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Lovebox festival review – scorching temperatures, dodgy sound Lovebox festival review – scorching temperatures, dodgy sound
(about 2 hours later)
Oh, Victoria Park – the sights you've seen. Over a month after Field Day festival took over the Hackney park in June, thousands of punters invade its grassy patches for Lovebox festival. Scorching temperatures rise to their highest levels so far this year, turning minimal clothing into the order of both days. Oh, Victoria Park – the sights you've seen. Over a month after Field Day festival took over the East End park in June, thousands of punters invade its grassy patches for Lovebox festival. Scorching temperatures rise to their highest levels so far this year, turning minimal clothing into the order of both days.
Battling this heat, the diverse bill of acts playing before dusk have to work hard to get the crowds moving. On Friday, teenage rapper Joey Bada$$ leaps across the West stage, shirt unbuttoned and billowing in the sticky air. The audience do their best to match his enthusiasm, throwing their hands up at his command and starting a miniature moshpit. In contrast with his youthful jubilance, Katy B bashes out a tightly rehearsed set including Crying for No Reason, from second album Little Red, and her breakout single Katy On a Mission – replete with backing dancers and a sidestep routine. Battling this heat, the diverse bill of acts playing before dusk have to work hard to get the crowds moving. On Friday, teenage rapper Joey Bada$$ leaps across the West stage, shirt unbuttoned and billowing in the sticky air. The audience do their best to match his enthusiasm, throwing their hands up at his command and starting a miniature moshpit. In contrast with his youthful jubilance, Katy B bashes out a tightly rehearsed set including Crying for No Reason, from second album Little Red, and her breakout single Katy On a Mission – replete with backing dancers and a sidestep routine.
From Sub Focus's high-octane electro to Harlem rapper A$AP Rocky's somewhat stilted performance – in no way helped by a muffled microphone and oddly quiet sound – day one plays out well. Drum'n'bass headliners Chase & Status sound slightly muted as they cover all their usual bases on Eastern Jam, Pieces and Time. Rain begins to fall, sparkling in the strobe light, before confetti and a pop of fireworks end the night on a high. From Sub Focus's high-octane electro to Harlem rapper A$AP Rocky's somewhat stilted performance – in no way helped by a muffled microphone and oddly quiet sound – day one plays out well. Drum'n'bass headliners Chase & Status sound slightly muted as they cover all their usual bases on Eastern Jam, Pieces and Time. Rain begins to fall, sparkling in the strobe light, before confetti and a pop of fireworks end the night on a high.
Saturday feels more hectic. A small crowd watches Bipolar Sunshine's soulful indie before giddy punters dance feverishly to Hercules & Love Affair's joyous house. Gaggles of girls sprint to catch LA singer Banks's moody set of poppy R&B, while rapper Nas confidently runs through his debut album, Illmatic. He demonstrates his decades of experience, lucking out with moderate sound levels before MIA's disastrous show. She brings over 20 people on stage in Stop Tamil Deportation T-shirts, launching into Bucky Done Gun and asking for her mic to be turned up. The audio only deteriorates, cutting out completely when she beckons audience members to her side during Hussel. Saturday feels more hectic. Asmall crowd watches Bipolar Sunshine's soulful indie before giddy punters dance feverishly to Hercules & Love Affair's joyous house. Gaggles of girls sprint to catch LA singer Banks's moody set of poppy R&B, while rapper Nas confidently runs through his debut album, Illmatic. He demonstrates his decades of experience, lucking out with moderate sound levels before MIA's disastrous show. She brings over 20 people on stage in Stop Tamil Deportation T-shirts, launching into Bucky Done Gun and asking for her mic to be turned up. The audio only deteriorates, cutting out completely when she beckons audience members to her side during Hussel.
MIA is visibly irritated, shaking her head and leaving the stage to switch microphones. She attempts Paper Planes and Bad Girls, but cuts her set short, amid boos, when her voice is inaudible above the backing track. With a "Lovebox, we gots to go‚" she drops her mic to the ground and storms off 25 minutes early. Sound restrictions and audio problems on the main stage turn into a theme for the weekend, though high spirits and good weather counter the late-night disappointment. MIA is visibly irritated, shaking her head and leaving the stage to switch microphones. She attempts Paper Planes and Bad Girls, but cuts her set short, amid boos, when her voice is inaudible above the backing track. With a "Lovebox, we gots to go‚" she drops her mic to the ground and storms off 25 minutes early. Sound restrictions and audio problems on the main stage turn into a theme for the weekend, though high spirits and good weather counter the late-night disappointment.