Guestlist

issue 67

Monthly newspaper and online publication targeting 18 to 35 year olds. The ultimate guide to the hottest parties, going out and having fun. Music, fashion, film, travel, festivals, technology, comedy, and parties! London, Barcelona, Miami and Ibiza.

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WHY THE SOCIAL MADE OUR SUMMER Cute new family-run festival The Social succeeds at bringing the biggest dance names to Kent. The Social is a small, boutique music festival in Maidstone, Kent, started last year by tech- no DJ Nic Fanciulli and his family. Launched on the 28th September to close the sum- mer with a bang, it returned last week on Saturday 13th. As one of the last festivals of the summer, the spotlight was truly on the Social to bring the party vibes to the South East of England. We can safely say it rose to the occasion, hitting all the right spots with its superstar lineup and idyllic setting. Hosted in Mote Park, a quick train ride away from London, the event aims to prop- agate quality dance music from corners lo- cal, national and international. With a team garnered from Nic Fanciulli's independent record label Saved Records, the festival drew acts ranging from Detroit legends Art Department to Portsmouth house up- start Shadow Child. The park was formerly the location for Radio One's Big Weekend 2008 and if the Social is anything to go on, will soon be a firm name on the dance mu- sic map. We wandered around Mote Park's 180 hectares, enjoying the market stalls and funfair rides, expertly curated to cater to attendees of every dietary requirement, exotic taste and drunken urge. Locally sourced food, along with acts, were an es- sential ingredient to the festival's success. The boutique feel of the festival was com- pounded by the intimacy of the property, and the tents captured the right vibe with their sweaty, enclosed space and boutique interior designs. We caught Ben Pearce's afternoon set to warm ourselves up and were pleased to find the crowd already in full rave mode with a surprisingly low concentration of posers awkwardly standing around, for a one-day dance festival. Pearce dropped some clas- sics as well as the disco numbers which have come to characterise his DJ sets. We head- ed on to Seth Troxler, whose set upped the game and pushed the pounding-beat-factor of the event to the next level with his criti- cally acclaimed minimalist techno. Gorgon City's 'Ready for Your Love', in all its sugary pop glory, was another festival highlight, as the crowd gave in to its com- mercial yet irresistible chorus. Carl Cox, a headliner of the event, closed it in style with an innovative set full of corkers from upstart producers whose names will be made by DJs like Cox. Speaking to Kent Online, Carl Cox said of the festival: "Nic is really pas- sionate about bringing something special to Maidstone as it's his hometown." This was a sentiment which felt ubiquitous among the crowd as well as backstage, proving once again that the Social is an exciting new brand for the UK festival scene, in its novel and musician-led approach to organisation. Created by DJs, the festival's no-nonsense music policy and local emphasis will ensure its place in the festival circuit for years to come. 7 39 Issue 67 / 2014 FESTIVALS guestlist.net

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