For more than a decade, the Masked Ball crew religiously researched the ingredients for the perfect home-baked festival.
In an age where throwing a load of big names on a poster, and dotting a few stages inside a fenced area seems to the conjure up the inventiveness of the modern music event, it’s soulfully refreshing to see small, organically-grown organisation like the Masked Ball buck the trend and offer something truly special.
Without sounding too much like someone who took a left at Woodstock and never came back, it’s the one-family vibe that earned the Summer Masked Ball the number one slot in the recent Guardian’s top ten best under-the-radar music festivals in Europe.
For the Summer Masked Ball creates an atmosphere of love, unity and friendship all under the pretext of a darn good party.
Sporting for the first time a coveted 24-hour license, the party didn’t stop – and revellers didn’t stop partying.
In what seems like a lifetime of organising events, the Masked Ball crew of directors Alec Short and Kelvin Batt (ably backed by a dedicated crew of seasoned festival hacks) have really come into their own in cooking up a summer festival as damn near perfect as it could be.
Set upon one of the most stunning locations in the Europe, the Summer Masked Ball is a playground for the most hedonistic party adventurer. Around every corner, is a feast of sensory overload. Where else does a dwarf invite you to enter a waist high tunnel leading to a camp disco hosted by a throng of scantily clad gyrating transsexuals? It’s a sight that will stay with the most seasoned partygoer for decades to come.
There was techno from Cornish bpm-masters SIN, gorgeous grooves from Jelly Jazz and even a Prince tribute band. The costumes were outrageous, resembling a cross between a South American Mardi Gras and a children’s fancy dress disco.
In every nook was a stunning surprise, a wonderland of secret venues, themed arenas and fantastic music and performers. This was an event with truly something for everyone. Entertainment-wise, there is so much to write about.
In the dozen or so venues, every genre of music was catered for from drum and bass to ska. The Saturday trip seemed to be a tour of all the arenas, finding a groove and atmosphere that suits your mood and sticking with it. Sunday was loose as a goose, where an infectious vibe of getting down filled the three remaining open venues with smiling faces.
Ball wingman Kelvin Batt said: “This is the best ball we have put on, a shoot back to the early days when it was all about the guests and the atmosphere.”
“It was a nice audience, and we were pleased with the extra stages. We would like to thank the crowd for being so brilliant. The new stages worked, it felt like a ball. The 24 hours worked well, no-where was too busy.”
Tickets for the Halloween Masked Ball, which takes place on October 27, are now on sale, with a limited run of just 500 tickets at £40.
Tickets from: http://halloweenmaskedball.net/
