Godskitchen Global Gathering 2003 Review

Saturday 26th July 2003 - Stratford Upon Avon

‘The’ clubbing event of the year finally arrived on Saturday, July 26. This was the gig we’d all been waiting for... As we headed to Long Marston Airfield, clouds were gathering overhead, threatening to rain on our parade. Obviously no one had told the heavens that ‘Storm’ wasn’t hosting a tent.

Sure enough, the clouds burst, transforming the festival site into a field of sludge. Fluffy boots, flip-flops, trainers and trousers were soon heavy with mud as we slipped and slid between tents, rides and stalls.

However, the weather wasn’t going to get the better of us. Diehard clubbers turned up in their thousands, undeterred, to revel in fifteen hours of non-stop hedonism.

Yet again the Godskitchen crew had managed to set up one hell of a festival. It’s hard to comprehend just how much organization goes into such a mammoth event, but they pulled it off superbly - every tent was highly impressive, not least due to the kick-ass sound systems blasting out of each one.

A broad selection of the world’s best DJs had been secured to blow our minds, and judging by peoples’ faces, minds had definitely been blown. The tents hummed with happiness. As we bobbed to the beats blasted out by Lisa Lashes in the Sundissential arena, we felt the atmosphere soar. Drops of euphoria dripped down from the ceiling…ok, so maybe it was condensed sweat, but by that time we no longer cared.

Non other than the legendary Grooverider was pummelling the decks when we wandered into the drum n’ base arena. His supersonic sounds skipped over our feet, tripping us into the beats.

We were determined to sample the entire musical platter so we squelched and squidged our way around the site.

US deckmaster Roger Sanchez did the biz in the Babooshka tent. He funked our brains out with an uplifting Balearic set, transporting us from the sodden field to a Sunkist beach effortlessly. The funky favourite ‘Walking On Clouds’ went down a treat.

True to form, it was the Godskitchen arena which had the loudest sound system of all. Chunky tribal tunes and hypnotic trance drifted through the air, luring us in and captivating our feet.

All in all the event was a memorable mixture of mud and music. I’m sure we all took a ‘lil part of the field home with us as a souvenir, whether we wanted to or not! But no doubt we’ll all be back again next year. Come rain or shine, the party must, and will go on.

Godskitchen Global Gathering 2003 reviewed by Loz Pritchard-Gordon.