Feature
Wayne Hemingway's Vintage at Goodwood Festival: Looking forward to looking back
I think we are all in agreement that the face of Festivals has changed a lot over the last few years. As the rabid credit crunch bit hard on all our pockets - money conscious fun seekers who would holiday abroad whilst partying at will, suddenly switched their attention homeward for a cheaper alternative (but just as fun, of course!).
As attendances grew, festival content and investment grew - The festivals that were already established got bigger whilst leaving a gap for seeds to be sown for many, many new ventures. In fact, there will be in excess of 350 festivals this years alone - a staggering amount, I think you'll agree, in this potentially precarious market. So inevitably there will be casualties along the way, with the loss of Brighton's well publicised 'Beachdown', Live Nation's 'Play Away' and last year's wobbling fortunes of the mighty 'Big Chill'. But (and it's a HUGE but). BUT (that's better) when it goes right, the right festival with all its trappings is THE best place to be!
So fun-seekers, with what is reportedly going to be (potentially) the hottest summer we have had in eons (hey, you never know!?) and with more festivals than you throw a well aimed festival welly boot at, as you ask “where on earth should I spend my hard earned shekels?” And the answer ladies and gents, I hope, will fill you with a HUGE tingle of excitement...
Brainchild of design guru, come soul music worshipper Wayne Hemingway CBE – he of ’80s iconic label ‘Red Or Dead’ fame, coupled with an entertainment event that is set to be a real high point on the festival calendar. Let me share, if I may, Hemingway’s vision of ‘THE’ festival to attend this year – its name is ‘Vintage At Goodwood’. The title certainly gives away both essence and premise as this festival is set to 'celebrate 5 decades of British cool' no less - from the '40s to the back-end of current in vogue decade, the '80s. The location is also given away in the title with sat-nav's set toward Goodwood racecourse (it's next to it). So before you get those bell bottoms out the loft for an airing, let me try to give you a taste of this excellent extravaganza of everything exciting that has shaped our lives - as I ask "what's it all about Wayne?" And why it’s OK to tell your mates about it – but maybe not a good idea this year to tell your mates, mates!?
Wayne: What we’ve got to do to make this really, really fly is fill it with 20,000 people who are into this content. Rather than 5,000 people are into the content and 15,000 who are there because they’ve heard there’s a new event on. Because, there’s nothing quite like being with like-mined people. Eventually it will go up to the scale where the numbers to make it stack up financially in the long term will mean it can’t only be the people in the ‘in crowd’ if you know what I mean (well that's me and Wayne sorted - OK, and Snowboy!?), but this year it has to be! That’s why we are relying on people that have got access to the target market to get it out there (he means us folks and of course you're good selves). At the moment you see, I really hope we don’t have to go massive on this. You can’t even buy the tickets from the likes of Seetickets or HMV or Ticket Master! Cos then you’ve got the problem that some will say “there’s a new festival, I’ll try it this year” and not know what it’s about!
Lee: We all know what festivals are supposed to be like traditionally – but it would appear this isn’t shaping up to be in that usual mould. A classic in the making, but not a classic type if you like. All aspects seem to have been upgraded...
Wayne: Yeah, and that’s why it’s more important for us to talk to you, than say, The Daily Mail if you know what I mean. The Daily Mail would sell us thousands of tickets if I’m sat here talking to them, cos it’ll sell it on my name and the fact that it’s a festival with Sandie Shaw and Lily Allen and all that kind of stuff.
Lee: You say it “celebrates 5 decades of British cool” from the ‘40s onwards. That would take it to the 1989/90. But then you add “and the now!” What does that mean?
Wayne: That’s ‘Future Vintage’. "Now" means we are looking at the best of the genres that exist now. What we believe we’ll be looking back on in 25 years and thinking that it’s great. For example Jamie Lidell’s playing...
Lee: You’ve also got Rox playing haven’t you? She is very heavily tipped for good things this year...
