Takedown attracts a vibrant collection of like minded people and gives great vibes!

Takedown Festival 2014

Saturday 15th March 2014
Southampton University, Southampton, Hampshire, SO17 1BJ, England MAP
£30

Daily capacity: 2,000

Takedown Festival, a one day event hosted by Southampton University Student Union, is one of the vital pitstops to a lot of upcoming heavy/rock bands in the UK. The Venue is a modern building that couples as a sports facility as well as providing the students of Southampton Uni with a great place to hang out. The Student Union complex has 2 main halls that give that arena feel, with another 3 stages dotted around and amongst the bars that give a really intimate experience. There’s a café that was selling some pretty average food which was my only let down with the venue, would have been nice to see some interesting and adventurous food stalls. As soon as the doors opened there was a flood of excitement that was instantly gratified with an almost simultaneous eruption of music.

Mid day opened the festival and with the sun shining, the atmosphere was cracking both in and out of the venue. The theme of the festival was pretty much skinny jeans, plenty of tats and expertly sculptured hair do’s, I don’t like to place a crowd in a stereotype but it couldn’t go unmissed, the unity of such a vibrant collection of like minded people is what made the atmosphere and gave the Festival an experience that rang synonymous for everyone.

As the day got into full swing, there was no let up at all. The sets were kept pretty short and full of energy, this added to the already ecstatic attitude the crowd was emitting. In an interview with Rob Barlow, Guitarist from Chasing Cadence, he truly applauded the hysteria that resonates at Takedown Festival “Everyone’s a bit merry and all in to the same music, it gives great vibes!”

After getting the chance to interview a few bands, one of the questions I asked them was “Do you draw any influence from aspects outside the music industry?” and the replies gave me a good idea of what makes not just a musician but success in general, most gave instances in their lives that influenced songs whether it be on the road between gigs or sat in a bar listening to a German soldiers toils and tales. But each answer rounded to the fact that at the heart of ambition lays the need for positivity and a burning desire to achieve. These guys look beyond the obstacles, they only see the goal. Whatever that goal may be, “just get out there and do it” says Saint The Sinner Guitarist, Pash.

When the time came for the headline Acts, Kids in Glass Houses, were first to take the stage. I was ready for bed by this time but it seemed the crowd wasn’t. With an eruption that probably alerted seismologist in Tanzania, the whole event took another lease of life that spread like a disease through the audience. The entire performance was fantastic, faultless and flowed like a dream…a very loud and mosh pit-ish dream! To finish the festival, Funeral For A Friend held the prestige and came out and got strait on with it, well almost. With a slight technical hickup and 5 minutes of messing about, they carried on and after a short while were back to their former excellence as their guitarist re-joined the show. The atmosphere soon picked up and they headed into the night with a great show and an enthusiastic crowd!

For me, the band that really made an impression was LostAlone. I couldn’t believe how awesome this guy was with a guitar and a microphone, without doubt one of the most talented musicians I’ve ever seen! I real showman aswell, he had his audience completely hooked on his surreal performance.