Raveology
Escape Into The Park
Singleton Park
Swansea
Wales
Saturday 14th June 2008

Escape Into The Park is an annual festival situated in South Wales at Swansea’s Singleton park, the festival is now in its 5th year and been growing each and every year.

There was a massive line-up that was spread over 6 tents including a massive outdoor main stage featuring the biggest and best artists in electronic dance music with Underworld headlining the festival this was definitely not one to miss!!

Some of the biggest brands of dance music where here in Swansea with household names such as Godskitchen, Polysexual and Hed kandi hosting the numerous tents offering a bit of everything for everyone.

Hosting the drum and bass tent was Birmingham’s very own Raveology featuring some of the best talent in drum and bass alongside some of the local talent that Swansea has to offer.

The festival kicks off at midday and runs through till midnight with the event being in the early part of the British summer the weather was ideal for today’s festival with not a spot of rain in sight making this the ideal conditions.

There was a massive queue at the main entrance but that soon enough went down once the gates had open, welcoming the ravers to a raving metropolis, the park had a massive arena that was fenced off as Singleton Park is Public Park.

Finding the various tents was quite easy once I got my bearings I headed straight to the Raveology tent and was greeted by Swansea’s very own DJ Active and 23 DJ.

DJ Active and 23 DJ were warming up the tent play plenty of rollers and teases throughout their set. The tent was slowly filling up with it being located right at the back of the festival it was taking a little longer than the other tents.

Active and 23 continued to play into the afternoon as the Ratpack had been delayed and where going to play later on the evening. Raveology’s very own Magika took to the mic and hosted the remainder of the set. Active and 23 laid down plenty of slammers with a number of classics for good measure as they dropped ‘American beauty’, ‘Timewarp’, ‘In love’, ‘Get closer’ and ‘Phantom force’

The tent was rather busy at this point and Raveology and Birmingham’s number one DJ took to the helm as it was the turn of the mighty Hazard. Hazard and Magika caused mayhem inside the Raveology tent with Magika hyping up the crowd as he does best at one point the he had the whole crowd jumping!

Hazard’s tune selection was impeccable lots of his own tracks including the infamous ‘Machete’ along with ‘Mr Happy’ and ‘Western Riddem’ plus plenty of fourth coming material.

From one producer to another as it was the turn of Cardiff’s very own award winning producer, High Contrast. At the beginning of the set High Contrast was presented with the 3 of the Awards that he won at the drum and bass awards earlier this year.

High Contrast was playing plenty of material from Hospital records as he dropped his award winning ‘If we ever’ which sent the tent ballistic. High contrast carried on with a number of forthcoming tracks from the label.

MC Youngman took the mic duties for this set hyping up the crowd with lots of interaction from the ravers and him. High contrast continued to play ‘Racing green’, ‘kiss Kiss Bang Bang’, ‘Feelings’ remix and ‘Judgement’

Midway through the set I decided to have a wander around the whole complex, Singleton Park was turned into a electronic dance village. There was plenty of funfair rides for those who wanted an adrenalin rush along with loads of mini stalls selling loads of raving paraphernalia.

The main stage was situated like a concert similar to that would be found at an outdoor concert. There was a large embankment that overlooked the stage, as those who were sitting down could watch the various acts performing whilst chilling out and relaxing whilst sampling some food and drink from the numerous stalls dotted around the Park.

Back to the Raveology arena and the tent was heaving with it being really sunny today there were quite a number of people who were dancing outside the tent. I had just got back in time for the drum and bass legend the one and only DJ Hype. Kiss FM were here today and were recording the Ganja man’s set for his show on Kiss FM. Hype was joined by the double award winning MC Skibadee who was given rapturous welcome by the welsh crowd.

Lots of crowd favourites being played by hype with lots of tracks from both his Playaz and Ganja labels including ‘Busted’, ‘Forever’ along with ‘Indian summer’, ‘Disco dodo’ and ‘Timewarp’. Skibadee kept the ravers well entertained with his spitfire lyrics that the crowd were reciting.

Midway through the set Skibadee was joined by Manchesters very own MC Trigga Skibabdee and Trigga went back to back with each other , Trigga adding that hyperactive energetic style of mcing to the set..

Friction and MC Dynamite stepped up after Hype. I was really looking forward to hearing DJ Friction and I was not let down at all. The tune selection from Shogun Audio’s very own was amazing along with his impeccable mixing lots of teases throughout the set from him.

MC Dynamite fresh from the main stage with the scratch perverts was on the mic duties and hyped the crowd as he does best keeping the ravers on their toes with catchy lyrics. Friction was dropping the likes of ‘If we ever’, ‘Killers don’t die’, ‘Timewarp’, ‘Has it come to this’, before closing off with ‘Nosher’.

Penultimate set inside the Raveology tent came from drum and bass’s number one, the one and only Andy C. Andy C was immense proving why he is drum and bass’s number one. His mixing was flawless suing the mixer to its full potential as he was pulling off a number of teases and double drops.

Andy C was accompanied by his long time MC GQ, GQ and Andy C are a force to be reckoned with, GQ with his powerful voice that was reverberating inside the tent. Midway through the set GQ was joined briefly by Raveology residents Trigga and Biggie. Andy C laid down the slammers rolling out the tracks such as ‘It’s a bit patchy’, ‘Take me away’, ‘Rah’ and ‘Music box’.

It was coming close to the end of Andy C’s set so we decided to head back to avoid the mad rush of traffic that is expected at any festival.

Well this was my first visit to Escape Into The Park and I was rather impressed. For those who have not been I would say that the festival would be comparable to that of the mammoth Global Gathering. With the amount of tents showcasing various types of electronic dance music and the main stage there was definitely a bit of everything for everyone.

I really liked the production and layout of the whole complex also the sound system particularly in the drum and bass tent was brilliant. I’m guessing with the festival not going into the early hours of Sunday morning the authorities are more lenient to the sound levels.

With this being a dance festival there was really great vibe that spilled throughout the whole park making this definitely enjoyable for everyone. The weather was perfect as it was really sunny throughout the day and not a single drop of rain all day too, roll on next year !

Massive shouts and Respects to Magika, Jo and the Raveology Crew, Aaron, Hazard, Friction, Biggie, Trigga, Andy C, GQ, Ash, High Contrast, Active , 23 DJ, Izzy, Annabelle Lucy, Damien, Faye also to everyone else whose names I don't' know but faces I recognise, as I know I’ve forgotten enough people!