There are some moments in life that just feel right, aren’t there?
Sure, they’re rare, but they do exist. Ever sat and watched the sun set on a sunny day, with nothing on your mind except for the sound of the birds, the smell of the barbecue, and the sweet, sweet taste of the ice-cold apple cider in your hand?
You haven’t? Oh. Well, then, picture this: you’ve gone to see your favourite band, and they’re playing your favourite song in the world. You tilt your head back, close your eyes, and throw your arm around your best mate’s shoulder, and before you know it you’re both bellowing the words at the top of your lungs like your lives depend on it. Your throat is straining, your worries are gone, and there’s nothing on your mind except the feeling that, right now, it’s pretty flippin’ good to be alive.
If you’ve never had a moment like those, then we think it’s fair to say that you have no idea what you’re missing – and, if you have, you’ll know exactly what all the fuss is about.
That same attitude, dear reader, is one that can also be applied to a little festival called Barn On The Farm.
If you’ve been, then you’ve almost certainly already vowed to go again – and, if you haven’t, you have no clue what you’re missing out on.
Barn On The Farm isn’t like a normal music festival; it’s more like a family reunion, where each and every person attending is there because they love good times and great music. We’ve got old friends there, who we only see once a year, but who we’re still able to chat to like we only saw them yesterday. We’ve made new friends, bonding over a shared love of new music, cold beer, and festivals that are nestled deep in the Gloucestershire countryside.
Heck, we’ve even killed many an early morning hour by crowding around a campfire with an assortment of artists who’ve played the festival stages earlier in the day, armed with nothing more than a three-stringed guitar, an Oasis chord book, and a shared desire to do nothing other than have a good time. It’s a festival without pretension, and without barriers – and, if you ask us, that’s precisely what music is all about.
So, from what we’re saying, you’d be forgiven for thinking that this year’s Barn On The Farm may well have been the perfect music festival.
There is, however, one flaw in the organisers’ masterplan. Sure, it boasts a lovingly curated line-up of genuinely outstanding music; and yes, it’s true that there wasn’t a single artist on this year’s line-up who isn’t tremendously talented.
Alas, dearest reader, that’s where our issue with the festival lies; because each and every artist who played the festival this year was so good, it makes it really, really hard for us to pick our highlights from this year’s weekender.
Lauren Aquilina, Apre, and Dermot Kennedy immediately spring to mind, but the sheer bombast of Tom Grennan‘s first-ever festival headline slot might just swing the ball into his court; yet, then we remember how good Lily Moore, Plested, Adam French, and Sam Fender were, and we go back to being spoilt for choice.
If you held a gun to our head, though, we’d have to say that Tom Walker‘s set was our highlight. Not only is he one of the biggest emerging stars in the country right now, but he’s also one of the most talented; his voice is raspy, yet still crystal-clear, and his guitar solo at the end of breakout hit (and set highlight) Leave A Light On was enough to weld our jaws to the floor for the foreseeable future. If he’s not Future Headliner material, then we’re not quite sure who is.
Well, you’ve read our words, and you’ve almost certainly gotten the gist of how we feel.
Theoretically, we’ve already told you enough to convert you to the cause. But, we know that this has been a fairly lengthy review, and that not everybody has time to read these things; so, it’d be understandable if you were wondering how we’d succinctly describe what’s so special about Barn On The Farm to the humble, non-initiated potential attendee.
Fortunately, there’s a song for that. Eliza and The Bear‘s track Friends might appear, to the uninitiated, to be nothing more than a superbly written indie-pop song; but, to those in the know, it’s the embodiment of this festival’s ethos. If you head down to Barn On The Farm, we can guarantee that you’ll have friends before you know it; and, before it feels like any time at all has passed, you’ll have family there.
If that’s not the mark of a truly special music festival, then we’re not sure what is.