Tiesto and Steve Angello bring Creamfields to a massive climax

Creamfields 2013

Friday 23rd to Sunday 25th August 2013
Daresbury Estate, Halton, Cheshire, WA4 4AR, England MAP
£125 for 2 day camping tickets, or £145 for 3 days

Daily capacity: 60,000

After crawling into bed at about 4 am, I was pleased that the sky was overcast when I surfaced. It had meant I was able to sleep until gone noon, which was just what the doctor ordered. After having a freshen up and finding some food, I made it into the arena to catch Dimitri Vegas and Like Mike, yet again with wall to wall sunshine. It was perfect sitting round chilling out weather, with some sublime sounds, getting the party fired up.

Porter Robinson followed on where they left off. Playing what he described as ‘Some Obscure Shit’. It still kept about 15,000 people raving for an hour and a half in the sun, with the previous nights excess still taking its toll, it was obviously a slower day for many, with lots of people sitting in the sun outside tents relaxing.

I decided to get a nice cold drink and sit outside the Sebastian Ingrosso Presents All Mixed Up arena, to have a listen to Otto Knows followed by Armand Van Helden, the tent was pretty much full for Otto Knows. But when the two main stages had to shut down for an hour due to a local church holding a service, then about 20,000 people were looking for somewhere else to go, and I think a good half of them tried to cram in to catch Armand Van Helden.

With the impending return of the main stages about to kick back into life, there was again a mass exodus, mainly heading towards the south stage. With a huge end to the Sunday schedule of Steve Angello followed by Tiesto, this was as good as it gets! The full array of the super size stage and the 6 special effects towers, Creamfields went into full throttle for the home straight. With the field full to the brim, Angello was unleashing the full power of his old world dominating super group Swedish House Mafia. His set was combined with flouro coloured flames leaping into the sky from every angle imaginable, from both the stage and the towers in the crowd. The sun was setting fast, but his only served to make all the light show seem even more impressive!

The duty of following Steve Angello would be an unenviable task for most, but if there is anyone in the world qualified enough to take this task on then it is tonight’s headline act Tiesto. Having been at the top of the game for well over 10 years, tonight he gave a masterful display of why he is still there at the top of the game.

Bringing collaborators on stage to premiere some new material, and bringing the BPM up he pounded the faithful with a relentless set which brought everyone up together to the point of no return. Tiesto’s career defining track 'Adagio For Strings', was a true goose bumps moment with 30,000 arms raised in the air. It was the perfect end to an amazing weekend! What a difference a year makes. (And some sunshine).

review by: Jamie Licence

photos by: Martin Evans