19 July 2015 (gig)
20 July 2015
After a successful two-days, Lovebox Festival gave up its Victoria Park home to new festival on the block, ‘Citadel’.
Conceived and created by the award-winning Wilderness Festival and Superfly, co-creators of America’s Bonnaroo and Outside Lands, Citadel comes with a pedigree. London-based indie label Communion and promoters Soundcrash also curate their own stages in a well-laid out tree-lined setting.
With security tight and a sniffer dog sitting down and looking longingly into the eyes of my girlfriend, the signal of suspicion, things didn’t get off to the best start. A serious search later with no apology offered, we made it in. Its immediately apparent there is a lot going on. Stages aside, there is a Sunday Sports Day hosting a Citadel Volley Ball tournament, swing ball, sack races and limbo Olympics. A Citadel Arts Studio, Sunday Papers Live with talks and debates, Comedy Tent, roller disco, Hoola Fest and even massage area, to name but a few.
Walking amongst an array of popular food stalls we ended up at the Communion Stage with Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats offering up their welcome brass tinged soul, R&B sounds to the crowd.
Over at the main stage Anna Calvi, complete with full 20-piece orchestra, delivered her stunning vocals and frenzied bursts of guitar to powerful effect. At times I was reminded of Ennio Morricone as Calvi created her own wondrous urban cinematic landscapes.
Glorious sunshine combined with swirling dust converted Citadel into a mid-western dust bowl making Kurt Vile and the Violators set all the more authentic - the only thing missing was tumbleweed. His chilled out melodiousness and long flowing locks bringing a little bit of low-key Americana to the proceedings.
Soundcrash flew the British flag with iconic rapper Roots Manuva entertaining a sweltering tent full of devotees.
Back on the Communion stage Leon bridges kicked into gear with his last single and my frequent earworm ‘Better Man’. Looking as slick as ever, his reinterpreted 50s sound struck a chord but it was Bombay Bicycle Club that the masses flocked to.
Playing complete with horn section, BBC did what they do best. Sucking people in, vacuum-like, from all over the park they had the biggest crowd of the day by far and delivered a set spanning their illustrious four-album career. With front man Jack Steadman wearing his trademark half-smile it’s hard not to absolutely love these guys. The perfect choice for a very well orchestrated first year of Citadel. The great atmosphere continued to dusk with the joyous Ben Howard and his surf inspired acoustic fare. We’ll be back next year.
@CitadelFestival #@CitadelFestival
