Review: Under Canvas

Under Canvas is unique in that it really is the only event of its kind in St Andrews.  The Under Canvas committee, with the help of St.Art and STAR, created a music festival-esque boho event on Saturday night complete with multiple acts and chill tunes, all in aid of the Cystic Fibrosis Trust.

The event was  held in St Mary’s Quad, a venue that is not used enough, and was intimate yet big enough to hold the 650 attendees.  Upon entering the venue, there was the classic STAR booth; it was outfitted with comfy chairs, an inflatable pool, and blow up palm trees to add to the boho atmosphere, as well as a Butler’s booth and the signature St.Art powder paint photo booth.  The lawn chairs that were placed in groups around the quad only added to the laid back attitude of the event – one that, in true music festival spirit, allowed for people to relax and enjoy some quality tunes.

 Upon entering the main tent, Under Canvas goers were greeted by a sizeable venue that featured a huge tree in the middle (with 600 CDs as ornaments), the main stage, and two “bars”.  The bar area was disappointing when we figured out that only one was functional (the other was for the beers given out to the first 250 attendees and was unused after that time). Having only one (small) bar open was definitely a downside, with people sometimes having to wait 20 minutes to get a drink – having both bars functional would have been ideal.

The music, however, is what made the night.  Lights on the Mountain, which features one of our own St Andrews students, kicked off the night and was a hit – one attendee even likened the vocals to that of Florence from Florence and the Machine.  Anushka then took the stage and charmed the crowd with their hypnotic, kooky vocals, followed by the always-popular Moodroom.  Ossie (who came straight from Berlin for the event) and XXXY finished off the night with their stellar sounds. The crowd was enjoying all of the acts and the dance floor was constantly packed.

Under Canvas has the potential to be a sort of St Andrews version of Coachella.  Given that it is marketed and interpreted as music festival with a boho vibe and relaxed atmosphere, I feel as if the event would be better if held during the afternoon and leading into the night, as opposed to the typical 9 p.m. – 2 a.m. that all other events feature.  The day  was beautifully sunny, and the way people dressed (plenty of maxi skirts, crop tops, flower headbands, jean shorts, and boho face paint) would have worked more for an afternoon/evening-type event.  Besides, at what other event (besides Raisin) in St Andrews can you get drunk during the day?  This would have been an added element that would make Under Canvas even better, adding to the unique nature of the event and making it worth the £35 ticket.

That said, it was a fun night with a great line-up of music that all went to benefitting a notable cause, the Cystic Fibrosis Trust.

Image courtesy of Under Canvas and LightBox Creative