Year after year we have certain expectations of what the big, bright summer holds for us. We get our grind on over winter and tell ourselves that the long, hard working sessions at the gym will pay off and the struggles of work through the winter season will reward us when the summer of love, fun and freedom visits our lives. Summer 2016 is all what I hoped it to be, giving me hope when winter had always let me down. This summer was the festival season, my favourite time of the year. Where you can dress up in the most extraordinary outfits in brightly lit colours and where you can day drink without being judged by brief case Barry on his way to work at dawn. This was the summer of freedom, and the summer was ours.
I hit the first festival of the Summer, which was the exclusive Somerley Tea Party Festival, held in Ringwood on 3rd and 4th June 2016. The festival of the underground, bringing forth electrifying bass, thumping a deep thrilling sound through psychedelic waves amongst the hidden trees; an intimate setting which made it the perfect kind of festival to enjoy your favourite acts, in comparison to the large, crowdy popular festivals which become way too commercial. On top of that, without fail, year after year, Somerley continues to exhibit striking vibes of transcendental daze – a completely flawless atmosphere where it feels absolutely magical. The theme was Alice in Wonderland, and the festival stayed true to that nature.
Ever since I attended my first Somerley Tea Party in 2015, I was completely stunned in fascination over the beauty of the festival. This was different to all the other festivals I had been to and I felt a sense of welcoming as soon as a treaded through the long, mystic grass unknowingly of what I was about to encounter. My favourite stage back then known as the Dog Kennel Woods, now just the Woods, which had an enchanted feel to it. Incredible acts met the stage such as Joy Orbison and Motor City Drum Ensemble who played a chilling techno all through to up beat electronic house, luring the crowd to rave under the idyllic forest. The stage is decorated with extraordinary detail mimicking the quirky Alice in Wonderland setting and our eyes shimmered with awe as the lights flashed between the trees.
This year seemed bigger and busier than the previous year, and I’m sure that’s what attendees of the second year said about the first year. This was proof Somerley was becoming bigger and better. Granted, the festival had moved a tad towards the commercial, hosting acts such as the infamous Annie Mac, but that still did not obstruct the euphoric vibe Somerley was born into. I admired the variation in genre that was brought into the festival this year. I had always viewed Somerley as a deep techy festival, but this year one of my favourite grime artists performed at the AUBSU Stage, Elf Kid.
The festival moved away from its reputation of underground techno, and instead there was a variety of drum and bass, reggae, hip hop, even jazz implemented with hip hop which made the festival experience that extra bit fantastic. We were given the choice to camp this year, which meant the festival lasted longer – until 4am in opposition to the 12am finish last year. We admired the glistening colours sparkling under the midnight sky, unable to stop staring everywhere at our surroundings, the blasting sound of drum and bass from the Big Top tent vibrated into our bodies and I felt thrilled with happiness. The humid air left us in a state of fulfilment, struck in amazement from such a brilliant day. It felt like an illusion.
Somerley had character and intimacy, two factors I believe to make a successful underground festival. For this reason, makes it one of my all-time favourite festivals. I am 100% sure Somerley Tea Party has more stops to pull out in 2017 and I would definitely love to attend again.
