Creamfields 2003

Dance music is dead proclaimed its detractors and with the closure of Cream, Home and the return of Gatecrasher to a once a month event they could have been right. This summer's festival season has demonstrated the complete opposite. A spectacularly successful We Love Homelands paved the way for a storming Creamfields 2003. Dance music is alive and kicking. The era of the superstar DJ has not yet come to a close.

Liverpool's successful bid against the odds for European City of Culture has given the famous dock city a much needed boost. Clearly Liverpool is in the ascendancy and Creamfields can only build on this reputation with the dance extravaganza having also managed to escape the corruption scandal that threatened to cast a downer on 2003.

Rain and trains threatened to conspire to ruin Saturday's full on music marathon. In the end the rain held off and the trains, well it's always made me wonder why they're called Virgin trains when they're obviously fucked. Despite these obstacles 30,000 up for it guys and gals descended on the old Speke Airfield to gyrate and gurn away the day and night.

There was no shortage of choice from funky house to deep trance although there was a notable lack of breaks and drum and bass. With seven massive indoor venues and an additional two outdoor stages visitors were spoilt for choice. Massive Attack, promoting the new 100th Window album were the act to watch although the main stage was by no means excessively busy. Having survived abandonment by his compatriots and child porn allegations the expectation was that Robert '3D' Del Naja's set would be triumphal. Expectations were shattered as Del Naja and his group of hired guns knocked out tracks as if by rote. It wasn't until the familiar notes of Teardrop blasted from the stage that a reaction of any note came from the audience.



If God is a DJ then Paul Oakenfold is his son. As the closing act on the Creamfields Main Stage great things were expected of Oakie and in his own interminable style Oakie delivered. Whipping the assembled thousands into a frenzy of adulation the original superstar DJ put on a real show. A particular high point was when Oakie whipped out a dirty remix of Nirvana's Teen Spirit to roars of encouragement from the audience.



The Subliminal Arena deserves special mention for delivering a pleasing blend of deep funky house. Erick Morillo and Harry 'Choo Choo' Romero delivered some excellent tunes with the Audio Bullys finishing off the night in true British style.



Creamfields was without a doubt a massive success for Cream and Liverpool alike. On the minus side the there was a lack of free water: surely a serious issue when so many people are dancing all night. While it can be understood that the caterers have to make a living at £2.00 a bottle they won't be going broke tomorrow.

What must surely count as one of the best dance events of the summer, Cream has every reason to hail the event as a success.

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