London’s East End is still seen by many in the popular imagination as a land of jellied eels and Ian Beales. It isn’t really like that any more though guys. It’s cool, and there’s a cool festival going on in a couple of weeks time.
Lovebox is a dance festival, but this years’ event seems a little more ‘live’ than your average DJ-after-DJ-speed-dating event. Much as I love going to see great DJs, seeing the word live next to an artist’s name at these kinds of festivals always gets me a little bit excited.
This year’s event in Victoria Park sees several traditionally live hip-hop and indie acts (M.I.A, NAS, The Horrors) joined by a growing number of dance acts bringing non-traditional DJ set-ups.
These acts are most visible on the stage curated by London-based promoters Soundcrash, whose line-up includes Bonobo (Live), Bondax (Live), BANKS and Mount Kimbie.
Elsewhere on the bill we can find a live set by Moderat, the live techno project comprised of the members of Modeselektor and Berlin techno legend Apparat – undoubtedly the act I’m looking forward to most at the festival. They said in a recent interview;
“After two amazing shows in London we can’t wait to be back for Lovebox 2014. We have only heard good things about it. And what we can say so far – the Brits know how to celebrate.”
From the unique line-up I wouldn’t be at all surprised if they were right. It’s easy to be cynical about a hipster dance festival in the newly gentrified East End, but Lovebox does look genuinely exciting and interesting. It could easily be a mass chin-stroke, with thousands of people pretending to know the words to the less popular Illmatic album tracks, but then again it could be great. I for one am looking forward to finding out.
Lovebox Festival takes place in East London’s Victoria Park from 18-19th July, 2014.
