NEWS
EVENTS
Found explores the foundations of transatlantic house with 51st State
House | Monday 24th August 2015 |
There’s no denying it. The UK has a rich history when it comes to “raving", and it all started back in the late 80’s with the acid house boom came along and changed the social and cultural habits of a generation.
Britain forged the way, creating this new movement that lived for the weekend (and some weekdays), with clubs like Astoria, Busby’s, Hacienda and Heaven all holding various nights that spurned a massive clubbing industry and superstar DJs who grace global line ups on a constant basis.
So it’s no surprise that now we have a festival which neatly caters for those who have long since swapped their raving shoes for a pair of comfortable Hush Puppies. 51st State Festival has clearly grasped that it's not all about the latest minimal techno banger by some 19-year-old Dutch kid, instead opting to explore the roots of house and paying homage to how it all started, whilst recognising the fact that without the veterans, we probably would not have the likes of Seth Troxler or Skream tearing up dance floors around the world.
Set in the historic grounds of 14th century Trent Park, and on one of the sunniest days I’ve seen in the UK for a while, this already had the hallmarks of being a great fiesta. As a born and bred North Londoner, this was an ideal location for me to head down and join the slightly older and refined crowd, and get to hear some of the absolute classics that rocked the land many, many years ago.
With a line-up of big names DJs from here and across the pond, it had the same feel that you might have expected at one of the Southport weekenders (RIP) but with an added London musical influence. Already having sold out in advance, the old school ravers were out in force, and determined to make the most of it. Todd Terry was an absolute gem to catch, as his unique, uplifting house beats complemented the intimate feel of the Trent Park location. The 51st Stage, or main stage, also played host to some of the stalwarts of the early house music scene, with the likes of Dennis Ferrer, Masters At Work and DJ Sneak all gracing the stage and satisfying the masses who all came out to party.
Walking around the site I bumped into numerous old faces from yesteryear, wasting valuable raving time nattering on about about how refreshing it was to be at a festival that catered for the old fools like ourselves, and how you had to book the babysitter months in advance to be here today. 51st State, at times, felt like a school reunion for middle aged retired ravers from the nineties but had the added bonus of not having a 16-24 year old, balloon guzzling, Huarache wearing, gum clenching shuffler encroaching on your personal space.
We checked out our surroundings and bowled into the Groove Odyssey arena to check in on the action and caught Joey Negro busy educating the crowd with his disco classics. The crowd was well up for a party and a little sing a long, something of a nice touch as it instantly gets you into the mood. After that, and meeting a few more old faces, our crew got bigger and we all decided it was time to check out what was happening over at the Back to 95. If you were ever lucky enough (or old enough) to experience the Sunday garage phenomenons such as Twice as Nice, Sun City, and Pure Silk back in the day, then the Back to 95 tent was where it was at. Celebrating that style of UK garage, some of the DJs and MCs from back in the day were in fine form, reminding everyone about the raw vibes which a lucky few would have experienced when it all started. The energy in the tent was amazing, with some serious amount of “skanking” taking place.
For the “soul heads” amongst us, we wandered over to the We Love Soul tent and took in the British legend that is Norman Jay (MBE). He certainly provided the soundtrack for the people who came out to party whilst cracking the odd 2 step whilst singing their heart out. It's great to hear these laid back sounds within a festival atmosphere, and with the “old boys” out in force, deejays like Paul Trouble Anderson and Gordon Mac had the people crying out for more.
51st State was a celebration of music that made what the scene is today. From the Hot Wuk Carnival stage, to Norman Jay tearing up the We Love Soul stage, 51st State catered for the foundation and delivered exactly what it said on the tin. A diverse London crowd, it truly represented what it was all about back in the day, and even though there were a few teething issues with punters having to queue for hours to get in, the Found organisers were quick to realise their shortcomings and put plans in action so this issue won’t happen again next year.
51st State is a breath of fresh air, and to some, an education of house music from on a global scale. 51st State delivered on all fronts and we hope that next year they stick to this great formula and we will all be able to once again bask in the history and glory of house music. Amen.
Found Series will host their final two festival of the season at Finsbury Park with Ceremony Festival on Saturday 12th September and United Festival on Sunday 13th September.
Photos by Mark Sethi
