Day one
festivals,festival pictures,lovebox festival,lovebox festival 2010
lovebox 2010
Eva Bojtos, 28, went to Lovebox with her brother Martin and mates Andy Corbett, Steph Thompson, Sophie Hughes, Teri Curnow, Tania Best and Louise Lambert \r\nNow 7 years old, Lovebox has become a must do event on many Brits summer social calendar. Hosted in Hackney\'s Victoria Park (conveniently 10 minutes away from my flat) I\'ve enjoyed year after year of amazing acts, sweaty crowds and hot totty perving. With 50,000 people expected this weekend, organisers were expecting the festival to be crowned the best yet.
Day one
festivals,festival pictures,lovebox festival,lovebox festival 2010
lovebox festival
Meeting my brother and friends at Bethnal Green station, we made our way in the glorious sunshine through the queues and headed straight for the Rizla tent. Well known for being one of the best dance areas, revellers were swaying in the sunshine to the likes of Zombie Disco Squad, Toddla T and Todd Edwards. The music was a mix of crooked house, dubstep and garage which made for some wicked beats and ‘interesting’ dance moves.
Day one
festivals,festival pictures,lovebox festival,lovebox festival 2010
lovebox festival
Moving on we were accosted by two Elvis impersonators who insisted on serenading me with \'Love me Tender\'. General consensus was they should stick with their careers in IT after all...
Day one
festivals,festival pictures,lovebox festival,lovebox festival 2010
lovebox festival
Next we made our way to NYC Download - a dance tent which was designed to look like a derelict hotel from the outside (complete with a Taxi crashed into one of the walls) and manned by transvestites with pig snouts. Picture evidence has been provided (because you wouldn\'t believe me otherwise).
Day one
festivals,festival pictures,lovebox festival,lovebox festival 2010
lovebox festival
Entering what seemed a dingy mental sanatorium out of Shutter Island, the music soon brought things back to normality as MJ Cole rocked the decks with a mix of old school garage, breakbeat and drum and bass. He was quite simply outstanding and we left drenched in sweat (and probably other people\'s too).
\r\n\r\nWe just had enough time to make it to the main stage where headline acts Chase & Status and Dizzee Rascal were playing. On the way we bumped into some old mates, one of them being Norman Jay\'s manager. Gutted we weren\'t seeing him on Saturday (VIP ticket holders only) he told us Norman was in the UK only fleetingly. Working on a super secret project with Bacardi Superior Rum he’s off to Cuba next week taking three new acts with him to soak up the Latin atmosphere and come back fully inspired for studio time. I’ve no idea why they said I couldn’t go with him!
\r\n\r\nYet, there was no time for idle chatter. The ground was trembling from the vibrating bass and we knew that Chase & Status had arrived. The electronic duo Saul Milton and Will Kennard pumped out their well known drum n\' bass tracks which had the entire crowd singing along, cutting the strobes and basically going mad. I can firmly say they were the best act I\'ve seen at Lovebox yet.
Day one
festivals,festival pictures,lovebox festival,lovebox festival 2010,dizee rascal
dizzee rascal at lovebox
As nightfall begun, a hush descended onto the crowd in anticipation for Dizzee Rascal. We didn\'t have to wait long. The East-end born rapper came on stage to rapturous applause opening with \'Jus a Rascal\'. Belting out popular tracks including \'Dance wiv Me\' and \'Holiday\' he even had to stop midway having to break up a scuffle in the crowd after \'Dirtee Cash.\' “Woah, woah squash that, no fighting yeah,” he shouted before launching into his next track and we all went mental again.\r\n\r\nWith a massive bang confetti littered the sky showering us with a blanket of ticker tape and green lasers, bringing the night to a close with Bonkas of course! Continuing the good time vibes, we all made our way to mine for an after party.
Day one
festivals,festival pictures,lovebox festival,lovebox festival 2010
lovebox festival
After enjoying too many Gaymers I got everyone utterly lost in the park but we were rescued by some lovely (and very good-looking) policemen. I\'m happy to declare it was my first time riding in the back of a police car (and for the record they assured me they weren’t strippers). A great end to a fabulous day - Lovebox I\'ll see you again next year!
Day two
festivals,festival pictures,lovebox festival,lovebox festival 2010
lovebox festival
Stephanie O’Grady, 26, went to Lovebox with some of her fave friends including Christian and Emily– who were celebrating their birthdays \r\nSaturday at Lovebox was going to be great. For a start I’m an Eastender, so it\'s on my doorstep and two of my friends had decided to celebrate their birthdays there too. I\'d been twice before (and entertained by the likes of Groove Armada, Hot Chip and Goldfrapp among others) and had amazing times at each. Don\'t you just love it when a plan comes together!? \r\nAfter a quick shopping spree on Oxford Street the evening before, I became the proud owner of a maxi dress, some shades and an antiquey looking whistle (which I had to promise my friend I wouldn’t actually use as she hates the noise!). Here you can see my festival outfit in its full glory! \r\n\r\n
Day two
festivals,festival pictures,lovebox festival,lovebox festival 2010,mark ronson
lovebox festival mark ronson
On Saturday morning I headed straight to the
Cat & Mutton , a trendy pub on the corner of London Fields, to have a few warm up drinks and the first toast for my friend Christian\'s birthday. Cheers (pic)! The sun came out and I tried out my new toy, a
Sony Bloggie as we headed to Victoria Park to see Marc Ronson, Henrick Scchwarz and Future Boogie.
