Returning to Maui Waui 2023 I had high expectations. After all, I have attended their last five festivals without missing one, making me something of a fan.
This dedication is for good reason too: every year I return, and every year Maui Waui is a fantastic party. Whether it be new bands or new friends, the event always has something to offer the intrepid festivalgoer— in 2019 I stumbled onto the mighty Henge, as an example.
For the 10th-anniversary edition, the festival returned to Dereham, in Norfolk, where all the post-pandemic Maui’s have taken place. While I miss the old site in Theberton, Suffolk, the new location offers many advantages. Set in a wonderful patch of light woodland, with soft grass perfect for feeling with bare feet, ancient trees tower over the site, which is decorated with lights, coloured fabric, and fantastic scrapbuilt contraptions spewing warming fire.
Improving on last year, almost every corner of the site now feels like someone has spent serious effort beautifying it. Most festivals would kill to have an arena which looks half as good as Maui Waui and only the prettiest few exceed it.
Beyond its impressive surface-level beauty, Maui sports half a dozen stages in big tops of various sizes, and at least that many things going on in smaller tents or out in the open. Because of this, Maui Waui 2023 was incredible value. While the festival’s ticket prices have substantially increased over the last few years, the event offers so much now that, if anything, it’s an even better deal than in previous years.
This almost absurd level of activity is one of the key elements that make Maui Waui such an incredible festival– while only a few thousand people are on-site at any one time it feels busier and livelier than events ten times its size, where three or four stages in total is common.
The festival showcased a diverse range of workshops. Attendees could delve into crafts like making bunting, jewellery, mosaics, and even shrunken heads. In addition, there were sessions on dance, meditation, aerial circus techniques, and yoga. For the younger attendees, Maui Waui 2023 was a treasure trove of activities, from additional craft sessions to storytelling, music, and energetic games like Quidditch and Tug of War. Universal attractions included daily paint battles, gong bath sessions, face and body art, and the delightful spectacle of blowing massive bubbles across the arena. Participants also had the opportunity to contribute to a communal art car, with pens provided at the arena’s centre.
The array of activities was a hit among attendees of all ages and I chatted with a mother who shared that her daughter was thoroughly entertained. She expressed gratitude, noting that most of these fun-filled activities came at no additional cost!
While Maui offered a rich array of activities, its real magic lay in the performances. The festival showcased a remarkable lineup of musicians, acrobats, and artists, providing endless hours of live entertainment. Given the non-stop action from noon to 2 a.m, it’s challenging to experience everything. If you’re concerned about missing out, I recommend drafting a schedule to prioritize your top acts; it’s all too easy to be sidetracked by the festival’s many attractions. However, also allow yourself the freedom to wander at least once. You might just stumble upon a hidden gem of a performance.
Though I regretfully missed the slightly more chill Thursday evening, I’ve heard rave reviews about both the main acts, The Cabarats and Spacehopper. Having seen them both recently in other settings, I can vouch for their captivating presence; the evening was one for the books, even if I wasn’t there.
On Friday, as the festival’s energy surged and I arrived on site I heard the melodies of an old favourite, Aartwork, on the Jeremiah Marquess Stage far across the arena. Regrettably, by the time I got there, I had missed out on their fusion of dance, folk, and psychedelia. Readers, take my advice: don’t miss an Aartwork performance. Go to a show, dance, and let loose. It is always a hell of a lot of fun.
Following that sad narrow miss, I headed to the main stage, chasing the energetic sounds of Flying With Horses. This country band blended an anthemic, catchy approach to songwriting with the fantastic tone of their instruments to create a driving, dancy environment. The next act I encountered, NR Ska, played an enthusiastic assortment of Ska classics, bringing fantastic energy and stage presence to the show. While I heard comments from some of the crowd saying that they could be a little tighter, everything sounded right enough to me and I enjoyed the band’s set.
After NR Ska I saw the fantastic Mista Trick Collective. Playing on the main Maui Waui stage, their performance merged genres including dub, swing, funk, ska and psychedelia with a Latin feel to make the crowd dream of sangria in the sun. Following this, I got a bit distracted with a particular thing Maui Waui did well this year. You see, I love pirate music, I’ve even written about this in the past, and the Friday night at Maui was spectacular for the genre.
Starting off, we had Nine Dead Mice, a Celtic Folk band featuring soaring fiddles accompanied by pumping rhythm guitar. Offering massive folk dance energy, my particular highlight was their cover of the traditional “Barrett’s Privateers”, which roared with power.
Next up on my piratical adventure was Blackbeard’s Tea Party. Potentially a new favourite band, this admittedly slightly silly act smashed out a series of traditional songs with, mostly (they have a fiddle, and sometimes an accordion), a traditional rock set-up. Their theatrical lead vocals meshed well with the heavy guitar sound, creating an overwhelming sense of fun, and launching the crowd into some even more intense folk dancing.
After Blackbeard’s set came the Old Time Sailors. At least 18 strong, dressed in period costumes, and taking over an area of open space at the centre of the festival, this crowd, and it was a crowd, performed with monstrous energy, each making the most out of their simple accoustic instruments. If you even slightly like sea songs, polka, or traditional Irish music, this folk supergroup should jump to the top of your to-see list as they are simply an unmissable experience. They even did a Dreadnoughts cover (Poutine).
Finishing up the informal “pirate day”, we were treated to the fantastic One Foot Skank at the Jerimiah Marquess Stage. Playing a Polka-inspired bouncy, twiddly set, it is easier to dance like a maniac to this band than it is to stand still.
