Introducing Friends of Friends

It’s hard to believe that Friends of Friends doubled their capacity and are only on year two. The organisers and production team worked tirelessly to deliver one of the most diverse and entertaining parties we’ve been to. From start to finish, the Friends of Friends team put in a shift, and the outcome was, frankly, a delight. As lasers split over skies, ideas sparked. Locked into the moment, you'd certainly struggle to find a corner of the earth that is the same.

With an expanded three stage set up this year, FoF really stepped up in terms of production. The Hidden Lake remains a stand out stage with great sound and a serious lighting set up situated underneath a beautiful willow. Walking down onto the dance-floor, you become enveloped in a fog of haze and purple/pink lighting with willow branches circling the crowd. The team laid out the dance-floor perfectly.

Now into the tunes. K-werk pulled out some of the most incredible digs we’re still searching for now. Shazams were flying in my group and landing “111 - Bangkok Impact” was met with a cheer. From wiggy-steppers through to huge bass hitters, he had the crowd well under his thumb. Not to mention closing out his set with “I just came to say Hello”. K-werk's set released pure, unadulterated joy from attendees. Wow.

Friends of Friends doesn't adhere to the misguided and frankly pretentious, paternalistic rules around what is acceptable to play in a DJ set. Every DJ there was hungry, a quality that seems to be lost on the fat cat main stage bookings backed by new nicotine brands and credit card branding opportunities. The result? Booking quality underground talent means they have something to prove – and they pack their bags accordingly.

Following on from an extremely versatile set from Leo Robin, the dynamic duo of PIP & Weston (proud owners and operators of the Newcastle collective Shy.Bairns) delivered energy on all fronts. Back in May, we saw them close out the awning stage at Sarum Point. They brought playful selections, everything from bouncy tech house, to sexy electro-infused cuts, sprinkled with some cuff big room anthems to really get the crowd moving. At Friends of Friends, they played everything from disco, to old school garage, to electro. It was full of surprises, proving that the Newcastle Crew (@shy.bairns ) are not to be messed with or underestimated.

What tied this festival together wasn’t just the beautiful site, the hippie barefoot dance tent powered by Big Ears sound system, or its incredible lighting. It was the fun, silly and carefree people that went. Both the crowd and production should be proud of the dance floor they have created, and we can't wait to see what they do next.

📸: @joepuxx
📝: Ben Dee