So, that was ArcTangent then? For the last 2 weeks or so I’ve been trying to put pen to paper to in some way describe what the festival was like and I’ve been coming up blank, but deadlines are looming so I’m just going to throw some words down & see what sticks.
Unbelievable. Incredible. Exhilarating. Joyous. Celebratory. Life changing.
And those only start to paint a picture of what the inaugural ArcTangent was like. Sounds hyperbolic? Ask anyone that was there & they’ll probably tell you I’m downplaying it, such is the reaction that most people have had post festival. It’s fair to say that those that were considering going and didn’t will be kicking themselves for the rest of time, equally, as with all legendary gigs, over time I suspect the number of people that will claim they were there will outstrip the number of tickets actually sold by an order of magnitude. It was that good.
Why was it so good, I hear you ask? Now, that’s a harder thing to put a finger on. Obviously the music played a part. Let’s face it, if Echoes And Dust were curating a festival the line up wouldn’t have looked a lot different to the one that the organisers of ArcTangent pulled together. But also it was so much more than that. The size of around 3,000 people was perfect for the site. It didn’t feel small, there was plenty of space and letting people camp in the fields with the stages in was a great idea and gave it an intimate feel. The facilities were ample (although one more urinal van by the Bixler tent would have relieved the pressure (sorry) on the loos in that field, but this is a teensy, tiny criticism) and incredibly well maintained throughout the duration. The guys’ experience from 2000Trees clearly shone through on the organisational side, so while it was a small festival it didn’t have that slightly (and often endearingly) shambolic side that small festivals usually have. The stages ran like clockwork, bands started their sets as advertised (bar a minor hiccup with Amplifier on the Thursday night) and the stages were positioned so that getting from the end of one band to the beginning of another was remarkably easy.
However, beyond the infrastructure, beyond the music even, what really made this festival special was the people. Now I’ve been to a lot of festivals in my time, my first was Glastonbury in 1977 (I was only 5, in case you’re wondering), but I have never come across a crowd so universally accepting, so open minded, so knowledgeable and so passionate about the music they were witnessing. This was perfectly illustrated by the fact that the merch tent was busy all day, every day; full of enthusiastic punters looking for a gem. These are people who understand that if they want this music to continue then they have to put their hands in their pockets and support it. These are people who GET IT.
At this point in a review I’d normally start talking about the highlights but with ArcTangent that is almost impossible; the whole weekend was one long highlight. Mere brilliance became mundane, exceptional was the minimum standard across the board, but the great thing was people were aware of that. As we staggered from tent to tent, from one mind melting performance to another, massive grins plastered all over our faces, we would exchange glances with strangers, everyone silently acknowledging that the knew they were a part of something truly, profoundly special. All that said, some mention has to be given to those that stood out in even this maelstrom of magnificence. Please stand up and take a bow 65daysofstatic, Fuck Buttons, And So I Watch You From Afar, Maybeshewill, Future Of The Left, Vessels, Alright The Captain, Charlie Barnes, Cleft, Manatees, Three Trapped Tigers, Public Service Broadcasting, Theo and Humanfly for providing moments of simply stunning genius. Yes, I know that’s about half the people that played. Like I said earlier, it was that good.
It was over too quickly and then off we trudged, with joy in our hearts and inspiration in our heads and all there is left to do is count down the days until we can go back.
