Preview: Farr Festival 2017

If you go down to the woods today  in just over six weeks time, you'll be in for the time of your life. For Farr Festival is nearly upon us, as is the time to adorn our festival finery, douse ourselves in bucket loads of glitter and reprise our roles as Woodland Warriors. 

Since the birth of the festival in 2009, Ransom Note have had the privilege of being festival buddies with Farr, beginning with our revered editor playing some records in the caravan. The caravan was the first stage at the inaugral festival and has since gone up to the great caravan heaven in the sky after the floor went through – nothing to do with our beloved editor, even though he does have unusually large feet.

Now, Ransom Note have the privilege of programming our own stage. Previous years we've been joined by Optimo, Andrew Weatherall, Bicep, Dan Beaumont, Hannah Holland and Daniel Avery. This year we'll be closing out the Adventures In Success stage on the Saturday with some equally exceptional friends joining us- some from our newly launched Ransom Note Records imprint and some from our extended family. The man who oozes soul and disco from his very aura, Sadar Bahar, will play alongside Tama Sumo, Moscoman, Ivan Smagghe, Young Marco and more.

For those three days, Bygrave Woods is turned into a magical musical mecca, with fairy lights, disco balls and colourful bunting hanging purposefully from the old cinder trees that were planted back in the 80s. Although the festival has slowly increased in size, as well as there being new stages and a programme of daytime activities this year, it still retains a feeling of intimacy in comparison to other festivals with the capacity at around 5,000. The most notable introduction this year comes in the form of brand new main stage, The Factory, made up of 52 shipping containers that are arranged rectangularly to accomodate 2,500 revellers. The stage will be home to an insane custom built L-Acoustics soundsystem that will be graced by the likes of Todd Terje, Booka Shade, Nao, Red Axes, Submotion Orchestra, Mungo's Hi Fi, Jordan Rakei, SG Lewis, Shanty and General Levy.

The size of Farr makes it easy to navigate, meaning that if you need to take a breather from having fun and roll around on the forest floor for a short while, you'll easily find your friends again or, failing that, make a whole group of new ones. Because that's what festivals are all about, right? Who knows, perhaps you'll meet the love of your life whilst doing the downward dog at one of the many yoga classes or bond with your new best friend over a Le Bun or some other tasty treat from one of the food stalls- because refuelling is the key to maintaining festival stamina. 

When the sun starts to set and emits a delicious orange glow through the trees, that's when the festival really comes to life. With green, red and purple lazers cutting through the trees and reaching up into the starry night sky. This year our friends from Brilliant Corners will be setting up a 50ft yurt that will provide a more intimate setting to the open air stages. Expect palm trees, cosmic lighting and a line up that consists of Jonny Rock, Donna Leake, Kay Suzuki, Cedric Woo and Brian Not Brian.

Others on the line up include; Omar-S, DJ Tennis, Axel Boman, Leon Vynehall, Helena Hauff, Honey Dijon, Sassy J, Henry Wu, and Moxie.

If that's not enough to tempt you to join us in the woods there's something seriously wrong with you.

For tickets and info head HERE.