Global Gathering 2009

Global Gathering 09 Friday 24th July 09, Stratford Upon Avon or like it was two years ago Stratford in the Avon! As we drove towards this historic English town the rain came down & we had flashbacks to Global 2007 where it was like a scene from a First World War battle. The closer we got to the site the bluer the sky got, until as we drove into the carpark it would have been easy to think the past two hours of typical British Summer weather was all a dream! We were at Europe’s no 1 electronic music festival & god himself was blessing us with his best summer sunshine, bring it on! This year’s Global Gathering promised to be a real treat for followers of club & electronic music of all genres from hard house & trance through to industrial punk, Global 09 has it all. 9 arenas are scattered around the festival site, each one full of devotees of that genres stars. This year we were treated to top DJ’s from the world over, international superstars like Carl Cox, Armin Van Buuren & Paul Van Dyk were at Global to show how it was done. Contrasting to the DJ sets on the Tuborg Live Stage were performances from the awesome beatbox style of Frankmusik, Snaky Soundsystem & Does it Offend You Yeah? Live bands at a dance fest, QUALITY! Wait there was more; the two headliners on Friday night were also live sets, Prodigy & Pendulum. Over in the Global arena Pendulum took to the stage in front of a full house & armed with a full lighting rig that must have needed it own power station to run, rocked the house with their unique sound. Front man Rob Swire was wound like a coiled spring, launching himself into the audience at every available opportunity from the 6’ high stage. While new boys Pendulum rocked out in the Global Arena over on the main stage the grandfathers of industrial dance The Prodigy took to the stage to the sounds of the legendary Breathe. The assembled masses went wild; it was like they were under Keith’s mystical spell. Every song was greeted with more & more enthusiasm there was a real mosh pit going at a dance festival, who would have thought! Saturday’s weather was a continuation from Friday & the party people were dressed to make the most of it. Global has a marvellous carnival atmosphere with fancy dress being the unofficial dress code. Was that a man with a bird cage on his head I just saw & how does the man (I think it’s a man) covered from head to toe in green lycra go to the loo!!!!!! Bizarre, yet its touches like this coupled with hot tubs & massage that makes a nice timeout from the music and the scream if you want to go faster bumper cars. Saturday night runs through into Sunday morning with the party winding up at 6am. Orbital oversaw this transition from Saturday to Sunday in style with a blistering DJ set on the massive main stage. It was as if the Hartnoll brothers hadn’t been away, their fans mirrored their trademark illuminated glasses & what a sight it made, it was like a join the dots puzzle on an industrial scale. Orbital like The Prodigy from the previous night made the ticket cost worth every penny. Now in its 9th year Global has established itself as the clubbers festival with fans already planning for Global 2010. Rain or shine there is something for everyone at The Global Gathering. Scream if you want to go faster, scream if you want to go louder, scream if you want to go to Global 2010, Aaaaaaarrrrhhhhhhh! Review by Jay Buckley, for full photo gallery by Graham Harries then go to – www.gphotography.org.uk