Meet Harvey Falshaw: the Fresher who ‘tore up the stage’ at Latitude

There was a twitter campaign to #findharvey


Latitude, Suffolk’s premier family-friendly middle class pissup in a field, finished up not too long ago, and amongst the acts were the somewhat less family-friendly Slaves, promoted from their previous position on the Lake Stage to the BBC 6Music Stage this year. Also on the 6Music Stage was Harvey, promoted partway through their set from his previous gig in the 6Music Stage crowd.

The Lowestoft Journal said Harvey, “joined Slaves onstage after his body-popping antics caught the eye of Laurie who beckoned him to join the band”, where “Harvey proceeded to dance around the band in a robotic fashion in a moment which is sure to live long in his memory.”

Will it? Unbeknownst to me, moshing away in the audience, one of my freshers was busy fannying about on stage. As Slaves tried to #findharvey, I was already one step ahead of them, having presciently taken the step of meeting him a year in advance, as though I knew this was the only way things could go.

Harvey when not at Latitude (credit: Vision Festival)

So I #foundharvey, and this is what he had to say:

Describe yourself in 35 words or less

“Midlands Man, born and raised, although slightly Peruvian. Law student and radio DJ for Bailrigg. I’m partial to trains, can name all of them. My love of music and latino hips make for interesting dancing.”

Impressive pedantry. Slightly Peruvian? How Peruvian?

“Half.”

Body-popping (credit: Slaves)

You mention interesting dancing. The Lowestoft Journal called it ‘body popping’ – what would you class what you were doing on stage as?

“Prior to the whole thing I wouldn’t have called it body popping, but that’s a pretty cool description, I think I’ll use it now. I’ve never really called it anything, its just the way I dance!”

So run us through quickly what happened. How did you find yourself up on stage in front of however many hundreds of people?

“Well, me and my mate wanted to get to the front because that’s what we like to do at festivals, more intimate with the band and all. I was doing my usual dancing with the space I had during the gig and making the people around me laugh! Slaves like to put the lights up on their gig so they can see the crowd and they clearly saw me as I caught the attention of Laurie, the bass player. He invited me onstage and well… it all happened!”

How long were you up for?

“One song, although it was a long one, called ‘Cheer Up London’.”

Hugs all round (credit: Slaves)

What happened after the song? Did you chat to the band or were you just unceremoniously booted off the stage?

“They congratulated me and I bigged them up on the mic. I didn’t get to go backstage, but I shared a word with them and hugs on stage then I jumped off the stage as instructed by stewards.

“After I got back to the middle I watched Grimes which was incredible, then throughout the weekend people were coming up to me and asking me if I was ‘the guy from the Slaves gig’. One actor who I really like even shook my hand! Then there was a whole Twitter campaign to find me and all… the whole fall out has been so incredible!”

What’s next for the Harvey Stage Invasion Roadshow?

“Well, I don’t know to be honest. I need to go to more gigs and catch the eye of people! I’m definitely going to another Slaves gig and maybe dance with them! I want to get them on my radio show and stuff (I always dance on the webcams there and at the clubs etc.). But yeah, I would absolutely love to dance with other acts, just a matter of finding the right band haha!”

Harvey at termtime haunt The Sugarhouse (credit: The Sugarhouse)

Radio show, you say?

“Yeah, I’ve got a radio show on Bailrigg FM [Lancaster University’s student radio station], Hometime SHOWTIME!!!, on from 16:00-18:00. It was on Tuesdays this year. It’s bangin’ fun though, play and talk about what I want and pray people enjoy it.”

Last question. For whatever reason, you can crash one more stage in your lifetime. Who do you choose?

“Hrmm. That’s actually really hard. Maybe Radiohead 1997 Glastonbury? In terms of body poppin’.”

Harvey will be talking more in-depth about the unquestionable high point of his life on a podcast for DIY magazine with Ally McCrae as part of an upcoming series. Check it out.