London — Nothing says summer in Europe like music festivals, and Field Day is one of those Londoners look forward to due to its convenient location and the non-necessity of having to camp.
Held yearly at Victoria Park in the heart of East London, Field Day brings together an eclectic mix of indie acts for the Brick Lane-shopping East End hipster types, making it the perfect venue for people-watching and street-style hunting.
But it doesn’t just offer bands for choosy listeners.
This year Field Day transformed into a village fete inspired by summer sports days and country fetes. This year’s activities served to remind festival-goers of life’s simpler pleasures.
Kitschy games like a sack race, spoon and egg race and tug-of-war proved to be entertaining when participants had a little too much to drink beforehand, while those less interested in sports joined in craft tent activities such as knitting, DIY fashion alterations, flower making from scraps, a photo booth, and even a fashion swap shop.
For nourishment, Field Day sourced top food booths from various London markets, as well as the Guardian Tea Tent for homemade cakes and freshly brewed cups of coffee and tea.
The main attraction, though, is always the bands.
Post rock superstars Mogwai headlined the festival, playing their only UK summer gig at Field Day, though reviews of their performance were less than favorable.
Santigold who played an unannounced gig in Boracay early this year, stole the show and charmed everyone on the main stage with her energy, making everyone forget her set was delayed by an hour due to the weather.
The most fashionable band of the moment, The Horrors, lived up to their skinny jeans and cooler-than-thou looks, but failed to impress musically. They gave a decent show nonetheless.
Other notable acts that played Field Day were Four Tet, Little Boots, S.C.U.M., Mystery Jets and more.