23 May 2015 (gig)
26 May 2015
In a land already blessed with a vibrant music scene, graffiti art and charming accents, to ask the Bristolian sun god for a cheeky Bank Holiday appearance might seem like pushing one's luck. As it turned out, luck was very much on the side of the festival-goer as wellington boots were swapped for daisy-chains, glitter and vitamin E at Love Saves the Day 2015.
LSTD has slowly risen to be one of the West of England’s most talked about musical experiences. With a vibe somewhere between Bestival and Glastonbury, this year’s relocation to Eastville Park gave the celebration more room to spread out and prove itself.
The new festival ground boasts heaps of amenities. Whether you lean towards bric-a-brac shops, cocktail clubs or the health and safety nightmare that is a roller disco, LSTD no longer limits itself to just the music.
Despite its expansion, it's worth noting that some of LSTD’s original charm has suffered as a consequence of the move from Castle Park. Its former location on an uneven city centre park by old church ruins – while, no doubt, a headache for the civil servants of Bristol Council – gave the event a unique character.
This minor critique aside, the main stage did see some great acts throughout the weekend. The first day saw Julio Bashmore and Groove Armada unleash a beat bombardment, while Crazy P – LSTD regulars – made another triumphant return to fulfil the disco quota.
For those who were disappointed by Jessie Ware’s set that featured more than its fair share of technical difficulties, the second day of the festival compensated with the holy trinity of popular grime - Wiley, Skepta, and Stormzy. Other notable highlights included Grandmaster Flash and DJ EZ who reminded revellers how some performers simply improve with age.
Overall, this festival represented another positive chapter in book of LSTD. More of the same next year please.
