Břeclav, 12 July
By Phil Williams

If you’re unprepared for rain at an open-air festival, you probably shouldn’t be there. For an Englishman like myself, getting wet is usually part of the experience; to drink and dance in spite of the rain only adds to a festival’s charm. The attendees of Central Europe’s Creamfields, in Břeclav airport, Czech Republic, heartily found that spirit and partied on through a rain-sodden night, beyond the sunrise. Unfortunately, the main acts they came to see did not.

Saturday was clear and sunny, the perfect weather for relaxing on beanbags, jumping on trampolines and delving into giant candy and absurd sunglasses, all of which and more were on offer across the expanse of the festival. The night brought in a brutal storm, however, and the crowds were driven under whatever cover they could find with the main stages deserted. In the Red Zone tent, bouncers desperately tried to drive everyone outside into the rain, fearing the risks that the lightning and wind would shock the metal structure and tumble the lighting fixtures. When they relented and started to let people back in, there was little room left to move but the triumph of getting inside was enough to fuel a vibrant party atmosphere.

Outside, the Global Stage and the Adidas Original Live Stage were completely abandoned. DJs Sasha and John Digweed were due to play a four hour set on the former, whilst a range of acts such as the eagerly anticipated Gus Gus and mix-masters Coldcut were some of the festivals main attractions on the latter. Neither stage saw any such headliners, though many confused festival-goers waited in vain for the acts to return. Few were aware that when the stages were shut down, from risk of the storm, the artists jumped ship. When the storm finally began to settle, all that was left backstage was a flurry of fleeing taxis and no sign of the big names so many people had come to see.

The festival lived on, however, as thick-skinned revellers and those who had no means of escape refused to give up on the party. Led by a mostly Czech selection of DJs, the sideline tents kept people moving all night, and a good time was still available if you forgot that there were ever any big names available to see. Who was playing no longer mattered, so long as everyone crammed together and danced, and it was a testament to the spirit of festivals that so many people were still present in the morning, waving light-swords and cart-wheeling across the field.

Average user rating

   (0 vote)