You may remember a few weeks ago I shared a preview post my younger brother wrote about Nozstock Festival, well here he is again after a really enjoyable time at Nozstock last month. Over to Josh:
The 20th anniversary of the prestigious festival brought many surprise acts and a plethora of upcoming talent. As the sun shone over Herefordshire for the weekend, the heat rose in more ways than one. A festival oozing in art, culture, great food and a brilliant family ethos was always set to deliver nothing less than excellence.
I arrived at the festival on the Thursday with ease. There were signs pointing you in the right direction for around 3 miles prior to the festival gates ensuring a swift arrival. Upon entering Nozstock the staff were extremely helpful and friendly offering information and making the whole experience unforgettable.
Walking through the festival was an experience in itself. There was unique artwork everywhere with inspirational quotes and colourful décor all around. It was a breath of fresh air to see people of all ages roaming around freely and immersing themselves in the Nozstock vibe.
At festivals I have previously attended there’s usually a target audience, usually ages 16-30. Nozstock is rightfully a festival catered for every person of any age or background. The festival is perfect for families without taking away the goodness that will attract young adults, something that is very difficult to most but the curators of the festival make this seem effortless. The family vibe is one that will stick with me for a long time, you see the same faces around in the most friendliest of atmospheres.
The line-up included some stellar acts such as Chase and Status and Goldfrapp. The line-up offered much diversity with genres for all music lovers. It infused elements of rock and roll with jazz and funk in the most unique way. Nozstock was a massive eye opener of just how successful an event can be in such a small capacity in comparison to heavyweight festivals. Its ethos is surely one that can be looked at by other small festivals to replicate.
There was an array of options when it came to food. There were options for all needs with almost every food stall serving gluten free and vegan options. Personal favourites were the ‘Pimp my Fries’ and ‘Super Tidy Burgers’ (The Grazing Shed) both of which delivered excellent service with delicious food. The topped fries from Pimp my Fries have to be the most delicious I’ve ever tried. Pimp my Fries seemed to be a general favourite of attendees with continuous queues throughout the day. The price of food and beverages was also very reasonable considering the quality of the goods.
Performances
Honeyfeet delivered one of the most unique performances I’ve ever witnessed. The 7 piece (you heard it right) offered a unique twist on jazz and folk combining it with huge riffs and impeccable vocals. The band are real crowd pleasers for all the right reasons.
We Are Scientists played predecessor’s to Chase and Status prior to their headline performance on the orchard stage and they more than got the crowd raring to go for the headliner later that evening. The indie-rockers from USA have been touring the UK of late much to the pleasure of fans. Their performance was impeccable offering a real engaging show with the ‘Nozstockers’.
Chase and Status as always delivered sheer excellence in their headline performance. The crowd was jam packed with just about enough room for everyone to have a boogie. Their set list comprised of classics and some new tracks. MC Rage literally has the audience in the palm of his hand throughout the show creating a special bond between artist and audience. The show was a perfect performance with Chase and Status living up to their reputation.
Chali 2na of Jurassic 5 finished Friday nights events in the one of the most culminating performances of the weekend. Chali’s silky smooth voice comprised with dance beats offered a unique twist on Jurassic 5’s classics. One of the most groovy performances I’ve ever had the pleasure of seeing live.
Dub Pistols are almost of residents of Nozstock , they deliver a quirky twist on Dub, electronica, hip-hop and alternative music. They’re sound is so distinctive and hard to replicate. No other group can captivate a crowd like them and their performance provided no disappointment. Mucky Weekend was a personal highlight and the track depicted the weekend perfectly (despite how clean the site is kept).
Grandmaster Flash was a sight to behold from start to end. Prior to his performance there was a VT showing his origin and how he grew to love all kinds of music through his upbringing. This was not just special, but also hugely inspiring to any musician who wants to make it in the industry. ‘Flash’ also paid homage to many artists who had passed away in a touching and personal way. This performance exceeded all expectations I ever imagined I’d have.
Childcare started the last day of Nozstock with a bang. The 4-piece from London who’s name derives from lead singer Ed’s previous occupation as a Nanny delivered one of the most exciting performances of the weekend despite it being so early in the day. The band played the Orchard stage at Midday and didn’t look out of place. Ed’s footwork on stage was also a sight to behold, if a music career ever fails the band he’ll no doubt have a fair crack at making it as a footballer. After this performance however I have no doubts that the band are destined for success. Film Club was the defining song of the weekend for myself, it made me and others huge fans of the band.
Oh My God It’s The Church sure know how to put on a show. The outfit offer a bit of everything, they have trumpets, saxophones , organ and a combination of brilliant drumming and covers of classic songs. If there was a band/performance to sum up Nozstock in a nutshell this would certainly be it!
Goldfrapp are the greatest performers I have ever witnessed. Alison Goldfrapp is captivating to say the least, her stage presence alone cannot be compared with any other. The whole show was angelic and perfect in every possible way. The lights and sound of the whole performance had no imperfections and the crowd were absolutely incredible. Alison also immersed herself with the crowd especially when spotting a fan (who was stood next to me) who knew the words to every song. The front-woman made a special moment of pointing and singing to the fan which made his whole weekend. Personal highlight of the show ‘Anymore’ the lights flashing, fast drumming and vocals of this track cannot be compared. The most perfect possible ending to one of the most perfect festivals I’ve ever attended.
The Cabinet of Lost Secrets deserves the most honourable of mentions as I’ve never had anything blow my mind the way this did. Have you ever watched a TV series and wanted to be able to un-watch it and be able to re-watch it all over again? This has the same effect but 10x more. For those reading who haven’t been to the festival I’m not going to give away exactly what it is, but it is mind blowing to say the least.
The festival in a nutshell was a bag of surprises, a festival that is literally like no other. A festival full of colour, vibrancy and the friendliest people you’ll ever have the pleasure of partying with.
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