Situated in the beautiful Peak District, the Y Not Festival could not be contained in better surroundings. The drive in is relaxing and refreshing, with rolling hills giving way to tall forests and rocky outcrops, navigated via winding roads with little traffic. I arrived at the festival feeling stress free and excited for what was to come.
These days the bigger festivals have tens of thousands of patrons all queuing in their cars to get through the front gates, but with the Y Not – and many other smaller events that have been cropping up across the UK – you get all the atmosphere and excitement of the well-known festivals but none of the downsides to having the population of a city descending on a field.
The Y Not has grown considerably since it’s modest beginnings six years ago, with a single stage based in a small quarry in deepest Derbyshire. Its 5,000 festival-goers now get a selection of three main stages (The Big Gin Stage, The Quarry and The Allotment) plus smaller venues and a variety of activities. The music and entertainment literally never stops. As soon as a band finishes on one stage, another is kicking off somewhere else, so there’s a veritable feast of sonic shenanigans to gorge your ears upon.
When we arrived on the Friday, the sun was shining and fellow revelers were already cracking on with their tinnies, sat in front of tents gleefully gulping down booze and atmosphere in equal measure. I felt obliged to join them, so as soon as we found a suitable spot to set up camp, I dropped my bag, cracked open a can of lager and got to the task of assembling my home for the next three days. Between myself and my fellow press-pass companion, we had wrangled a group of 11 together for the occasion, so we soon had a mini utopia of tents with which to call our own.
When we hit the main arena we immediately got stuck in, checking out each stage individually before stumbling upon the acoustic tent. The rustic setup, hay bales circling large wooden spools that doubled as tables, was comfortable and warm. A bar to the side served delicious cold cider whilst a solo artist strummed on their guitar and poured their heart into a microphone. We spent a lot of time in here over the weekend, relaxing between larger acts, enjoying comedy, poetry as well as the music. The highlight being Derby-based four-piece folk band The Ornamental Gentlemen.
Another absolute find from the weekend was Leicester reggae band By The Rivers. Their sound, a mixture of bass, keyboards, guitars and brass meshed into new generation ska beats, sounding fresh and vibrant. They were one of many high-quality BBC Introducing bands playing on The Quarry stage throughout the three days, sat alongside other top quality acts from around the country. One of these, Essex-based Redtrack filled the tent with their indie/punk tracks, keeping heads nodding and feet dancing.
The main stage, A.K.A. The Big Gin Stage, predictably drew the biggest crowds. Headliners and festival veterans Feeder got everyone jumping to classic tracks (unbelievably, they released their first EP 16 years ago!), with the unmistakable Buck Rogers inspiring a mass sing-a-long. For their hour-long set, I completely forgot it was heaving it down and just got to the business of rocking-out. Maximo Park also did the business, playing a great set. And London indie rockers The Rifles were also a highlight.
I can’t find fault with the Y Not Festival. Even the loos were kept to a pretty clean standard (for a festival anyway). An army of litter pickers worked all weekend, filling bags with discarded cans and wrappers. The food stands served incredibly tasty fare, with a vegetarian pizza pocket being one of the best things I’ve ever eaten, freshly baked dough full of gooey cheese and vegetables. An array of delicious, locally brewed beer and cider was on offer at a reasonable price. And after the bands had finished for the day, a large campfire kept those who weren’t ready for bed warm and comfortable. Or there was The Flaming Goat Skanking Ska Café, which doubled as a rave tent after the sun went down and where I could’ve kept dancing till the sun came back up again.
For all that’s available at the Y Not Festival, £65 is a small price to pay. I suggest you be there in 2012.
This review was written by Sam Schofield - a freelance journalist and PR professional based in Staffordshire. To get in touch with Sam, you can email him sam@freelancejourno.co.uk or follow him on Twitter @SamuelSchofield
