We Are FSTVL

Neo95gt said:
Does it get warmer there deeper into the summer season?
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Not necessarily - depends on the year. UK weather is hopelessly unpredictable. Sometimes it can be p!ssing down and 15 degrees all July other times you can get a 23 degree "heatwave" in April. Usually on a Tuesday or Wednesday .... that's why Brits run abroad in the Summer .. they get fed up of putting the cover on the BBQ every weekend.

Neo95gt said:
What are rockstars and are those ballons for laughing gas? Is that legal there?
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Rockstars are basically E's. Laughing gas is (strictly) illegal to sell but legal to take in UK - but sales at festivals are not policed much.

Neo95gt said:
I got VIP too. It was nice to have the access to those stages obviously and the nice bathrooms. But I agree, the rest of the stuff was a little silly. The reason why Circoloco was dead from 4-6 is that around that time the speakers cut out for like an hour. I was actually surprised how quickly the tent filled back up after being completely empty while the techs worked shit out. Agreed about Solomun....I took a visit and he was playing some weird stuff for him, dubstep and more mainstreamy stuff....I know it was main stage but, ugh. Thought Ricardo was very good too. He needs to relax on the mixing mistakes too. I know he likes making mistakes, but sometimes it's a little much and ruins the vibe. As for Luciano's tent, very strange. I think that tent was in a rough spot. It was such a nice day and everyone wanted to be outside, so they would just keep walking next door to Cocoon. Once Luciano came on though, the tent filled right up and I couldn't leave. His sound just makes you want to dance and party....a few of those new unreleased cadenza tracks are pretty epic and they matched up nicely with my peak :lol: Missed Adam Beyer though, wonder how that was.
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If I remember right it was Matty Tanzmann who blew the decks up - was at the front dancing at the time. Didn't bother staying to see if it got fixed and went wandering off. Only returned when Apollonia were on just before leaving and was really not in the mood after Vath ! I think you're right about the Luciano tent and the weather to some extent - but went into Desperados to see TEED and it was dark as anything but rammed. So was the Andy C tent and that RAM records stuff has a huge following in UK especially with the younger crowd. So I think it was as much the crowd mix there that day. Must admit none of the Cadenza line-up is my bag, especially after Cocoon, and I get a bit fed up of Luciano as he's too commercial for my tastes overall but he does have his moments that's for sure. I haven't been fussed with Adam Beyer recently tbh. Reckon Lawler would have stolen the show if I'd stayed on. Would have stayed if I hadn't had to drive so far home.
 
Was there for the full weekend myself, we stayed in Leyton, bit of a pain for getting in and out to the festival but done us fine. I have to completely disagree about Solomun! He did drop the tempo a bit too much after Tiga, but he built it beautifully over the hour and went a lot more deeper and techno based than he usually does, really enjoyed his set (and he didn't play any dubstep ha). The atmosphere was pretty poor at the main stage though (on both days) Seen Solomun, Martinez Brothers, Maya Jane Coles and Richie Hawtin at the main stage. I agree with you on Sven Vath kimajy, he was absolutely terrific for the 3 hours at the Cocoon stage, and it was going off there, the atmosphere was good! Even a good as when he was at the Arches for Pressure a few years back. You really should have went and seen Steve Lawler after him, because he was without a doubt the highlight of the weekend for us, his set along with that Desperados tent, subtle lights and nice and dark was superb. We spent a little time in the defected and toolroom tent on both days (only because they were open later than the rest to 00.30 both days), but they were both jam packed!! Probably due to the fact they are up there with the most popular labels in London area. Guti was pretty good in the defected tent though! All in all a decent weekend and festival! (still not a patch on subclub or Ibiza though haha)
 
Just wasn't feeling the Solomun set - to the extent I couldn't bear to stay with what I was hearing tbh ... it's down to taste these things and unfortunately the track selection he went for wasn't for me for the time I was willing to hang around.

I knew Lawler would tear the roof off. Keep missing him latterly - somehow always conflicts with trying to be sensible on a stolen weekend ! Need to see him in Ibiza on a night where I'm already reconciled to a late one.

Agree that no UK festival matches your favourite club or a great night in Ibiza ... but beggars can't be choosers, and the older you get with the more responsibilities you have to balance up the more of a beggar you wind up becoming :rolleyes: ;)
 
A very reliable source who was working the overpriced, understocked bar said it had zero atmosphere, was crawling with dickheads, had over zealous/thieving security and carl cox played half-arsed techno. So no surprises there then...
 
Pablo Montez Junior said:
A very reliable source who was working the overpriced, understocked bar said it had zero atmosphere, was crawling with dickheads, had over zealous/thieving security and carl cox played half-arsed techno. So no surprises there then...
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I really enjoyed myself, had no issues with the bar or security.

Used & Tent stole the show for me. Great production aswell.

Highlights were Loco Dice, Adam Beyer and Masters At Work.
 
I was there Saturday and still suffering... I thought it was better than last year didn't see any problems at all - security was tight seen a few people get sniffed out by that dog but got back in .. Defected and love juice were quality ! Was a different crowd to last year but still well worth it
 
Went Saturday and thought it was awful. Decent sets from Andrea oliva, loco dice and hot since 82 but the rest of it left much to be desired. Won't bother again.
 
Went on Sunday and, though it was far from being a great festival, it was good enough for the price we paid.

