Review: Meadows in the Mountains 2017

The magic of the Meadows in the Mountains... It is my second year of going to this magnificent gathering of fun loving, eco-friendly, exotic and likeminded human beings. Over a week on, I am positively still glowing from the experience and can guarantee that anyone who was in attendance will be in a similar condition. A truly hedonistic retreat from the real world - it is a festival, despite having doubled in size since the previous year, that has got it right in so many ways and remains totally unique. 

Amongst other things, what makes it exceptional is its compatibility with the local community. The organisers make considerable efforts to involve everyone; from the taxi drivers, bar staff, food vendors and security to the apartment hosts in the local village of Polkovnik. You are given the choice of being looked after by a Bulgarian family and soaking up the culture or waking up in a tent on the hillside, several hundred feet above sea level, with a panoramic view of the sensational Rhodopes mountains. The punters are very aware of being respectful and polite and in return, the locals are friendly and eager to help out in any way they can. Particular regard is given to the environment with the slogan ‘Leave No Trace’ apparent to the extent there is no glass or plastic allowed on site; punters are asked to purchase a metal cup and refill it with each visit to the bar. Some truly delectable cocktails were on offer too!

The opening ceremony was a fine portrayal of unification as two cultures came together; the local mayor was involved and the village choir sang a host of Bulgarian songs while the predominantly English crowd listened intently. Afterwards the ladies, many of whom were quite elderly, were seen joking and smiling - arm in arm with the younger demographic and it made for some truly heart-warming moments. 

Since this year the festival had sold almost double the number of tickets from last year, it felt significantly, but not uncomfortably busier. The organisers had expanded the site and created a woodland stage that once opened on the Saturday, kept going resiliently 24/7 until the festival ended on Monday morning. Gorgeous wonky techno, slutty house and garage pumped out of the Funktion-One ensemble, separated only by the pine trees rather than a gap in bassline. Lesser-known DJs and outfits such as Bristol’s Washing Machine Soundsystem revelled at the opportunity to play extended sets and dig out the classics; looping and teasing vocals, very often to the extent you were convinced it was some tasty new remix. One hype of Eats Everything’s interpretation of Adam F’s Circles went on gloriously for about ten minutes before the beat changed up to drum 'n' bass. 

A definite highlight was the Commix set on the main stage. One of the more recognisable names in the line-up (and one that was announced only three weeks before the festival commenced to add to the allure of the whole thing). The D'n'B duo split years ago to pursue different musical paths (something that came as something of a shock after the seminal album Call To Mind). Following a move to Berlin and dabbling in 4/4, George Levings picked up where he and Guy Brewer left off by releasing an EP on Goldie’s Metalheadz in October last year. His set on Friday night produced severe nostalgia for anyone with a techy, liquid D'n'B appreciation as the likes of Calibre’s ‘Posh Boy’, Logistics ‘Jungle Music’ and a slew of original Commix hits rang out. The crowd were really letting loose which was great to see and I witnessed a lot more movement on the dance floor than your archetypal house or techno set.

There was some fantastic live music on offer with bands from all over the world taking part. Having been wowed by them last year, I made sure to catch Australia’s Ginger and the Ghost and they didn’t disappoint. Seductive synths and ambient keys from the band laid the path for front lady Ginger’s trippy vocals. Her unique and ostentatious costume choice and mesmerising stage presence made for a notable performance on Saturday afternoon. On Sunday, amidst the only downpour of the whole weekend (despite a formidable forecast) was another lady who put on a splendid show. Miss Baby Sol from London tinkered around barefoot, often decorating herself all over the stage as she flirted with the crowd and told her story. Her downright sassiness was striking and her vocal range magnificent. She explained that her band was purely makeshift with the drummer only being asked minutes before the set to take part. Onlookers demanded an encore to which she returned but joked that she had literally run out of material. She improvised on the spot, deciding to sing about the mountains and her experience which enthralled the crowd as her musicians were also credited.

The Sunrise stage was yet again a delightful place to be with superior sound quality pulsing out from two huge stacks of speakers as the DJ bounced around from an elevated position above the dance floor. The booth was completely made of wood. In fact, every structure you saw around the site was entirely sustainable and reusable, assuming it will be packed away sensibly for the following year. The Sasse brothers who organise the festival have fashioned something extraordinary in that there is no sponsorship; they don’t rely on a star studded line up to sell tickets but have steadily built up a loyal family as many of the party goers I spoke to had been in previous years and spoke enthusiastically about how positively it has evolved. 

Bristol turned Berlin resident Shanti Celeste provided a typically elegant and meticulously tight set as low slung house and techno dominated the mountaintop in the early hours of Saturday morning, guiding the dancers through to sunrise. Objekt’s Theme from Q and ‘Erotic Disclosure’ from Paul Woolford tore things up, as did ‘30003b’ by WAX. My favourite set of the weekend however was on Monday morning as the sun peeped over the top of the mountains to the east and the lit the sky in a such a superlative manner that even though I had seen it several times before, I was stunned by how attractive the scene was. As an Instagram post from the meadows crew in the following days declared, “Ain’t no Monday morning like the last Meadows morning” — anywhere…ever. This time assisted by KLMN who coordinated a sometimes tribal; often cosmic and categorically fanciful journey into the final morning. Mr G’s ‘Transient’ and Salat Ala Nabina’ from Mr ID were particularly memorable and as you looked around, everybody wore a broad smile as they danced and joked with friends old and new while the dance floor was busier than it had been throughout the festival. 

There is so much more than just the music at Meadows in the Mountains, although the soundtrack set the pace. What I liked especially is how there were some little-known acts on the roster but wherever you went, and at any given time you were treated to some special encounters with people and experienced something distinctive. A three-storey treehouse named ‘The Temple’ had evolved a further two floors since last year and was renamed ‘Baba Yaga’s Backyard’. This hosted an immersive theatrical performance entitled Rewilding. Performers got up close and personal with the audience whilst illuminated by a full moon; onlookers sat and watched, absorbed in the spectacle before them. Hara’s spiritual workshop provided yoga and mind-enhancing talks throughout the weekend; a steady alternative to the music. Splintered all over the site were twinkly hidden treasures, breathtaking structures and quaint stalls or workspaces where you could learn how to make additive free herbal tobacco or try your hand at producing some unconventional art. 

With memories to last a lifetime, MITM is a wildly occult, yet intimate celebration of human nature. The astonishing scenery adds to the enchantment of the occasion and, equipped with serious pizzazz, it is quite frankly good for the soul. 

 

Super Early Bird tickets for 2018 are available now

30/06/17
Words by Oli Cruttenden