Wayne: She is. So it’s about now – it’s not just looking backward... We look back to look forward (better watch you don’t fall over!?).
Lee: It’s been mentioned that it’s not just British artists involved – you are involving U.S artists that have had an influence on the British scene...
Wayne: We’ve got Martha Reeves and the Vandellas playing, so yeah. We’ve got Leroy Hutson, we've got err... Because Black music is - it’s about what British people have enjoyed. To me British cool is... I mean my background, the first music after Roxy (Music) and Bowie that got me going. I was 13 and it was the Wigan Casino and there wasn’t a lot of that, that was British – some of it was, but not a lot.
Lee: Talking of which – There’s an area called the Soul Casino yes?
Wayne: The ‘Soul Casino’ has got a stage which will have a band or an artist on. From Geno Washington through to Leroy Hutson – they'll all play on that one. That holds a couple of thousand people and then you’ve got the ‘Soul Casino Club’ that will hold about six or seven hundred on the dance floor, although we might reduce that down cos that’s a big dance floor is that. I might go down to five hundred - that’s where there will be all the soul DJ’s who will be playing all of the time - from Ian Duhurst (Dj'ing royalty who had residencies at inonic soul venues inc: Leeds Central, Wigan Casino, Samantha's in Sheffield, Blackpool Mecca and Manchester's Ritz amongst others - also responsible for sourcing 100's of Northern Soul classics and founding the Mastercuts record label) to Colin Curtis (another Dj'ing great who was involved in the incarnation of Northern Soul right through to the delopment of house music. He was resident at Blackpool Mecca in its halcyon period and then went on to run Rafters and Berlin in Manchester), all doing a set – there’s a lot more! Then there’s the ‘Warehouse’, which is built like a full dirtbox warehouse. That is where it starts off - with mid ‘70s disco going all the way through to Shoom (one of the first Balearic rave clubs which had famous DJ'ing resident Danny Ramplin). All of the seminal clubs are celebrated - It’s the clubs that are celebrated and the music that went with them. With every DJ we put a current exponent of the art, if you know what I mean (in other words, an oldie and a newie DJ). Then there’s the ‘Roller Disco’, which has Horse Meat Disco and I think Norman (Jay) doing sets.
Lee: All areas have curators - Who’s the curator in that area?
Wayne: Jack and Greg – Jack Hemingway (son) and Greg Wilson (DJ/producer predominantly associated with the early electro scenes in Manchester. Also had residencies at iconic nightclub venues including Manchester's Haçienda and Wigan Pier). The Warehouse will be made out of reclaimed material, the seats are all made out of pallets. The lighting’s a bit like the The Haçienda and the DJ’s are gonna DJ from a lift shaft! We are actually bringing in a real lift shaft...
Lee: [laughs] Great! And if you don’t like em' just press a button and get rid of em!?
Wayne: Yeah [laughs], the venues are literally proper built buildings – There’s a bar, there’s a proper dance area and the DJ does his thing from a DJ booth...
Lee: So, will the Soul Casino look like the Wigan Casino night club?
Wayne: [laughs] A bit! Not exactly, not exactly – a bit... You’ll be able to tell the influences – Yeah.
Lee: I see you’ve got Craig Charles (DJ - The Craig Charles Funk and Soul Show Sat 7-10pm on BBC 6Music. Actor inc Lister in Red Dwarf and Lloyd in Corrie) on the bill DJ’ing.
Wayne: Yeah, yeah I put in for him – I’m a Craig Charles fan...
Lee: Yeah he’s cool – I caught him on a baking hot afternoon last year at the Big Chill. The crowd responded really well to him as he played a superb set, just right for a festival crowd.... By the way, who booked the acts for Vintage, it must have been a huge task?
Wayne: We’ve all talked together, erm about that...
Lee: And how long has this taken to come to fruition – from idea to action stage?
Wayne: Well, it’s been in my mind for three years - working on how the concept could work, but we’ve all been working on it for about seven or eight months now.
