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Only the strongest survive in the London festival game, and they don’t come much stronger than Field Day, the former east London staple which returns for its thirteenth year on Saturday July 11. A lot has changed in that time. In fact, almost everything has changed. It’s no longer in a field, for a start: the current venue is The Drumsheds, a vast warehouse complex on Tottenham Marshes. It’s not exactly a daytime event, either. With a uniquly late running time of 3am, the space should be perfect for this year’s Field Day danceathon. It’s a far cry from the floppy-haired indie – Foals, Mystery Jets, Battles – that dominated the first festival back in 2007.
A laser-toting live show from headliners Bicep had previously been announced, but the scoop is they’ll be joined on the Ninja Tune stage by live performances from Floating Points (bringing selections from his gorgeous new album, ‘Crush’) and lo-fi house star Ross From Friends. Expect more lasers, lights and eye-popping visuals from the other live acts on the bill, including two who’ve been carrying the torch for the wild euphoria of ’90s rave: top-tier junglist Special Request and sibling duo Overmono. Talking of Jungle, there’s a DJ set from the XL-signed indie-dance act, plus appearances from seasoned party host Artwork, tech-house titans Tale Of Us and phenomenally popular house duo Maribou State. We also recommend catching Tottenham-born DJ Josey Rebelle playing hometown hero for the day – she’ll be representing London’s rich musical history with her vast collection of soul, house, jungle and grime. There’s also space in the cavernous Drumsheds for a true techno legend in the shape of Detroit’s Robert Hood, who’ll be DJing under his gospel-techno alias Floorplan, which he shares with his daughter Lyric. Enough for one night? Of course it is, but that’s only the first announcement. Look out for more dancing fuel over the coming weeks.
Field Day is at The Drumsheds on Jul 11. Read more about other London festivals here.