Tom Armstrong heads down to Greenwich for the latest addition to London's day festival circuit.
The capital's house and techno scene couldn’t be better represented than across the four main stages at Area 12 today, as Eastern Electrics bring their first all-day festival to a sun drenched Greenwich Peninsula. Complementing the combined might of the Crosstown Rebels and Hot Creations stables on the main stage are renowned promoters Black Atlantic, 2020 Vision and Krankbrothers, who take a tent each.
I manage to catch the tail end of Mark ‘MK’ Kinchen's mid-afternoon slot in an already packed Black Atlantic tent, the Detroit veteran signing off with the familiar sound of 'Burning' before house giant Kerri Chandler appears behind the decks and bursts into a string of bass heavy gems. Personally I prefer Kerri when he’s soulful, dropping in the big gospel choruses and the messages of love, but he’s giving the people what they want and they’re lapping it up, with Intruder’s 'Amame', already something of a modern classic, an early peak. I love to see legends like Kerri taking it to a young crowd. It’s important for house music to have these transitional figures acting as a meeting point for generations old and new - something Kerri and Black Atlantic seem to understand perfectly.
Out of a combination of duty and curiosity I wander over to the main stage to the Crosstown Rebels camp. I can just about make out a suggestion of dancing in between the ‘burbs ravers posing and pouting for photos, but as expected the atmosphere is pretty flat. It’s a shame as I’ve always thought Maceo Plex, Jamie Jones and co are incredibly talented producers and DJs, and the Azari & III live show should be entertaining with Cedric and Fritz prancing across the stage in their glittering get-ups, but the ‘roids and WAGs are all too much and I won’t be going back in a hurry.
Throughout the rest of the festival however, the atmosphere is superb. The disco persuasions of Crazy P and Greg Wilson meet the eclecticisms of hirsute Edwardian genius Andy Weatherhall in the 2020 tent, which thankfully is roomier than the rest, and the techno hub which is the Krankbrothers’ dome is dark and atmospheric.
But no matter how far I wander, the pull of Black Atlantic is difficult to resist, so it’s back in time for Joy Orbison to play the sort of set you'll hold in a wee for. If the mark of a true DJ is the ability to read a crowd, Joy is masterful. Cutting an unassuming figure behind the decks compared to the beaming charisma of Kerri and MK before him, he jumps between flashes of past present and future garage. Blawan’s 'Getting me Down' segues into Antonio’s 'Hyperfunk', with the biggest cheers coming when the classics drop.
Musically it’s a day for big festival crowd pleasers; none of the DJs, Joy included, are taking risks but nobody seems to mind, especially with CJ Bolland’s 'Sugar is Sweeter' blasting through the place.
Unfortunately the billed FOUND tent has failed to materialize which means no Miguel Campbell, so I decide on Julio Bashmore, again in the Black Atlantic tent, to take me to the finish line instead. By this time though, the area is hugely overcrowded, with barely enough room to breathe never mind dance. This is the one and only negative point of the day (other than my ruined trainers. We were promised concrete – we got mud), it’s obvious when a tent is too busy, but without any visible crowd control people are still going to try their luck and get in anyway, which leads to mass discomfort for everybody. The problem is almost solved however when 'Au Seve' almost takes the roof off and the four walls with it.
Despite these few teething problems with overcrowding which can easily be worked on next year, I’m massively impressed by the inaugural Eastern Electrics festival. Excellently curated and professionally run. Positives all round.
The winners: Joy Orbison. Black Atlantic. Team EE.
The losers: People watching the Olympics. “What was Kerri Chandler like Granddad?” “Don’t know son, I couldn’t tear myself away from the mixed doubles table tennis.” My trainers.
Click here to return to Spoonfed's clubbing homepage.
Images courtesy of www.sophiawhitfield.com
Add an event
Micky Flanagan, The Lumberjacks & Kevin Eldon: Editor's Choice - Comedy
Tuesday 28th-Wednesday 29th MayMicky Flanagan: Back in the Game @ New Wimbledon TheatreExtra Wimbledon T...