The first thing that struck me about Equinox was how easy it all felt. Within twenty minutes I’d meandered the whole site, campsite to arena and back again, and it was all simple, open, and welcoming. Dogs were everywhere too. I brought along a little white cloud on legs (with his brilliant admin assistant/owner in tow), and he quickly became more famous than some of the bands.
I’d turned up, very ignorantly, knowing just a single act, but was won over again and again by the festival. While the lineup might appear band centric, Equinox is a haven for drum and bass, psytrance and dub, with a host of dance tents to disappear into.
Unlike at bigger festivals, there was no sea of plastic bottles or mess to wade through. Bins were used, collections were regular, and the atmosphere was respectful. Some great characters I became familiar with as the days went on included a fellow in a big red gnome hat guy and a lady wearing a mushroom on her head.
Shoutout to all the great hats!
Friday
On Friday kicked things off with One Last Score, classic Bristol rockers whose leopard-print frontman knew exactly how to hold a crowd – but while they were fun Orange Clocks was the first band to really grab me, playing the Crispy Disco stage (Equinox’s answer to Glastoburies pyramid). The band was exactly what it said on the tin: decked out in orange, and delivering funky, flute-driven psychedelic jams.
From there we ducked into the Dub Tent, the perfect middle ground between heavy and chilled, where circus performers spun glowing orbs to the basslines. One surprise came when a stranger offered me “goodies” from his pocket. Braced for the worst, I was handed… a ginger biscuit. That sense of humour set the tone nicely for Monkeyfist: now they were not the sea shanty crew I’d looked up (turns out they’re The Monkeyfist), and instead I found a trippy, bass-heavy guitar band featuring wild lyrics and driving percussion.
Funky and enjoyable, after they finished I stumbled upon two new discoveries in my personal musical journey: The Egg, whose set had me captivated from start to finish, and Henge, space shamans of “Cosmic Dross” who made everyone grin and dance like they’d just landed from another planet.
I ended the night in a rather less out of this world fashion, sitting on a wasp nest. The Equinox team quickly noticed, and it was cordoned off, but unfortunately not before my cousin caught me pulling stingers out of my arse.
Saturday
Saturday belonged to the robots: seven-foot behemoths lurching around the site, led by some kind of mechanic. Who knows what they were created for? All I know is that they drank, and they danced, despite the wind and rain that plagued the day.
Seeking shelter in the Dub Tent we caught early sets from CJ and Apology Sounds, before the purple haired Marcus and the Microdots delivered a splash of reggae, and ska— The robots’ particularly loved this band!
Over at the Soundscape stage (which we’d been criminally neglecting), The Duck Thieves delivered an indie panto party-pop set preaching tolerance for all no matter their race, religion or gender, while condemning some of the less ethnically sound practices of (checks notes) Chinese Alternative Medicine?
But my real highlight came from The Noise. All day I’d seen a bloke carrying a homemade sign with their set time scrawled on it. With no knowledge of anything but this strange man’s unrelenting enthusiasm we headed over. It clearly had worked – when we turned up, the tent was rammed. That summed up Equinox: proud punters desperate to share their corner of music with strangers. The Noise delivered in style – mad costumes, funky beats, even a Nicolas Cage song.
Later, Macka B played reggae in the rain, covering Dreadlock Holiday with all the warmth and humour you’d expect. And when the storm drove us into cover, we stumbled into the Home Away from Home tent. Tea appeared, candles flickered, and we listened to acoustic sets, singalongs (Wonderwall, naturally), and Goblin the barman’s spoken word. A cosy, communal end to a stormy night.
Sunday
I started Sunday late, in the DnB tent, catching Chuckle and Techno Hippy who shook all in attendance awake. For lunch, we ate spring rolls and gyozas, from the Thai Kitchen. In the queue I overheard someone say that they’d been waiting 12 months to eat these spring rolls again, raising expectations high, but they didn’t disappoint. Sitting on the hill as we ate, overlooking the Busking Stage I saw an instrument which could have been from the middle ages – I was starting to feel like I had stepped into a thousand-year-old village fête.
Later came time for some more reggae – this time without rain – Easydread, a band who, it was insisted, were definitely not at the festival under duress – whether this was true or not their sax alone, dirty and glorious was worth attending the set for. Sunday definitely sported some of my favourite acts: P.A.I.N., a chaotic ska-punk band I’ve been listening to ever since, and Inner Terrestrials, who delivered the same wild energy as Henge but with a more gritty, punky edge.
We rounded things off at the Dub Sweat and Beers takeover, before slipping back into the Home Away from Home tent one last time for “Hang Solo” – a steel drum duet whose sitar-playing brother had allegedly vanished into the DnB tent. If you find him, let them know.
Final Thoughts
Equinox is a festival fuelled by genuine enthusiasm. Everyone, from performers to punters, radiated love for what they were doing. People partied hard, yes, but it was more than that… it was about community and atmosphere. I didn’t see the security step in once. People helped each other, and I never worried about theft or hassle.
If anything could improve it, it would be a few more trippy corners and creative hideaways like the Home Away from Home tent, plus some extra crafty stalls. But otherwise, Equinox nails what a festival should be.
Having grown up around festivals and worked them as an adult, I’ve seen both the magic and the mess that a field party can deliver. Equinox is firmly in the magic column — one I’d recommend to anyone who loves music, people and good vibes. It might not appeal to the Leeds or Reading mainstream, but that’s exactly why it shines.
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Massive thanks from Orange Clocks, for checking us out!!