Spent most time in Paradise tent. Arrived to the 2 Geordies wAFF & Patrick Topping going B2B. Both did a sterling job early doors, especially as the weather took a turn for the worse and everybody piled inside to shelter. Next-up Jackmaster - seen him better to be honest. Claude von Stroke followed and played a cracking set. Really rated it. Carola took a while to get going - didn't help that we'd ventured to the very front of the stage. Too many people coming-and-going, ruined our vibe. Quick refreshment break and then regrouped towards the back. The last half hour of Carola was top drawer. Carola doing what he does best as the clouds parted and the sun finally made an appearance - set up the finale perfectly.

Jamie Jones ended proceedings, and it was my fav set of the day. He's on top form at the moment. Killer set at Time Warp DE, and this was up there too. Great end to the day. We drove home satisfied. Festival season underway!

Also ventured to Cocoon Warehouse on a few occasions - really disappointed with the sound quality here. Peripheral was terrible - nowhere near loud enough. Asking about it seemed that this hadn't been a problem the day before for Used + Abused so I wonder if they had noise complaints? Saw a bit of Villalobos and a bit of Sven. But the poor sound made-up opt for (the much louder) Paradise tent.

Pros:
- Bulmers Red cider instead of that Applesby tripe they sell at most UK festivals!
- Jamie Jones
- Claude von Stroke

Cons:
- ... Okay, so it was a premium brand of cider - good. But can size 330ml!!!! And same price - £5! Outrageous. Other rip-offs - programme lanyards £10!!!!! I would resent paying a fiver, but ten quid - they're having a laugh. Told them as much.
- Cocoon Warehouse sound
- Poor road signs. They'd specifically said that parking would be well sign-posted, which it most definitely wasn't. The stewards were next to useless, and were causing more havoc on the roads than help.
- VIP queue took much much longer than standard entry queue (we weren't VIP but waited for a friend who was)
- Overly aggressive security who literally manhandled me upon entrance to put me in-line for the sniffer dog. All he'd needed to have done was ask politely and I would've been more than happy to oblige.

Overall rating 6/10
 
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Went on Saturday. Despite a few gripes we had a good one, splitting between the defected and techno tents. There was no issue on the sound in the techno tent then, so looks like just a Sunday thing.

Getting out and home was painful, which I believe was the same for many people. Although we could have planned it better.

VIP was a joke, the queues were at least 4 times longer getting in and once in, there was no real noticeable difference for the drink and toilet queues.

That aside we enjoyed it.
 
Don't understand the sniffer dogs ... I saw a couple of people shit themselves and taken off (looked that guilty) but saw them again later on ... Must just look for big quants ?
 
Phil_Soulman said:
Don't understand the sniffer dogs ... I saw a couple of people shit themselves and taken off (looked that guilty) but saw them again later on ... Must just look for big quants ?
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A couple of our group went in earlier than us and said the same thing. When I went through it appeared to me that dog was be directed rather than sweeping everyone.
 
white_isle_calling said:
Went on Sunday and, though it was far from being a great festival, it was good enough for the price we paid.

Spent most time in Paradise tent. Arrived to the 2 Geordies wAFF & Patrick Topping going B2B. Both did a sterling job early doors, especially as the weather took a turn for the worse and everybody piled inside to shelter. Next-up Jackmaster - seen him better to be honest. Claude von Stroke followed and played a cracking set. Really rated it. Carola took a while to get going - didn't help that we'd ventured to the very front of the stage. Too many people coming-and-going, ruined our vibe. Quick refreshment break and then regrouped towards the back. The last half hour of Carola was top drawer. Carola doing what he does best as the clouds parted and the sun finally made an appearance - set up the finale perfectly.

Jamie Jones ended proceedings, and it was my fav set of the day. He's on top form at the moment. Killer set at Time Warp DE, and this was up there too. Great end to the day. We drove home satisfied. Festival season underway!

Also ventured to Cocoon Warehouse on a few occasions - really disappointed with the sound quality here. Peripheral was terrible - nowhere near loud enough. Asking about it seemed that this hadn't been a problem the day before for Used + Abused so I wonder if they had noise complaints? Saw a bit of Villalobos and a bit of Sven. But the poor sound made-up opt for (the much louder) Paradise tent.

Pros:
- Bulmers Red cider instead of that Applesby tripe they sell at most UK festivals!
- Jamie Jones
- Claude von Stroke

Cons:
- ... Okay, so it was a premium brand of cider - good. But can size 330ml!!!! And same price - £5! Outrageous. Other rip-offs - programme lanyards £10!!!!! I would resent paying a fiver, but ten quid - they're having a laugh. Told them as much.
- Cocoon Warehouse sound
- Poor road signs. They'd specifically said that parking would be well sign-posted, which it most definitely wasn't. The stewards were next to useless, and were causing more havoc on the roads than help.
- VIP queue took much much longer than standard entry queue (we weren't VIP but waited for a friend who was)
- Overly aggressive security who literally manhandled me upon entrance to put me in-line for the sniffer dog. All he'd needed to have done was ask politely and I would've been more than happy to oblige.

Overall rating 6/10
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Its funny you mention the sound, because I thought the opposite. Used & Abused warehouse sounded great where as the Defected tent could have been better.

But Jamie Jones at Timewarp .... Now that was a set.
 
Sniffer dogs used more as a deterrent than anything else. If they really wanted to find controlled substances then they'd use real sniffer dogs ie. spaniels - not labradors!

However, that (Sunday) was the most orchestrated and visual use of dogs at an event I have ever seen. Sending a clear message.

I actually think that some guilty parties exposed themselves simply by their reaction.
 
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I'm sure the festival lanyards where free last year massive hike to £10, I'll normally have stage listings on my phone so don't bother buying a guide unless I want one as a sort of souvenir.

Also am sure 9 times out of 10 security are just looking at peoples reactions to dogs rather than them actually smelling anything.
 
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