Kelis, Miss Kittin and Golfrapp close up a weekend of love

Lovebox Weekender 2013

Friday 19th to Sunday 21st July 2013
Victoria Park, Tower Hamlets, Greater London, E9 5DU, England MAP
£99 for the weekend

Daily capacity: 50,000

If each one of the days of Lovebox 2013 had to be characterised, then Sunday clearly was the gay pride day, with the festival-goers bringing flamboyant outfits and cheeky yet good-natured behaviour to the park. Despite the site itself being smaller on the final day and the main acts moved to a smaller stage, everyone was eager to take advantage of the second blast of hot weather and the variety of DJs and bands.

Even though the festival had been reduced for the Sunday, there was still plenty to enjoy. For its small size, the red Soundsystem tent managed to keep a big crowd dancing, thanks in part to a strong lineup of international DJs, including Solomun from Bosnia and reknowned American heavyweights Derrick Carter and Frankie Knuckles from the US. Headlined and curated by British DJ Heidi, the tent pushed forward a steady stream of New York house that fit well with the laid back, sunny Sunday, with people inside and out enjoying the music.

It was a familiar story elsewhere on site over in the Red Bull tent. Putting a slightly different spin on things were DJs Idjut Boys and Eric D amongst others going through a more funky selection of house and soul tracks that had as many people dancing inside the tent as it had sun worshippers lounging around outside. If anything their stage was the perfect embodiment of a Lovebox Sunday; friendly vibes, good music and relaxed atmosphere.

Looking over to the Big Top stage, Canadian two-piece act Purity Ring were one of the more alternative electronic groups on offer, with both female vocalist and male DJ using both stage lights and haunting soundscapes reminiscent of Bjork or even headliners Goldfrapp. They were followed by acts Factory Floor and Benoit & Sergio that catered for a more techno-oriented crowd whilst still remaining slightly otherworldly, with a combination of DJ mixing and live beat creations that kept the crowd going through the hot afternoon. The biggest crowds however were reserved for Miss Kittin and Paul Kalkbrenner, whose performances towards the end of the night kept the flag flying for electronic dance music.

As for the headliners of the day, there was quite a mixed bag to enjoy, with my day starting up with Kelis. Continuing to put on a good show after her excellent performance in 2012, it's almost as if she actually gets better with each year. It's down to a simple formula of not only performing her songs with the support of backing DJ and vocalists, but also tying it into medleys that feature her hits and snippets of other popular hip hop songs and encouraging the crowd to sing along as well. It's a testament to her career how many singles she has released that you actually know the words to and was just a fun and nostalgia-filled performance that was perfect for a hot afternoon.

In retrospect, it's a shame that this wasn't followed up properly by fellow American rap artist Lil Kim, who was set to play afterwards. It's certainly a sight to behold when a large crowd gathers in front of a stage early only to be told that her performance had been cancelled as she had not arrived in time, leaving a number of fans who had arrived to see just her walk away disappointed.

Luckily, this seemed to be the only negative aspect to the day, as following band Hurts' performance of catchy synth pop and rock was just the right thing to lift everyone's spirits, featuring a tight set of singles and album tracks that was reminiscent of something like Depeche Mode to my ear; not a problem for me at all and in fact a refreshing change from what I had seen over the weekend. Featuring energetic moves from the two female stage dancers and performances on the baby piano in the middle of the stage, Hurts came with plenty of material to keep the audience's interest as the sun began to set.

In finishing out the evening, and like other established acts, Goldfrapp only seem to be getting better with age. Coming armed with plenty of hit singles and new material in support of an upcoming album, Goldfrapp continue their line of excellent and enjoyable gigs. Complete with trademark kooky clothing and sultry singing voice, Alison Goldfrapp struts confidently across the stage and whose backing band continues to hammer out catchy electro-dance tracks and give a preview of what is to come; thankfully more of the same yet with a new spin on things. Given the mixed gay and straight crowd attending the day, hers was the perfect act to appeal to everyone and to close up the festival with.

So in closing out a very long and hot three days, Lovebox 2013 cam certainly be called a success. Continuing to host a great selection of different artists and genres whilst promoting a carnival atmosphere and positive vibes throughout, it remains a solid highlight in London's festival calendar and I look forward to seeing its return next year.

review by: Chris Smout

photos by: Lawrence Wheeler