what looks like a skin-tight jester outfit and climbs one of the light towers at the side of the stage. She makes it high enough to kick an inflatable fireball adorning the tent ceiling before effortlessly climbing down – not at all bad for someone in her early 40s.
During new single 'Talk To Me' she confidently steps out onto the crowd, using hands like stones, and then crowd-surfs back to the stage. Donning an Ewok-like hooded cloak, she goes out with a bang, performing breakthrough track 'Fuck the Pain Away', which everyone seems to be at least somewhat familiar with (i.e. they know the dirty parts). For my friends and I, Peaches' performance is the highlight of the day.
Frenchman Garnier has been around since the late 80s and is considered a pioneer in the tech-house movement, hence his headliner status at Get Loaded. Billed last at the Clash tent, I expect something really spectacular, especially as he has two co-performers onstage. However, instead of keeping to a techno sound, his set splatters across multiple genres with no sense of cohesion or consistency. A dubstep beat erupts into drum and bass infused with grating jazz instrumentals, which just as suddenly grinds to a halt to make way for a tech-house offering. Exasperated by such directionless eclecticism, I walk out.
I'm able to catch most of Italian duo Crookers, the last act at the Dim Mak tent. They don't DJ much in these shores, so I appreciate the chance to catch them. Their sound is nothing too innovative, but it's hella fun. Part of the so-called 'fidget house' movement, they spin a lot of bassline tracks with big beats and hip-hop vocals, which amps up the crowd. It's precisely the kind of stuff you'd rather hear at 2am on a Friday night on a proper sound system, but what the hey.
My only complaint is that I anticipate a finale centred on big remix hit 'Day N Nite' by Kid Cudi, but instead they tease us by putting on the opening beat, sucking out the bass and blasting out a... Madness song. Not a remix, or a mash-up, or a vocal sample – just the track itself. I take my cue and exit, but you can bet the less distinguishing side of the crowd (i.e. 80 per cent of those there) start skanking like it's 1982. Woteva!
Anyone else who was at Get Loaded, please feel free to comment or share your take on the event, especially if you caught Carl Craig and the Innerzone Orchestra, Booka Shade or MSTRKRFT.
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