We Are FSTVL returned last weekend and was bigger than ever. Here’s what went down…
The We Are FSTVL team have established themselves as one of the UK’s biggest and best dance music festivals in just three years. This time round they announced an immense line up with some of the biggest names spanning across a variety of dance genres.
Placed in the middle of an airfield in Essex the location is perhaps part of the mystery behind its success, when you enter you are promised to be transported to an ‘Ancient Realm’ something the team duly deliver.
Finding our way towards the ‘Paradise’ tent, we first saw Patrick Topping – the DJ has had a remarkable rise in the last few years and the crowd noticeably grew as he approached the decks. Flying through a mid afternoon two hour set, Topping delivered a techno laden set with highlights including ‘3 Fine Hoes’ which was hit with the crowd.
As the sun continued to glare down, we headed to Defected’s tent – Shadow Child drew a huge crowd, with organisers having to opt for a ‘one in, one out’ policy at times. It was easy to see why he is so popular, when he spun out ‘Reverse Skydiving’ the atmosphere within the circus tent went to a whole different level; ending on Inner City’s “Good Life’ seemed like a fitting end to a perfect set. His Defected counterpart Franky Rizardo next took to the stage, with promoters handing out fans to cool down those at the front and cannons blasting air every other song the popular tent was enthralling its crowd, Rizardo dropping ‘Gypsy Woman’ was a noticeable highlight from a hit packed set.
We then headed to the Cocoon Warehouse, the most impressive venue of the day, to see legends Richie Hawtin and Sven Väth. Hawtin ensnared his crowd with a vintage set, those around absolutely soaking up every second. Väth’s presence on a grand stage was not to be missed his mammoth set was the highlight of the day proving that, despite being a ‘veteran’ of the scene, his knowledge of how to spark life into a sellout crowd is what makes him the Papa.