Review: Big Top Was A Big Success

On a beautiful, sunny Saturday, Southampton played host to one of the most talked about and anticipated House events in the south of England, Big Top. It’s the first time it’s ever been done, but the owners of the freshly departed Junk Department felt that having a festival in Southampton, the place where the now touring event started, was an obvious choice. With headlining acts such as Maya Jane Coles, Jamie Jones and Darius Syrossian, it had the potential to be an absolutely incredible event.

From the moment I stepped off the bus, there was a tangible buzz, the type of feeling you get when you’re heading to a big football match or as you step off the plane on holiday. After a brief walk from the Airport Parkway station, we rounded a corner, and entered the Big Top complex. Funfair rides, a massive tent and some of the newest and best house music around, what more could a house fan want?

Despite my excitement, there didn’t seem to be that many people there to begin with, but the people that were there seemed just as up for it as I was. In fact one of the great things about it was the effort everyone had put in to look the part, indeed I would even argue that this was as much a fashion event as it was a music event. Colourful, exciting and vibrant clothing could be seen everywhere; obviously there was the occasional chubby lad who wanted to get his kit off, but it didn’t spoil what was quite a brilliant sight.

As the day went on a bit, more and more people began to arrive, and by about 2pm, it seemed like most people were here, and that’s when things started to get really interesting. The music got louder, the people got groovier and the whole atmosphere became quite awe-inspiring. People from all different walks of live had gathered together in one place to celebrate the global and rising movement that is House Music.

Day turned to night, and the headliners took to the stage. I think it’s safe and fair to say they absolutely smashed it. Although it would be a cliché to say that the two headliners were the two that played the best, Maya Jane Coles and Jamie Jones certainly proved why they were headlining.  Accompanied by amazing pyrotechnics and lighting, in a massive tent full of people who were all just in mass appreciation of the brilliant music it allowed everyone to forget about the troubles of the world. For just a brief, few hours, people’s issues at home, issues in the country, issues with the world could all be forgotten. All our differences could be put aside for one day, and everyone, no matter whom, were grooving side by side to the bumping bass.

Ultimately, this event lived up to, and exceeded every expectation I had of it. The only issue I could have seen for people was the pricey food and drink, but apart from that, this was an event that was perfect in almost every way, the music, the people, the planning, the weather, all of the things that could have gone wrong, didn’t, and what could have just been another house event, proved to be one of the best I’ve ever been to. I even had a go on the dodgems.