bennyhana22

Why didn't you tell me you were going?! I'd have dragged you round five spectacular sets! Ben

This recent season's slightly revamped Archive at WHP was great too. Sound massively improved on pre-pandemic seasons. The depot can be great, but you need the right artist, time of night and crowd all to gel. Jeff Mills in November in the Depot was a really amazing vibe. Ben

Don't think so. I've been there until 6am several times and even until 5am on the Monday morning and not noticed. I guess it's possible that the licensing agreement mandates a drop in volume after a certain time in that part of the site (adjacent to other farms etc?), but I've never been aware of that, even when, ahem, adequately refreshed. Ben

That Rubinstein set at 3am on Genosys would Go. Off. Ben

This year it's on, pal. This year x Ben

Woah, woah! We're an inclusive, equal opportunities, non-judgmental music snob collective in 'ere! Seriously though, just bowled over by how the thread has caught fire this year. Given how many proper ravers there are at the Farm, I've always been surprised at how small the group is in the thread, tho I know there is a lot of (very welcome) lurking. Most people on here are much more knowledgeable than me, I just love this scene with toddler-like excitement. All are welcome. Especially you, lovely boy. Ben x

For me, they're much more interesting live than on record, but then that's true of a lot of producers if you primarily see them as 'rave' artists. A lot of my favourite techno DJs quite rightly put out non-techno stuff on their LPs, exploring their broader creative interests, rather than simply making on record the same sort of stuff that they would play in clubs. Overmono live is like melodic, crowd-pleasing techno bangers with some samples and vocally bits in there. They seem so often only to play for an hour when live, which always feels a bit short. But they're a lot of fun and if you like techno, they tick enough boxes for it to be a proper dancefloor experience. Late, late on IICON would be a fantastic slot for them... Ben

Bloody hell, that's good! Bleepy, glitchy, acidy live electro? I rather think so... Ben

What a great idea. I take zero pleasure in Silver Hayes being seen by so many, me included, as a bit of a failed experiment. I love the festival, and want all the areas to be brilliant, whether or not I'll ever spend any significant time there. If the only major change this year was a revamp of Silver Hayes to something really exciting, I'd take that happily. Ben

d r e a m Ben

I'd love you to be wrong, though I'm intrigued as to where they would play. I can't see them in a 'main' stage headline slot that hasn't yet been filled. they ain't going to stick them on Glade at 2230h like they sometimes do with decent sized acts. DJ set? Ben

@stuie is right, it could be any day, but just to say that in 2019 Block9 was the last area to drop! However, my mate pointed out that it dropped early in 2015 and 2017 - i.e. every other festival! So fingers crossed. What we can be certain of is that #TINP. Ben

And isn't it Bicep on WH? That will keep quite a lot of the typical SEC crowd there until after the headliners. Ben

That is definitely the 12" mix of You Spin Me Round, by Dead or Alive. Ben

He does, though it's often frustratingly early in the day. I saw his set...in 2017...?...and there were about three of us there and a few bimblers mooching through Block9! Would love to see him somewhere small, nice and late - maybe one of the smaller tents in Unfairground. Ben

Yes it would! Ben

Just out of House Of God in Brum. Fuck me, what a night. Because there are so many veterans there (this was the 29th anniversary 😲), it is undoubtedly the nicest dancefloor I've ever been on. Magnificent 3h set from Surgeon, followed by an hour live from Paul Damage, and then Sir Real 2h to close, creating as impressive an energy as I've ever seen. Floor full and banging at close (tho, as ever, I always leave 5 mins early, being no great fan of lights up). Bpm was perfect all night, no whomp whomp reverbed kick at 140-145 as is so prevalent now, system was excellent and all in all a phenomenal last hurrah before the Farm. I'll be a bit fucked later today, but man was it worth it. Ben

Oooft. That's leaving exactly none of my boxes unticked! Ben

Yup, he's great. Nope, I think it's pretty unlikely he'll play the Farm. More likely doing two sets at Berghain that weekend, or something like that! Ben

What does 'More details on how to attend TBA?' Are we talking something like a 'tache for NYCD, one of the little plastic letters for behind the Rabbit Hole, answering a gibberish question from a Druid for the Secret Underground Piano Bar? I do love the whole idea of secret sets and venues, but also worry a little that it creates exclusivity...* Ben *in other words, when someone knows how to attend this, tell me!!

Patrick Topping mercifully stepping away from the decks so that Monika Kruse could take over at the Temple in 2019 was one of the best moments of the festival for me. 😉 Ben

Though still somewhat chastened by my fake Genosys poster disaster last week, I would love to see Mor Elian play somewhere. She's ace, glitchy and bleepy. Ben

I know that only too well! That's why I wrote it 😄 Ben x

Easy, tiger...! Ben

She's a current big-hitter, and so I'm sure is pretty expensive, but she could easily be there like Charlotte was in 2019. She's extremely popular. Ben