http://news.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/hi/music/newsid_8181000/8181576.stm
Organisers, Eat Your Own Ears, haven't had the best of luck in the three years Field Day has been running. When it all began in 2007 they were swamped with complaints after misjudging the demand for bars and toilets. Last year improved but they still came under fire and what's more, bands had to contend with day-long drizzle.
Inspired by traditional sports days and summer fetes, the one-day festival, held in London's Victoria Park, fell victim to more unpleasant English weather this year. But unlike previous years the vibe of the festival remained high as 20,000 punters roamed the site enjoying the eclectic line up.
Jonathan Gurteen, London:
“We mainly came to see Fake Blood. I came two years ago and it was so badly organised you couldn't get a drink for love or money. This year's so much better, with more bars and much better music.”
Gwen and Helen from Manchester.
“It's great apart from the rain. We've seen Final Fantasy and Michachu. There's lots of new music so it's a good chance to see some new stuff.”
FIRST BANDS:
First up on the Main Stage are BBC Introducing faves Gaggle, an alternative all-girl choir draped in brightly coloured cloths, chanting misfit harmonies with modern-hinged lyrics such as “I'm drunk, she's drunk” to early arrivers.
Errors take to the Main stage around 2pm to whirl through an electronic instrumental set whilst wild-haired King Charles' country guitars ring out from the Beetroot stage. Later on it's Temper Trap who captivate the audience with their blend of indie-rock and soul.
In keeping with the day's theme, games of tug of war and the egg and spoon races commence on the Village Green. Even when the rain begins to pour, putting an end to the remaining sports day activities, the crowds still find ways to have fun – by starting hay bale fights.
Jurgen from Amsterdam:
“ I came because Four Tet was playing I flew in two days ago. The weirdest thing was when Wood Pigeon were playing, everybody was sat down inside the tent, I’ve never seen that before.”
During Fake Blood on the Bugged Out stage, Little Boot's (a.k.a Victoria Hesketh) shelters from the rain whilst preparing for her set after a mishap involving the band's stage costumes;
“We lost all our costumes this morning, we've got capes and hoods that we come on with - a bit like Jedis. So there'll be a bit of improvisation going on but I'm sure it won’t stop the spirit of it.
Fake Blood's on before us and Erol Alkan's on afterwards so I think ours is the rave tent. It all seems really fun, it's raining but no-one seems to mind.”
A sea of umbrellas emerge during the Horrors set. You can hear front-man Farris growling from across the other side of the site as he murmurs beneath a cloud of purple lights.
Little boots takes to the Bugged Out stage at 6pm. Fighting through the crowd to watch the electro-pop princess once Fake Blood ends is like waiting for Kylie Minogue to emerge after Slipknot have desecrated the stage. But the 25 year old from Blackpool somehow manages to make pop-music acceptable amongst an indie crowd as she produces infectious beats and pitch perfect vocals, alongside her glittering keyboard & Tenorian performance.
Whilst Rusko is bashing out electro, dub and drum and bass on the Blog stage to an over-spilling tent, The Big Pink play to a slightly less enthusiastic crowd, seemingly captivated by the trios' synth-fused grunge.
Headliners, Mogwai, promptly grace the Main Stage after Skream's thumping dupstep is cut short to keep from going over curfew. This is the Glaswegian band's only English festival date this year so expectations are high. As the surrounding tents begin to wind down and all that's left is the distant sound of throbbing bass, the 5-piece plough through an atmospheric ensemble of bespoke melodies and pounding, heavy guitars that burst into crescendos when the audience least expect it. As they make a dedication to the late football manager, Sir Bobby Robson, their seamless wave of melodies make for the perfect finale to this damp, but lively festival – let's hope the sun comes out to play next year.
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