On paper, Get loaded in The Park 2009 boasted the line up of all line up's for day festival's this year with Booka Shade, Magnetic Man featuring Skream and Benga, Count and Sinden, Royksopp, Felix Da Housecat, The Bloody Beetroots, MSTRKRFT, Roni Size, Chase and Status, VV Brown, Crookers, Peaches, Rob Da Bank, Orbital and Pendulum all featured on the massive roster.


Following my attendance at both days of the 2009 Lovebox and Field Day, Get loaded... was looked upon with great expectations. 


Since my last time at the South West London based event in 2006, much had changed. Then the diverse line up boasted Hip Hop stalwarts De La Soul, Lilly Allen, Tiga, Killa Kela, Terry Hall of The Specials, Lethal Bizzle, Digitalism and headliners Babyshambles. The 2009 line up definitely indicated the development and progression of electronic music.


Though a grey overcast threatened to open up throughout the day it was an element of nature inside the Clapham Common venue that caused the revellers a real problem. Sand. Or dust. Or just real dry, sun scorched and worn out grass, whatever it was, as the gusts that frequented the day swept through the crowds, those without sunglasses wore often caught rubbing their eyes in irritation.


That aside, having caught several of the performing acts at other festivals and shows, I set out for new experience's. One of the most anticipated sets of the day came from dubstep Don's Skream and Benga, who alongside fellow DJ/producer Artwork were the first real act that had me excited. Opening with Benga's '26 Basslines' ensured the crowd - which included a 7 year old girl - amongst the darkness of the Clash stage tent were all head bopping enthusiastically. As the trio ran through a mash up of ear bleedingly loud dubstep the excitement was unfortunately short lived as the Magnetic Men only had a scheduled 30 minute set which was not to prove the days only disappointment. Whilst filling the interval between the next exciting act, too much time was spent queuing by the bar with plenty more eye rubbing; again an anti-climax was felt.


Booka Shade's live set did little for me as the hope of hearing classic's 'Body Language', 'Night Falls' and 'In White Rooms' was overshadowed by the feeling of hanging around. Though there were fairground rides, food stalls aplenty and the brilliant Gio - Goi party bus (located between the Clash and Xfm tents and the only area to have a sizeable crowd throughout the whole day) to entertain in between acts, Get Loaded ... failed to have the fun times atmosphere felt at it's rival festivals Lovebox and Field Day. I often felt almost bored and wasn't fully engaging with the event until electronic sexpot Peaches highly charged set which sat somewhere between an Amsterdam peepshow and musical performance. Those present were amused by the light erection prop which dimmed with the sound levels. Peaches spared no blushes, but what else could be expected from a lady who shamelessly encouraged the crowd to 'Fuck The Pain Away' amongst other things. Crude, vulgar and easily a highlight of the day.


The good times continued as Get Loaded... finally erupted in festival spirit when Australian drum and bass collective Pendulum took to the stage. Immediately, the Xfm tent was full of frantically hopping revellers who managed to maintain the energy levels throughout the set which was rounded off by the fantastic 'Tarantula' which, even three years on, remains a monster of a dance track.


Unfortunately, ss darkness descended it appeared the atmosphere too disappeared with the sunlight.


A floaty, trippy set from Orbital seemed to signal the end of what had been quite a flat day as the masses headed for the festival exits. Whilst it would be harsh to label Get Loaded... a total anti-climax to the end of a typically british summer, it would too be hard to deny that measured against the other one day capital festivals, it ranked lowly.  Having spoken to many attendee's it became clear that in putting together a show of great promise, smaller, minor details had somehow been overlooked. The festival wasn't billed as specifically age restricted, and the family presence was quite obvious. And whereas Lovebox and Field Day had the Secretsundaze and Bugged Out! arena's running throughout the days respectively - meaning there was always a party point to retreat to between act changeovers - Get Loaded... failed to fill such a gap and were fortunate enough that the Gio-Goi party bus went some way to filling that void. As Get Loaded... was the second part of the SouthWestFour weekender (the SW4 dancefest had taken place at the same venue 24 hours before) maybe most focus had gone into day one of the event. Or maybe both days were just as bad. Either way, it was a shame that by 9pm, I felt more than ready to leave, still full of beans but drained of enthusiasm.     


Hopefully 2010 will see promoters Lock'n'Load put a bigger focus on the smaller festival aspects to do justice to and compliment the huge line-up.  

Posted In Festivals, Sep 09 2009. Words - Daniel