SUMMER | FEATURE
Parklife and
Field Day’s
creations
Access attended Parklife
and Field Day, two festivals
embracing cutting edge
production while facing
unique challenges
S
tarting as a one day event for
20,000 people back in 2010,
Parklife (8-9 June) now attracts
80,000 people – making it the UK’s
largest metropolitan festival. The event
evolves year on year under the guidance
of founders Sacha Lord and Sam Kendall
and an inhouse team which works with
Ground Control.
The event’s theme and aesthetics
change to suit their vision for each
edition, and the production team has
moved away from tents, towards more
bespoke arena-style structures.
Access caught up with Lord during
the event (see p58), and again a week
after the event, as he prepared to re-use
some of Parklife’s infrastructure for a
Courteneers gig. “We’ve de-rigged the
whole site now, except for the Main
Stage, toilets, bars and other amenities,”
he says. “Courteneers announced this,
and other headline shows late last year
with special guests James and support
from DMAs and Pale Waves.
Of course, given its location’s
susceptibility to the elements, attendees
are encouraged to pack rain-safe
garments, which this year proved to
be sage advice. “People go ‘fuck it lets
get muddy’. On our part, however, this
does require certain provisions. We’re
confident we stored the most woodchip
of any year, throwing tonnes of the stuff
down.”
Other elements were less predictable.
20
“Every year we tear
up the previous
plan.” Parklife’s
Sacha Lord
For example, Cardi B cancelling her
headline slot with 48 hours notice
following complications after a spate
of post-birth cosmetic surgeries. The
rapper’s pictures on social media,
depicting her swollen feet attested to
her alibi, but that didn’t prevent slapped
foreheads in Parklife HQ, and among
fans. “Sam did have a very long look for
replacements, but with 48 hours left,
there was little we could do. Although
there was an inevitable backlash, people
do appreciate what it takes to book an
act, and that these things are out of our
control.”
Other bedrocks of support come
from the famously event-friendly team
at Greater Manchester Council. “It’s
an organisation with a long history
of championing events. When there
was pressure for the Hacienda to shut
down, the council kept it open. They
understood its value for the economy
and tourism, as well as Manchester’s
standing globally. Parklife is great too,
contributing more than £10m.”
“Every year we tear up the previous
plan. We have a great inhouse team, and
we use Kate Maross to design the look
and feel. Our bars were provided inhouse
and the ticketing was also a lot smoother
this year too. We consider our ticketing
options carefully, but I think there’s a
sense of nervousness over RFID.”