The dance generation comes of age with its own Big Chill at Eastnor Deer Park in West England this weekend. Don't expect gabba or nosebleed techno. This festival showcases the more contemplative side of electronic music with a line-up featuring
Francois K,
Coldcut,
Lawrence,
Nathan Fake,
Quiet Village,
Tom Middleton,
Switch and
X-press 2.
Set in the lush and beautiful grounds of Eastnor Deer Park the Big Chill have lined up some great dance acts at the more eclectic and ambient end of the spectrum: Lawrence from Dial Records in Hamburg dials down techno to an ambient hum, Francois K will probably play a dub set and Gilles Peterson knows how to merge jazz and house in an impeccable Sunday morning fashion.
On the non-dance tip there are some cooler pop picks as such as
Sebastien Tellier,
Plaid,
Jamie Lidell,
Lily Allen,
Nightmares on Wax Sound System as well as two retro comebacks,
The Proclaimers and
Arrested Development.
Expect an older (but not too old) crowd and their kids as the festival advertises its stroller-friendliness. Big kids can indulge in the films on offer, camping in the lush environs, art exhibits such as Brian Eno's '77 Million Paintings', comedy, dance or just hitting one of the numerous bars.
Sounds like just the ticket to recover from summer in the city.
The Big Chill takes place at Eastnor Deer Park August 4th-6th, 2006.
