REVIEW: BRISTOL WE THE PEOPLE FESTIVAL (JUNE 4-5, 2011)
A few years ago I attended the first ever Field Day festival in London where the planners had decided that half a dozen toilets and a small bar, manned by two people, were enough for several thousand people for the day. I wonder what their reaction was to people with beer can shaped t-shirts and the sight of hundreds of people urinating against the fence, in the bushes and against the trees.
We The People was the first outing for the two day long festival held on the Bristol harbourside. With between three and five thousand people turning up to each day, did it avoid similar first time issues? Well, I didn’t queue for the toilets or for more than 5 minutes for a drink but I did hear several revelers complaining about the ticket debacle. They bemoaned the fact that some of them paid half the amount that others did. A fair point but one that was drowned out by the heavy base from acts such as Example, who started half an hour late. They got the crowds bouncing to the regular MWAM MWAM MWAM. A great set from a formidable performer.
From here I walked over to Waterfront Square and was given my first and hopefully not last taste of Bristol legend DJ Derek. The animated OAP smoked, drank and rapped along to his reggae and RnB tunes. He oggled, not letched, over the women at the front while everyone else waited for his next witticism. A high point was Annie Mac whose set of foot stomping, arm waving dance tunes and obvious enthusiasm attracted more people over to pack the space in front of the main stage. The headliners for Saturday were Chase and Status. With the drink flowing the industrial grind and explosive tunes were a fitting end.
The weather took a horrendous turn for the worse on Sunday, which would’ve undoubtedly put off any people thinking of buying tickets on the gate. But for the hundreds of Streets fans who turned out to see one of the acclaimed group’s last ever gigs it would’ve taken a hurricane to hold them back. The overall vibe was a lot more mellow with a much older crowd than on the Saturday, guess the kids all had school the next day. The second day of the brand new festival, played host to the likes of reggae legend Lee Scratch Perry, who put in a similarly tired performance as he had at ATP in Minehead a few weeks ago. Beardyman wowed the crowd with his beatboxing before the headliners showed everyone who it was done with a slick performance.
Not a bad first go…especially if you were one of those who managed to get half price tickets or win one in our competition!
Words: Richard Hogg
Photos: Laura Palmer
Video: Georgette Keane
