The Reinvention of Boutique Festivals: Dazzley
Last weekend I was privileged enough to be a part of Dazzley, a tiny, up-and-coming festival on the edge of the Peak District…
Like many other festivals, Dazzley began as a family party which has now transformed into a festival. In its second year of existence, Dazzley boasts everything you could want from a festival, without the hassle of huge crowds or grueling treks to find your tent. The intimate nature of the event creates an utterly safe, friendly and laid back environment, leaving nothing to worry about. Moving between the two stages is effortless, and getting lost could never be an issue.
The location is top secret until tickets have been purchased, giving the event a sense of exclusivity. The festival nestles within the rolling landscape of the Goyt Valley, on a beautiful farm overlooking a reservoir. Walking around the site at night, Manchester twinkles and glistens in the distance; a stunning juxtaposition against the rural backdrop of the festival. To find out the exact location you need to buy a ticket!
For an extremely reasonable price, Dazzley offers an indoor main stage and an acoustic tent by day which doubles up as a dance dome by night. There are food vendors (on average £5 for a decent meal), a bar selling local real ales from £2.50 to £3.50 (what festival prices?!), a silent disco, an arts and crafts tent, various children’s workshops including bush craft and circus skills, a pop-up cinema, a bouncy castle, and an abundance of glitter!
The hand-picked, genre-defying lineup ensures that there is something to get everyone moving, from soul to reggae to house and everything in between. Headlining the main stage on Friday night, Extra Love, were a highlight of the festival. The ten-piece reggae/ dub band from Manchester had the entire festival dancing to their rolling bass lines and robust rhythm section, with vibrant interjections from the funky horn section, creating that distinctive feel-good reggae vibe.
Photo credit: Bryn Layton
The After Hours Quintet were another act which tore up the dance floor on Saturday, not once, but twice! Their afternoon set was 20’s Swing, Jazz, Jive and Blues. Their repertoire includes covers of traditional Jazz artists such as Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington, played alongside a few unexpected pop and rock numbers - artists including The Arctic Monkeys and even Britney Spears are spiced up by adding a few howling horns, giving the songs a roaring 20’s twist. Their later set was live Electro-Swing. The flirtatious brassy sounds of ‘Trad Jazz’ weaved seamlessly into pulsating modern dance styles, appealing to both older and younger generations, and bringing a touch of Gatsby-esque glamour to the muddy fields of Derbyshire.
During the daytime, the acoustic tent provides a form of melodic remedy for sore heads. Between showers people lounge on hay bales, absorbing the music and the odd ray of sunshine. However as darkness falls across the festival the atmosphere switches up a level as the acoustic tent becomes the ‘dance dome’, and all kinds of craziness ensues.
In accordance with its name, the artistic team smother the entire festival in glitter and hand-crafted decorations. The trade mark ‘Dazzley balls’ hang from the ceilings, emitting an ever-moving network of colours across the site. The carpeted snug areas with sofas and coffee tables allow you to make yourself at home whilst taking a breather from the constant energy that engulfs the festival. This year’s theme, ‘Out of the Woods’ incorporated nature into the site in the form of a stunning feature wall woven from trees, and a green archway marking the entrance into this special event. Festival goers embrace the eccentricity of the festival, sporting sequin jackets, wings, disco balls, and even the odd mushroom costume.
Who knows what surprises we will stumble across next year...
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Link to the original article here:
https://melodicdistraction.com/dazzley-2016-reflections-maddy-blatherwick-plumb/
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