\r\nWe were lucky we weren’t picking up tickets, as the queue for that was HUGE! Once inside you\'re at quite an intimate festival with eclectic musical offerings – everything from Grandmaster Flash to Paloma Faith, Roxy Music to Booka Shade. It makes it a great place to go in a large group, as all musical tastes are catered for. From the boys who loved the vibe in the Rizla area with its drum & base DJs to the girls & I who preferred the dancey tents, such as Hot Blood Sound System. It’s also quick to get between the different areas and easy to find your friends when you get lost. We bumped into lots of our mates during the day without even trying!
\r\nUnfortunately we found the headline act Roxy Music a bit of a disappointment. I noticed quite a few people left early when they played songs people hadn’t really heard of. Festivals like this are an opportunity for older bands to find a whole new audience but I don’t think Bryan Ferry managed to – at least not with us.
Day two
festivals,festival pictures,lovebox festival,lovebox festival 2010
love box festival
The smaller stages were the real heroes of the day, with my favourite time spent dancing (and drinking the best tasting Margarita\'s I\'ve ever had) at the Jose Cuervo Street Fiesta area, with its buzzing Latin vibe. The Gaymers stage was also a good place to go and closing act Empire of the Sun, gave a great performance – the theatrical wardrobe worn by frontman Luke Steele was worth seeing alone.\r\n
\r\nI had a great day at Lovebox and Emily and Christian had brilliant birthdays too. Now I’m looking forward to Bestival for some more festival fun! \r\n
Day three
festivals,festival pictures,lovebox festival,lovebox festival 2010
lovebox festival
The Company Team’s view! Emma Justice, Deputy Editor, Tracey Ramsden, Acting Features Editor, Rachel Wood, Company’s Events and sponsorship manager, Kirsty Hathaway, Fashion Editor, Emma Bigger, Assistant Fashion Editor and Laura Martin, Fashion Assistant / Stylist, were all at Lovebox on Sunday \r\nIt’s the last day of the festival and also the biggest! Company faves Hot Chip are on the main stage as well as headliner Grace Jones – who first gave us fierce and would eat Lady Gaga for breakfast.
Day three
festivals,festival pictures,lovebox festival,lovebox festival 2010
lovebox festival
Billed as being the most outrageous, no-holds barred, non-stop polysexual festival party it felt a bit like Gay pride with some of the best DJs and music from the gay scene in the dance areas. We checked out Salvation in the brilliant Relentless tent which was pitch black with a massive mirrored tree in the middle by the DJ booth. The graphics and cabaret dancers (when we went they were dressed as space invaders – or at least that’s what it looked like!) were awesome!
Day three
festivals,festival pictures,lovebox festival,lovebox festival 2010
lovebox festival
Kubicle had an area hidden in the trees and Trailer Trash, Horse Meat Disco and Disco Bloodbath had their top DJs on the decks. Drag queens put us to shame with their sparkly lycra dresses, big heels and glittery make up bringing a whole new meaning to festival glamour. \r\nOn the main stage we caught Company favourites Hurts (who have been playing non stop on the office stereo) their hit in the making ‘Better than love’ sounded fab in the sunshine.
\r\nOur fashion team spent the day with the lovely girls from Boohoo.com spotting some great festival looks including playsuits (long and short), shorts in leather or denim and of course wellies even though it was BLAZING not RAINING! \r\n
\r\n\r\nWe all loved Hercules & Love Affair and Hot Chip who got the whole crowd dancing (and two girls in the crowd to take their bras off!) proving geek chic is still cooler than ever. Finishing with Ready for the Floor they left on a massive high.
Day three
festivals,festival pictures,lovebox festival,lovebox festival 2010
lovebox festival grace jones
Peaches, who took to the main stage just before them, gave us her usual crazy stage antics – she was wheeled around in a pink fluffy wheelchair and had a naked, half man, half woman dancing friend. But Grace Jones really showed what it means to be an icon.
Day three
festivals,festival pictures,lovebox festival,lovebox festival 2010
lovebox festival grace jones
Demanding oysters backstage and changing her hat for every song (while giving us a running commentary) she belted out hits including My Jamaican Guy (in an African mask like hat), La Vie en Rose (sparkly top hat) and Slave to the Rhythm which she managed to hula hoop the whole way through. Plus she’s old enough to be our Mum. Respect!
