Lush – the birth of South Africa’s new big festival
We take a look back at what went down at SA's latest music festival.
Lush Festival was a cathartic experience.
It not only served as a welcome Easter respite for the overworked and underpaid, but it was also the birth of a new festival that is set to become one of South Africa’s biggest and best and will put the small town of Clarens on the map.
Though, as with any birth, it comes with its pains.
Nobody expected a perfect festival, and to be frank, there is no such thing as a perfect festival, but more on this later.
As with Oppikoppi, the drive to Lush Festival is part of the experience. It is a trek, an odyssey into the unknown.
Many of those attending the festival were from Pretoria.
The most common route was via the N3 which took you through small towns, farms, and villages. A scenic drive with just enough rest spots, garages and picturesque views to keep you going.
The drive from Pretoria to the Linwood guest farm just outside Clarens, where the festival was held, took just under four hours.
The small town, known for its excellent guest houses and the famous brewery, was the perfect last stop before heading to the festival. The jacket shop, which sells denim jackets and trench coats at rock bottom prices, provided a last minute opportunity to get something warm for those who had forgotten their winter woollies.
The access arrangements to the farm was well organised with marshals and security guards quickly pointing you in the right direction.
The only problem, and this was the biggest complaint almost all the festivalgoers had, was the parking. All the vehicles were parked at the very opposite point of where the festival was held, and the parking was on the side of a very steep hill.
This meant most people had to make between two and four trips from the top of the hill to the bottom, carrying their camping gear, food, drinks and clothes to the trucks that took them to the camping area.
Camping was divided into two areas, normal camping, called Mordor, like the camping grounds at Oppikoppi, and camping plus, which was more secluded, less densely populated, a lot more shaded and had excellent toilet facilities. The extra money for camping plus is well worth it.
The festival grounds had all the amenities you could want. Ample toilets, lots of grassy knolls and lots of bars.
The definite standout was The Woods, the electronic music stage in the middle of a small wood on the farm. The ambient lighting spilling through the treetops, coupled with the music pumping from the stage, created a truly unique experience that had most festivalgoers spending many hours in there.
The artist line-up was incredibly well curated and thought out. From international acts Xavier Rudd and Civil Twilight, to local heavyweights Francois van Coke, Goodluck and Majozi. Each brought a unique touch that complemented the setting.
The festival served as a reminder of the incredible talent this country has to offer.
The biggest crowd of the entire festival was for Francois van Coke, followed by Goodluck and Die Heuwels Fantasties. Though the grass at the main stage was still packed for the international acts, the biggest drawcards were the local acts. What a lovely sight to behold.
Though Lush had its teething pains, these were not irreparable. With some solid planning and another stellar line-up next year, it could become the next big South African music festival.
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