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Homelands 2002 Review
Saturday 1st June 2002 - Queens Golden Jubilee Weekend @ Matterly Bowl, Winchester
 After 2 years of mud and rain, we’re finally blessed with glorious sunshine, this was going to be by far the hottest Homelands yet… After a little trek through the fields, and the initial panic about the police sniffer dogs?! We were in.
The Saturday of the Queens Golden Jubilee weekend means thousands of patriotic clubbers sporting the red, white and blue colours. People have donned everything from Union Jack/England flag jester hats to bra’s and g-strings (mainly on the girls).
We caught up with Seb Fontaine before his Radio 1 live broadcast, "these festivals are always a good chance to meet up with DJ’s we normally only see between sets... couldn’t of asked for better weather, a perfect setting". 
X-press 2’s Ashley Beedle comments on the triple DancesStar UK Award nominations from the huge success of ‘Lazy’; "We make tracks for the clubs, the main concern is the reaction there, anything else is looked on as a plus" - "it’s nice to know we can touch people in that way" (ooh-er missus!)
 The Radio 1 outdoor stage was the immediate choice with the sun blaring down on us… Westwood’s hip hop went down well, before Dave Pearce stepped up the tempo with his dance anthems and trance tunage both entertaining the sun-worshiping party goers….
Dancing outdoors in the sunshine with a cool summer breeze, quality house music and thousands of other ravers surrounding you is always a special feeling - (then so is a cheeky little tab on a hot summers festival afternoon)…
 The Strongbow Lounge were forced to move their decks indoors after the heat warped the records of the Burn It Blue DJ’s! Meanwhile the Bacardi BBar was selling over 3,000 drinks an hour to quench clublands’ thirst! The Latin soulful music came courtesy of Rob Da Bank, Phil Asher and Jon Cutler (the man behind last year’s massive Ibiza track ‘It’s Yours’). As always Basil Isaac (Black II Basics) on live percussion... Their successful choice of music, European vibe, and cosmopolitan crowd seems a key ingredient to the festival atmosphere.
Dutch trance legend/man with the grin, Tiesto rocked the Essential Mix arena. As did Radio 1’s Seb Fontaine and Pete Tong all receiving very warm responses! Where as Bryan Gee and LTJ Bukem had the huge crowd in the Movement / The End Arena jumping around to their Drum & Bass and Intelligent sounds respectively in the slightly amusing way some ‘crazy jungles dudes’ do!
Subliminal Records signing Harry ‘Choo Choo’ Romero was playing his US funky house style in the Subliminal / Back 2 Basics / Underwater Arena. Followed by an enlightening 150 minutes from the X-Press 2 boys, finishing on a remixed version of the massive Miami anthem ‘Lazy’ needless to say this got a fantastic response. Darren Emerson's new record case wouldn’t open and had to be smashed open by a hammer, before his superb set with Radio 1’s Nimone, dancing away to the Underwater label boss (absolutely banging mate!).
A mad dash across the sunset and laser lit fields to the Retro Arena for Alison Limerick’s live P.A - her performance of "Where Love Lives" was mind blowing, originally performed over 10 years ago and still as fresh as it’s first play. It was announced as one of the greatest of all time house records… before she said "If you can remember this your too old to be here!" (yeah cheers) dancing away in flash-back heaven, everyone singing along, she reminded me why this was a must see.
Another dash across the unusually mud-free land we caught snippets from Roots Manuvre (Movement Arena), Mr C (The End Arena), Zero 7 (Gilles Peterson Arena), Layo & Bushwacka’s mammoth live set (Space Arena) before bouncing in to Muzik Arena for the final couple of tracks from the Stanton Warriors.. Their jacked up house was a perfect build up for Homelands Headliners Basement Jaxx.
They immediately livened up the Muzik Live Arena with massive multi-coloured back drops and glamorous South American carnival dancers in amazing outfits, their costumes standing proud… the whole place went wild as Simon and Felix opened with ‘Romeo’ followed by an extended version of ‘Red Alert’, then ‘Rendez-Vu’ and ‘Bingo Bango’ from the Remedy album. The place again went (monkey) nuts to ‘Where’s Your Head At’, ‘Just One Kiss’, ‘Do Your Thing’, Missy Elliott’s ‘For My People’ and they finished with their latest release ‘Get Me Off’ (this is going to be massive) from their new album; Rooty. Homelands got the full Jaxx works and the crowd gave it their all throughout the 90 minute show… an absolutely breath taking set - Felix from Basement Jaxx said after the show "Awesome and wicked, people going mad, we loved it. A truly amazing and memorable performance from both the crowd, and er, us. We hope!" (he wasn’t wrong).
 Carl Cox was proving he’s still on top at the Radio 1 outdoor stage, his persona beaming down with his wide smile in there .. his stomping tech-house style reigns supreme every time - Long Live Carl Cox.
Back to the Retro Arena, although one of the less familiar arena hosts, they were one of the most innovative with their décor. Fluorescent day-glow threads were hanging from the ceiling, with a giant aluminous inflatable octopus like thing in the centre of the marquee (honest). Paul Taylor played some vintage classics tunes before another main attraction - a live P.A from Shades Of Rhythm! This was their first re-grouping in the last 5 years. They performed their massive old skool anthems ‘Ecstasy’, ‘Sweet Sensation’ followed by one of my all time favourites tracks ‘Sound Of Eden’. I can’t describe the feeling dancing to these tunes, everyone’s faces cracks a smile as limbs start shocking to the beat... flashes of early days, friends and happy memories.. it almost brought a tear to my eye.
Erick Morillo was funking it up centre stage in the Subliminal tent whilst Roger Sanchez was in the driving seat in the main arena. He was situated between the biggest pair of headphones you’d ever seen in your life hanging from the ceiling. His set was a deep musical journey through the mind of ‘the S man’ his dirty chunky choons had everyone gagging for more, classics such as latest remix of Annie Lennox's ‘Sweet Dreams’ and others finished the night off smoothly
An incredible event, perfect weather, a sun kissed happy crowd, spoilt for choice with an amazing line-up of ample exclusive artists all very well organised… I feel proud to have Been A Part Of It...
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