Where can you find the likes of Ellie Goulding, Chase and Status and John Newman in one of the UK’s more underrated, festival weekenders this summer?
Sundown Festival, that’s where.
Sundown takes place a stone throw from Norwich, in the Royal Norfolk Showground, in Norfolk, and boasts a great line-up for the size and age of the festival. Along with Goulding and Newman, Katy B and Clean Bandit are scheduled to play on the weekend of the 29th to the 31st of August.
Personally, living in Norwich over the past couple of years, it’s been impossible to fail to notice the subtle presence Sundance Festival has over the fine city. For some reason though, I never really paid enough attention to the hype. The line up has always been pretty impressive, and the bill never short of my favourite Radio One artists and DJs. It’s one of the UK’s smaller and younger festivals, and with it’s sheer potential to improve year after year, why has it taken me this long to finally go to a festival that boasts a line up of some of the biggest bands of 2014?
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Better late than never I suppose. Being on of one of the UK’s more wallet-friendly festivals, I know I’ll spend considerably less on travel too. I hope this will free up some spare cash to spend on the appetizing delights local festival have to offer, and some festival merch too. With a 15-minute trip down the road, I plan to skip long queues and get there early and soak up as much as I can over the 2 day period. Most importantly though, I can’t wait to embrace another side of the music scene this area of the country has to offer. And it definitely makes a change from the usual events that are held at the venue. (Cow and tractor displays anyone..?)
When it comes to music, the more eclectic the mix is, the better. This is why I don’t mind a few mainstream bands here and there. Some of the more musically knowledgeable than myself may be quick to judge this very liberal attitude to music that even accepts the odd One Direction track from time to time. But why not? There’s so much out there, and too much music constantly being created, composed and produced to be strict with what you listen to. I know Sundown will display more of the commercial side of the music industry, but this is not necessarily bad. I can’t wait to shed the musical stereotypes uni has made me prone to occasionally, and just enjoy some guilty pleasures.
I feel that Sundown will be perfect for my very open-minded musical taste buds, and in general to a relatively large audience, as it is quite mainstream. I expect the line-up will appeal to a wide-range of people from all over the UK, who want to see some of their favourite chart acts in a smaller festival setting than Reading or Leeds for example. The event has become one of the newest and most hyped festivals of its size. With a few of my own chart favourites on the bill, such as Foxes, Clean Bandit, Ellie Goulding and Wilkinson as well as up and coming artists such as Ella Eyre and Jess Glynne, I’m eager to see what Sundown brings to the performances.
Also, I was pleasantly surprised to discover a solid line up of DJs scheduled to play throughout the weekend as well. From Zane Lowe to MK, I’m rather curious to experience the delights of partying in a Norfolk field. I have heard some great things about the ‘after-hours’ warehouse parties that occur after the main acts have finished up too. When I realised All About She were the same people responsible for the ‘Rather Be’ remix I have been addicted to all week, Sundown was suddenly put in a new light for me. The artist who’s responsible for such a party jam playing just down the road from me, suddenly Sundown’s prospects were looking better and better on a daily basis.
Another aspect I am looking forward to is the ‘young’ vibe Sundown seems to boast. Both in its age, and the fact that no under-14’s are allowed to camp on the site- I feel the lineup will also attract quite a youthful, teenage crowd. This summer, I’m taking my younger sister to her first music festival. I want her to get the chance to soak up a true festival vibe, without all the toxins a festival can produce. The music line up is a teenage girl’s dream, and I hope Sundown can deliver for my sister as well. I want her to be able to taste East Anglia’s power as a magical music backdrop. I know for a fact her favourites will differ from mine, but that’s only natural. Our tastes do overlap though; we are both equally to see what Clean Bandit can offer to a live set.
I hope the weather holds out to the end of the month, and is as equally as flawless as it’s been over the past couple of weeks. I can ‘t think of anything better than serenading Ellie Goulding with a berry cider in one hand while the sun departs for the day behind me. The main stage stills from 2013 look stunning, and artists such as Jessie J have claimed the Sundown audiences are one of her favourites in the UK—kinda can’t wait to be part of that statement.
For more information including tickets and line up click here.
Image credit: Lee Blanchflower
