OSKY Interview

Ahead of the very excellent FARR Festival next Saturday we caught up with co-organiser and Eastern Electrics resident OSKY to hear his

Tell us about Farrs beginnings as a festival. Your first bash was a charity fundraiser last year, correct? How does this years event differ in scale and ambition?

We had always wanted to throw a big party in the woods but had never found the right time, then last year the church needed some money to help rebuild its roof so we thought let’s do it and raise some cash for the church…. A year on and we find ourselves with the second installment of Farr Festival. This year we have kept to our ways by raising money for charity once again, however as an event it will differ a lot as we have put more thought into it in terms of the branding and line up.

At what point did you decide to do another one? Was there a moment during last years event when you thought Oh my God, weve actually done it! Or did you have to wait til the dust had settled before you could even bear to think about it?

It was a definite ‘oh my god’ we have done it moment! I think its important to remember that your doing this to create a memorable experience for people. And last year both Dom and I had huge fun setting the event up, from eating Mrs Farr’s lemmon drizzle cake to putting up tents. We both wanted to do it again but make it more special.

Many festivals struggle to break even – even over a period of years – yet Farr donates a portion of its takings to charity. Where do you make the savings in your production budget to do this? Are you reliant on volunteers or just very good with figures?

I think we are very lucky to have an amazing festival site that we can use free of charge, but also we have the locals behind us which helps a lot! We are reliant on volunteers who are mainly mates – but we are also very good with numbers – well sometimes.

What are you most likely to be doing once the gates open and the punters start to arrive? Do you get chance to party or are you tethered to a portacabin and walkie talkie?

I will probably be up a tree hiding, walkie talkie in hand of course, trying to keep a low profile!…I wish! If it’s anything to go by last year then I will probably have a few beer breaks and little boogie.. if I am lucky.

What as a punter do you want from a festival? And since youve been putting on outdoor events do you find yourself thinking Why on earth have they put that Noodle Bar / Rave Shed /portaloo over there?? Tsk.?

From a festival I want a lot of fun, good music and nice people – and preferably sun, if it is possible in this country!

Not too sure about the whole layout thing – but it does always makes me laugh how at Bestival they put a load of mens’ loos on top of a hill next to the bollywood tent, and people sit the other side eating their fish and chips!

Youve got a nice mix of up n coming and established DJ talent. How did you go about programming the line up? Does Farr have a particular musical vibe? And if money/capacity were no object, who would your three dream headliners be?

A big part of Farr is introducing new talent as well showcasing the bigger names. We try and offer a bit of everything. This year we are both really pleased to be working with the legendary party Just Jack from Bristol who will be hosting a stage for us.

Three dream headliners…Green Velvet, Magda, Fleet Foxes

The Ransom Note appears to be billed quite high on your DJ line up. Surely this is some kind of administrative error?

Urm……..you gotta have love for The Ransom Note

Interview by Jim Brackpool

Check the excellent exclusive FARR mix from J. Phlip over here.

FARR FESTIVAL TAKES PLACE ON SATURDAY 30TH JULLY – BYGRAVE WOODS, NEWNHAM, HERTFORDSHIRE

– – – – – – – – – – – – – HEADLINE ACTS – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Julio Bashmore (dirtybird) J-Phlip (DirtyBird ) D-Bridge (Exit)

Skeptical (exit) and Mc Fokus, Graphics, eLDOKO, Oli DAB vs Robin

Thick ad Thieves, Hawker, Avatism, Osky, Hackman, Get People – Live

Alphabet – pony.

– – – – – – – – – – – – JUST JACK PRESENTS – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Ewan Pearson

Lee Foss

Dan Wild

Tom Rio

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – LIVE BANDS – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Arthur Beatrice, The Neon Lights, The Loose Lips, MIKILL PANE,

The Collectable Few, Alexander Rawlins, Fawkes, GODDARDS,

The Phoenix and The Turtle, Kitty Norman, The Other Tribe

More TBC

– – – – – – – – – – – SUPPORTING ACTS – – – – – – – – – – – –

DJ Shark Bait, Zoo Look, The Ransom Note, Senseoffence, Woz

Rich Wills, TIm Rudall, Hannah Hammond, Queenie, Crissis Vassilakais

Croz, ED Key, Tom Jessel, Wentmaus, Ali Haszlakieewicz, COBErg, Ruze, K

Festivals are all about vibe, atmosphere and most importantly, having a good time with a good group of your mates.

Last year we saw the first chapter of the FARR FESTIVAL. A festival with a boutique feel, a variety of music and a few aeroplanes rides chucked in for good measure, with a large proportion of sales going to charities so there was definitely “A sense of helping people who actually need help…

So unsurprisingly this year we thought we’d do it again! This time round we are set to work alongside an undecided charity (we’ll keep you informed), but as always we want to up the ante for you Guys- the Punters! Bringing you A little more than 13 hours of monumental madness set in the heart of a dressed up oak wood, on the borders of Hertfordshire/Cambridgeshire.

Baring in mind the true origins of why we started this family-orientated event we are keeping the prices more or less the same but offer you three stages worth of banging music. With one live stage and two stages full of top DJs and live acts, you can expect to see some big names. We have a few of people flying in from overseas and acts that we know you will be seeing a lot of over the oncoming year.

The music is one thing (a big thing admittedly) but to experience it in such a stunning area of the countryside is another… And with micro-light and stunt plane rides for a tenner you can see it all from an amazing new perspective! Yep, you’ll be pleased to hear we’ve arranged with the local boys to take our revellers up in the clouds again for a little more fun!!

2011 is set to be yet another busy year; here is an opportunity to have an action packed weekend at Farr Fest!! Being only 35 mins out of LDN by train, 50 mins by car, 13 hours by foot… ‘Its never too Farr for Farr Festival…’

www.farrfestival.co.uk

All Early Bird have sold out, Now Limited 25 Ticket then after that 30 40 on the door

Ticket Link