We Love. . .Homelands: Matterley Bowl, Winchester 28 May 2005

Don't Worry Baby
Not being as young as I used to be, I decided that this year I wouldn't go through the entire 17 hours of Homelands. Get there a few hours after the start, leave an hour before the end and my aging body should be able to stand the pace. Of course my aging heart still trembled at the sight of burly security guards patting down each and every £50 ticket holder while large and scary dogs sniffed their crotches. It felt like you were entering the arena for one of Ceaucescu's notorious pagent displays promoting the glory of Communist Romania. Inside thankfully was a lot more relaxed.

I Can Hear Music
The sun was shining intermittently, trying always to burn through the clouds, but hey, who needs sun burn when you've got a hectic night of music and dancing ahead of you. The first thing to do is get your bearings so later on when things are much more hazy, you might have a chance of finding your way around. The main arena is just inside the gate and you can hear The Bravery pounding out their 80's synth schtick. The Outdoor stage is kicking off as Norman Jay plays some party tunes, the dance-heavy Arena 1 is already packed, as is the Movement drum'n'bass tent.

Meanwhile in the Kiss hip-hop tent North London MC Skinnyman was giving props to the Finsbury Park massive with a tale of a young boy thrown out of school for not having a PE kit who then goes to the park to blaze pot and steal a motorbike. It's this kind of petty realism that makes him such a convincing rapper, besides the crooked teeth that is. The sound system is impressive considering that almost every other venue I've ever been to manage to make hip-hop sound like bass music with mumbling. Leaving the hip-hop tent I head next door to the rather posh Arena 2 where Jose de Divina is laying down some early afternoon house tunes. This is where the glitzy disco action will take place later when the likes of Dimitri from Paris and Joey Negro are playing, and it looks like they're expecting heels. The dance floor is no common or garden grass. Heavens no. Arena 2 has a proper floor, though the slope of the ground beneath is a bit disconcerting. If you start off dancing close to the stage at one end, gravity would pull you to the back before long.

Do You Wanna Dance?
I arrive back at the main arena just in time to see Audio Bullys tease the crowd with the old trick of leaving the stage before playing your big hit. Oh those kidders. However with the panicky exuberance of a confused puppy, the duo came bounding back on stage almost immediately just in case no one called for their return. It would have been unlikely as most of the crowd here were waiting for 'Shot You Down', the Bullys latest hit that takes the Nancy Sinatra song recently featured in Tarantino's 'Kill Bill'and puts some of their trademark tough beats behind it. It's a neat party trick and one that certainly works here and the blow-up doll that's been passed over the crowd like a naked, surprised mosher is being tossed around manically.

One person who is certainly no one-trick pony is Mylo. His debut LP 'Destroy Rock and Roll' is slowly becoming one of the most popular albums of the year. It's been a long way from 'Drop the Pressure' being a club hit to endorsements from Elton John and now consistent radio play. The Homelands crowd are keen to check him out and certainly aren't disappointed. The album title track with its litany of rock'n'roll sinners gets everyone moving, latest single 'In My Arms' is good, despite its irritating Boy Meets Girl sample. He's got a full band with him who are tight and allow the man to apply the fiddly bits. 'Drop the Pressure' is great - dragged out, souped up and kicking like only a classic tune can be, while Mylo does sterling work on the distorted vocals.

I Get Around
At this stage it's difficult to envisage leaving the live arena given the quality of acts to come, so the plan is to nip out between sets and see what else is happening. 2 Many DJs are doing what they do best in Arena 1 - mashing up guilty pleasures with club hits, bending and blending genres and getting the packed crowd screaming like crazy. Meanwhile a ridiculously early set from Felix da Housecat delivers all the man's trademark electro sounds in Arena 2.

Back at the main stage Roots Manuva is delivering an assured set of quality hip-hop. It's a sign of the changed attitude in the Homelands crowd that he can play lots of his downtempo and dub tracks without trying any gurning raver's patience. Then he gives them what they wanted as the squelching bleeps that open 'Witness (1 Hope)' filter through. The crowd roar their approval and chant along to "10 pints of bitter" and boogie down to a thundering electronic ending. This is followed by a strange version of 'Lazy Day' featuring an unwelcome synth harpsichord though this disappointment doesn’t detract from the overall quality of his set.

Rock’n’Roll Music
Beck is another one who feels comfortable enough to slow things down. And the venue proves ideal to check out the variety of styles and sounds he’s been exploring for the past decade. Sitting on the grass while outside the sun begins its slow descent and Beck plays some songs from his introspective ‘Sea Change’ album, it seems fitting, without ruining he general upbeat vibe of the festival. But there’s plenty of moments to bring the crowd to their feet as well and his big hits ‘Loser’ and ‘Where It’s At?’ and ‘Hell Yes’, from his most recent album ‘Guero’ are duly trotted out to great acclaim. Of course there are enough doe-eyed Beck fans here to ensure even a bad set would have been well received but thankfully their unconditional love wasn’t necessary.

Good Vibrations
Given that I had seen The Streets play the exact same arena at Homelands two years ago I felt it time to abandon the live arena and delve deeper into the DJ action happening everywhere else. By all accounts Mike Skinner delivered one of his increasingly professional upbeat sets with giant balls tossed into the crowd and general good vibes. Meanwhile I was getting some good vibes of my own as the excellent Jazzy Jeff played a storming hip-hop set, that got progressively better the less his MC ranted. By the end he had the crowd in the palm of his hands with some Jackson 5, followed by insane moshing when he dropped Nirvana’s ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ into the equation. And then the moment everyone in the arena hoped would come, his own classic tune, ‘Summertime’, and all is right with the world.

Fun Fun Fun
Outside Groove Armada have taken over the Radio 1 stage with a DJ set that as ever climaxes with the brilliant ‘Superstylin’. No rewind though which was disappointing. Dimitri from Paris didn’t seem to be on true swaggering form but you imagine even Arena 2’s proper floor hardly makes Homelands the Playboy Mansion. The later it gets the more hectic and fun everything becomes. I find myself on some kind of fairground contraption at one point, which is a lot of fun if not so good for a churning stomach. Fortunately the cool drum’n’bass of LTJ Bukem is a welcome tonic, followed a cracking house set from Ben Watt. The Plump DJs are laying down some rocking breakbeats in Arena 1, while back in the Movement tent DJ Marky is playing some manic drum’n’bass.

Do It Again
So the sun has risen once more and everyone looks terrible in the morning light, wrapped in grey blankets or sleeping in middle of open fields. But as we all trudge towards the exit there’s smiles and laughter coming from everyone around. Great night, great day, great festival. See you next year.

words: Colm Larkin

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