TRUCK FESTIVAL, HILL FARM, OXFORD – 19-20TH JULY
Turning sixteen is a milestone that few of us tend to forget, and with its unique setting, a stellar line-up and (fingers crossed!) fabulous weather, Oxford’s Truck Festival looks set to celebrate this momentous occasion in memorable fashion. Boasting over a hundred acts, spread across six stages, along with a veritable smorgasbord of activities and other enticements, the two-day event kicks off this Friday, at Hill Farm, Steventon… and there is still just about time to get your ticket!
Originally conceived by the Bennett family in 1998, Truck is now in its second year under new management and once again plays host to an exciting and eclectic bill. This year welcomes space-rock titans Spiritualized and dark wave revivalists The Horrors as headliners for Friday and Saturday respectively, while Stratford-based folk-rockers Dry The River (Fri) and hip-hop duo Dan le Sac vs Scroobius Pip (Sat) take on the Market Stage. Elsewhere you’ll find Kerrang! favourites We Are The Ocean and Rolo Tomassilaying waste (no pun intended) to the Barn Stage, amid the rich aroma of manure, and in traditional Truck style there’s a chance to say “I saw ‘em first!” with regard to a whole host of up-and-comers, who will be sharing performance space with seasoned pros such as The Electric Soft Parade on The Veterans and Virgins Stage. Smashing.
Among its other, numerous selling points, this year’s edition promises live Americana and blues in a giant, custom-built saloon (the Great Western Whiskey Saloon) while the superbly-named Kingdom of Jamalot will run the gamut of dance music, inviting the more fleet-footed (or just plain hammered) to partake in everything from electro-swing to
“Home Counties” hip-hop… whatever that is.
Also performing over the weekend will be Patrick Wolf, The Subways, And So I Watch You From Afar and The Joy Formidable among many, many others. With such an abundance of mouth-watering acts, you’d be forgiven for thinking that trying to plan your festival experience is both pointless and nigh on impossible. Well, fear not! If, like me, you’re determined not to miss any of your favourite artistes (or are generally a bit anal) simply visit the festival’s official website http://truckfestival.com/ and download their rather ace planner app. Job done.
But like all the best festivals, Truck ain’t just about the music, and if you get tired of all that head-bangin’, toe-tapping nonsense, there’s plenty to keep you entertained – notably, in the form of Truck’s very own Village Fete. Truck has always been a family-oriented affair, and this year should be no different, what with the World’s Largest Tombola, the Bureau of Silly Sports, farm tours and cake decorating. Oh, and if you’ve still got that mesh cap from 2005 somewhere in the back of your wardrobe, it might be time to dig it out as there’re prizes for the Best Dressed Trucker. Then again…
Finally – and perhaps most importantly – we should mention the food. There’s no denying that the quality of nosh on offer at festivals has improved over the last few years, but Truck aims to raise the bar once more. According to the organisers, there’ll be a new Food Hall this year, selling far finer fayre than your average burger van, with most of it coming from local suppliers. Naturally, a range of beers and ales will also be available, served to you with a smile by Truck’s famous cross-dressing bar staff. Like the rest of the festival, the emphasis is very much on having fun. Who knows – maybe Faris Badwan himself will hand you a mojito, if the rumours about The Horrors’ post-set cocktail mixing session turn out to be true…
So, whatever you’re into there’s a good chance you’ll find it at Truck. But hurry, because there’re just a couple of days left to grab your tickets, which are priced at a very reasonable £74 (including camping). However, tickets will not be available on the door, and no day tickets are or will become available either, so get on over to http://truckfestival.com/, pronto amigo!
