The tone was set for Itchy's weekend as soon as our train departed for Stratford-Upon-Avon, town of
Shakespeare and tracksuit-clad Geordies, apparently. We are now much better versed in the drinking traditions of the North, which was probably a good thing, since
lout behaviour became a recurring theme of the festival. We're still undecided as to whether our welcome party put us at ease or made us yet more nervous. The sort of
police presence you'd expect at a Derby match is not exactly a smile-inducing sight, but at least no-one's going to knife you.
While a bit lacking in festival atmosphere, the camping aspect was more than tolerable, especially since we found a spot
a mere stagger from the action. All the action was in fact never far from anything, with stages competing for decibels thanks to a site in need of an extra acre or two, but once inside your chosen tent the rhythm really gets you.
Friday night saw the massive
Chase and Status really get things going. It's no wonder their following is second only to that of Jesus with so many classic tunes. A highlight for Itchy has to be
Digitalism, their clean beats a refreshing variation amidst a line-up of the complete spectrum of electronic acts. Armen Van Bureen didn't disappoint either with a
euphoric set to rival anything you could pay through the nose for in Ibiza. And you wouldn't remember it there anyway.
A bit of sunshine on the Saturday was a pick-us-up after pitching tents in the rain the day before, and meant that an airshow wasn't wasted on
fields of soggy hangovers. This and other amusements on offer were a welcome break as we tried to recover from the night before – we could have done with a slightly slower pace musically until we'd got our second wind. But we made it through, enjoying Hype and
Above and Beyond among a line-up which was considerably overshadowed by Fridays all-stars.
One thing we'd like to make clear is that Global Gathering is
not for the faint-of-heart festival lover looking for a change from Glasto. It's for hardcore dance lovers who don't have a problem with
applying UV facepaint after pulling on some clothes in the morning. That being said, if you tick those boxes, you'll have the time of your life.
www.globalgathering.com
Images: James McCauley
