Posts
This August I had the opportunity to get out my well pressed 1940s army uniform for the first of what plans to be an annual music and fashion festival, Vintage at Goodwood. Set on the glorious Goodwood estate, I embarked on what was described as a "festival celebrating 5 decades of british cool. Think of Vintage at Goodwood as the new annual Festival of Britain. Whether your thing is Swing, Rockabilly, Mod, Soul, Funk, Disco, Ska, Electro, Burlesque, Film, Art & Design, or you just want to dress up and get an authentic ‘flat top’ and make-over for a day, Vintage at Goodwood is a visual, responsible, aural and sensual, a big family dressing up box, a collectors dream and a joyous creative feast for all ages". Vintage of Goodwood.
This really was a festival all about the best of Britain. Alongside a number of music stages, with a line up of a host of cult figures including Sandie Shaw, the Faces and the Damned, there were 5 curated spaces packed full of entertainment, dedicated to the decades from the 1940s to 1980's. The festival also brought in the Goodwood festival of speed and Goodwood Revival crowd who show off their vintage cars each year. So we got to see some fantastically amusing vintage vehicles from 1930's campers to pod like 1960s cars. The central focus of the festival was the creation of a vintage high street, with make over rooms, tea rooms, pubs, cinema, design museums and market stalls of the best vintage clothing sellers all under one roof.
What I really liked about this festival was not only the celebration of Britain, but the solidarity of all the social tribes that have been cultivated in Britain since the 1st World War. Vintage brought in all generations. Truly authentic, it was great to see performers from burlesque, big band, 1950s rockabilies, wall of death motorcyclists to classic 1980/90's DJs, such as Graeme Park and Andy Weatherall. Livestock Productions, London based entertainment company, shares a similar ethos, boasting an eclectic mix of brilliant talent. With their experience in themed corporate events, it’s great to know that there is access to these kinds of acts should our events require an injection of ‘Cool Britannia’!. The punters really made the effort, with amazing detail of vintage outfits showing allegiance to the decade of choice. It was amusing to see 1960s flower girls in the elegantly lavish 1940s' Tanqueray Torch club, alongside smartly dressed men and ladies dancing to the charleston. I loved the great sense of humour that pervaded throughout the weekend with the wonderful members of the 'Chap magazine' playing their eccentric games of 'throwing the cucumber sandwiches on a china plate'. That can only be a British invention!
Most popular era's seemed to be 1940's and 50's. Although there were good representations of all eras. My only problem was trying to change quickly from one era to the next! Couldn't really be done more than once in an evening, unless of course I had a Jeeves!
Founded by Wayne and Gerardine Hemingway and teaming up with Lord March of the Goodwood estate, this was a festival not only educational, but an event that transformed in the evening to a highly energized party of what makes the best of British cool. It would appeal to anyone interested in design, art, film, music, fashion and vintage clothing.
Indeed one of my favorite festivals of 2010. I will be back again next year, dancing on the tables in the Festival of Britain pub with Jeeves in toe!
With heaps of press and over twice their estimated ticket sales, Vintage at Goodwood demonstrates that there is a real interest and demand to revive our creative cultural heritage. Vintage is here to stay!
http://www.vintageatgoodwood.com/home.aspx
Livestock Productions also currently offers decade specific entertainment for corporate and private functions, so check out the site at http://www.livestockproductions.co.uk
No comments:
Post a Comment