Lee: So, these huge back-lots, if you like, huge sets – I hear there will be a fully functional high-street built with Vintage shops. Hairdressers, vintage clothing etc (imagine an outside shopping ‘outlet‘ of today, instead with shops from '40s-'80s like a more colourful Carnaby St I suppose – but that is just a guess) + the aforementioned Casino set/stage etc... What’s going to happen to them when you’ve finished to these huge sets – because of it being an annual event?
Wayne: It all that gets dismantled and stored - and then will be built up again next year.
Lee: As this looks set to be the hottest festival to attend this year, you have said it will be capped at 20,000 visitors. What do you envisage number-wise for next year then? Surely you will be inundated with people wanting to attend next year if (when) this is an out and out success – Goodwood must have the capacity to hold well over 100,000.
Wayne: I’d like to grow by a couple of thousand a year – maybe 5,000 a year... Actually, that’s probably too much – a couple of thousand a year and just see where we go. You can’t judge something till you see it – if it feels right finishing it at 25,000 in a few years, we’ll finish at that. It’s gotta feel right... What I don’t want it to be, is something that’s big - that loses its intimacy. But the whole idea of having a ‘rocking club’, a ‘soul club’ and all that lot is - it doesn’t have to lose its intimacy because they can all have their own little bit of intimacy. And that‘s why I wonder why it’s not been thought of before. Actually I do know why it’s not been thought of before, because it’s so bloody hard to do! This is not just putting a stage in a field, because all the camping is bespoke (glamping) and so are the B&B’s etc. A lot of people who are into soul music and rock n’ roll and stuff, don’t want to slum it in their own little tents. You know, they want to get dressed up... This has got everything you can have to stay glamorous and places to stay. As long as people book early enough, people can actually be comfortable. Some people will camp, and if you do – there’s places to go and to get glamed-up.
Lee: What dress code do you encourage then?
Wayne: Well, I think people should get dressed up...
Lee: At least one day, or all of them - or...
Wayne: I think it’ll be good to get dressed as if you’re going to a night club – as if you were going out on a Saturday night. That’s what I’d like... Every year Saturday is going to be called ‘Thank God It’s Saturday’ – This year its somebody who I’m not announcing yet (did he say the Who? haha). We’re not announcing all the acts you see.
Lee: [Laughs] Ok I’ll guess then...
Wayne: I want there to be some real surprises for people when they get there. AND it’s going to be very family friendly as well – we’re gonna have crèches done really sort of educational. We’re gonna have walking busses for kids so the kids can go back stage to see how it’s all done, so it’s teaching them about the creative industries as well.
Lee: It’s great because years ago we didn’t record history in the way we do now (Facebook, Twitter, cameras on phones etc). Mum’s and dad’s can show their kids first-hand how music/culture affected them as they grew up, a history lesson if you like. Instead of just talking about your memories and playing the odd record or CD or something. Kids will then say “Yeah that was pretty cool Mum/Dad” (ha, you can hope!). "It’s our history and it’s cool!..."
Wayne: Exactly!
Lee: So how will it keep its cool next year without repeating on what you’ve done this?
Wayne: You’ve gotta repeat to a certain extent- not on the C~bands, but you gotta repeat on the ambience of the place to a certain extent- there’s loads of ways you can go with this...
Lee: And I’m sure you will! Thank you Wayne, I’m sure we’ll be looking forward to looking back for many years to come.
The Vintage at Goodwood Festival takes place over the weekend of the 13th, 14th and 15th of August.
Read the second part of Lee Tyler's interview with Vintage at Goodwood Festival founder Wayne Hemingway. Find out what soulful insperation drove the design guru to create one of this years must attend events Wayne's Vintage World!
Click for up-to-date festival news and line-up UPDATED!
To book and avoid disapointment please click the 'buy now' button below - this festival will sell out!!!
Words LEE TYLER
