It is rare that on entrance to a festival your attention is immediately grabbed whilst trying to negotiate a way round an unfamiliar surrounding. However, on this occasion the ‘Noisey Stage’ was hosting Glaswegians Golden Teacher. Essentially revolving around 303 bass lines reminiscent of the early nineties, with the welcome addition of live drums and vocals, there was immediately a sense of early afternoon euphoria which set an unexpected precedence for the unrelenting party atmosphere which was to follow throughout the weekend.
Eyes wide, ears open, welcome to Beacons 2014.
Set over three days Beacons offered summer heat, biblical storms and wind brought by the tail end of a hurricane. The unpredictable nature of the weather really reflected the character of the festival itself, eclectic and in no way predictable. From stage to stage the talent represented across the alternative music spectrum could be seen. A combination of bands and DJ’s filled the landscape with a unique sound clash represented by every genre present.
Throughout day and night sub bass stood next to violins, making Beacons one of the most unique festivals around. In an unparalleled move this reflection of Beacons must begin at the end, and with the much anticipated, Darkside. Even inside the Loud & Quiet/Last FM tent, the wind swirled around as Jaar and Harrington took to the stage amidst aggressive strobe lighting and the subtle muting of Harrington’s reverb soaked guitar on ‘Freak, Go Home’.
Darkside’s ability certainly lies in their rare ability to weave in and out of four to the floor and free jazz style guitar riffs. The pair manage to hold the euphoric moments within their track, raising and dropping the tempo while still holding control over the audience. Their set can only be described as the most magical hour and a half of the weekend and is sure to live long in the memories of those in attendance.
Daphni welcomed us to the Resident Advisor stage on Friday afternoon, with a set ranging from jazz infused techno to house. Culminating in his latest single ‘Can’t Do Without You’ released under his other moniker, Caribou, the bass rattled the rib cages as his set oscillated between the driven 4/4 beats and saxophones solos.
Throughout the weekend the Resident Advisor stage played host to some of the most renowned DJ’s on the club circuit, placing them in a field close to Skipton instead. The stage provided a club atmosphere throughout the day and the diverse nature of the festival’s line-up allowed for a unique atmosphere in that particular part of the site.
Those there to see the best new bands in the country found themselves locked inside the transient drum loops of Dixon as Berlin crossed paths with the Yorkshire countryside for perhaps the first time ever. The energy of this particular stage never dropped with the likes of Fabric resident Daniel Avery and Leeds based Paul Woolford preforming under his Special Request alias. It didn’t take long to work out that the place was intense, providing a constant opportunity to lose yourself within the bass.
It is a real test for Jon Hopkins to step up to a bigger audience bringing his glitchy techno to a large audience. Accompanied by glowing balls which were passed throughout the audience, the rampant bass of ‘Open Eye Signal’ jarred the frame of the tent. Hopkins looked manic throughout his set occasionally peering up to show his appreciation of those in the tent, as the audience stood in awe.
It was difficult to take your eyes off Hopkins throughout the show, as you attempted to peer through the blur of movement which represented each part of each track. For an hour the noise was relentless as Hopkins switched furiously from beat to beat, adding layer after layer, with skeletons of noise gradually building to form the tracks we know and love. It appears that Hopkins is now ready to take his live show to the next level, and Beacons demonstrated how he is able to adapt from venue to club, and to the headliner of a main stage.
It may be a cliché to say that a festival is what you make it. However in the case of Yorkshire’s finest the statement rings true. You could spend your day lazing around the Red Bull stage listening to the heavy beats of Joy Orbison or you could have your feet rattled from the deepest frequencies of the likes of Dusky inside the Resident Advisor arena. Dance music could be heard throughout the festival grounds, most certainly placing it firmly on the festival calendar. Beacons is a must for those seeking the best DJ’s alongside some of the most exciting live acts the UK has to offer.