Other, less nautical highlights from my Friday night included Buffo’s Wake, who played funky psychedelic rock late in the evening, and Ali Morningstar, who actually did justice to Amy Winehouse’s songs. Now, before I heap too much praise on Ali, full disclosure, we are friends, but I honestly think her voice is properly jaw-dropping. When I walked into the Foolhardy Circus to see her, I noticed quite a large crowd too— I’m glad she’s getting a little bit of recognition.
Saturday was, arguably, even more impressive than Friday. It started with the Randy Pandy Hand Shandy Band, who made their Primus influences obvious and delivered a wonderfully self-indulgent blast of prog worthy of their name. While at first I questioned the suitability of this music for the early morning, by the end of the set I was convinced by their shredding and chugging guitars.
Next, I spent a while at the Jeremiah Marquess Stage seeing Baka Beyond. Baka Beyond is a very interesting act, which merges the sounds of European and African folk, creating a fantastic pan-Atlantic feel, which is hard to pigeonhole into a genre.
Following all this running about, I found myself in the new psy tent, the Psybercell, hosting Fuzion, playing a mixture of hard trance and psytrance. Located in the cluster of stages that make up the dance area, next to the other dance stages, Section 63 and the Outer Limits, this venue is a massive improvement over the old pop-up psytrance marquee Maui had before. Placing the DJ between two trees, and employing the fantastic properties of straw to isolate Psybercell from the sounds of the pre-existing UFO and Robot stages was a fantastic decision. The whole dance area almost feels like a tiny, self-contained free party.
After finally tearing myself away from the psy and escaping the greater dance area, I found Kabantu. In many ways the opposite of the raging energy of the dance stages, Kabantu played ethereal neo-folk, complete with a bunch of interesting percussion and drone sounds, and proved a brilliant change of pace from raging dance bangers. After Kabantu, I took the time to see The Mighty Flux. Made up of much of the festival’s core organisational team, this house band has kept improving year after year and is now taking pride of place on the main stage– expect wild, funny funk and dub.
However, the act which drew the biggest crowd all weekend was the Dub Pistols. Playing banger after banger, these festival legends are well known for keeping the torch of reggae-inspired dance music burning in the UK and were clearly favourites with all ages of the Maui crowd.
My favourite thing on Saturday, however, was not the Dub Pistols, but Tankus the Henge. Despite bringing in a somewhat smaller crowd than the Dub Pistols, these boys, officially at the top of the bill, put on a top-notch show of sumptuous Soul, complete with the requisite big sax energy and a literally rocking piano.
After the end of Tankus the Henge, I headed over to the Flavour Parlour for the now-notorious Maui Waui Cabaret. It featured hilarious acts, including Suki Silvertounge, who sang a song with more masturbation allusions than other lyrics, Just Josh, with his time travelling toilet tent, the sexy Ms. Formal De Hyde, the amazing Phillipe, the 30th best stuntman in France and the return of Ralph Lawrong. While sanity may have abandoned the festival for a bit, this cabaret was a type of madness I deeply enjoyed.
Worth a particular note was an incredible slapstick performance from the Foolhardy Boys. Making things that would break a normal person’s back look easy, these two, along with an extensive cast of other acrobats were also performing utterly incredible feats all week in the Foolhardy Circus big top. Their presence gives Maui as a whole such a strong circus feel that it bleeds throughout the festival, acting as something of a greater unifying theme.
On Sunday, Maui devotes much of its programming to country music’s actually good twin, Americana, with much of the lineup evoking the tones of the southern and rural US. Highlights from Americana Day included Hara, a calming, almost homely duo, who switched up their acoustic sound for a warbling electric guitar mid-set. Offering a sweet mellow tone, this band is set to grow with the Americana Day’s organiser Anne planning to join in the near future.
Carrying on the feel were the London-based quartet Dana Immanuel and The Stolen Band. This all-female four-piece delivered a stomping earthy blues rock set, with an almost vulgar feel. Their music is whisky-soaked, sexy, and twiddly, and the banjo and double bass combination gives a wonderful feeling of the US countryside to the listener. The last Americana set I saw was provided by Box River Junction, who rocked out with their pedal steel guitar, offering a calming yet intriguing set. With a sound a little reminiscent of Dire Straits, their guitarist distinguished themselves with their fantastic solos.
Beyond the vibe of rural America, Maui Waui 2023’s Sunday had a lot to offer. Slamboree delivered a captivating performance that blended electronic beats with orchestral elements, creating a sonic spectacle. Their stage presence, combined with vibrant visuals and interactive choreography, ensures an immersive experience. Seamlessly merging genres, Slamboree proved once again why they’re a must-see act, leaving the audience both mesmerised and eager for more.
After that jaw-dropping show, I made my way to Ask My Bull. Playing a lightning-fast set of psychedelic jam rock, this prog band is both wibbly and wobbly, with their guitar and saxophone mixing magically, creating a massive thick sound. The final act I caught on Sunday was Crinkle Cuts. A fun, funky, dancy jazz band, they took the absolute last of my energy on the dance floor.
While from a performance, aesthetic, and social environment feel, Maui Waui is industry-leading, I can’t in all honesty say it is a problem-free festival. In addition to the speakers at the Pirate Ship stage being clearly busted, the festival seemed to slightly struggle with dealing with the boring things.
Maui this year had a few problems. From slight disorganisation at the entrance to complaints of poor management from elements of the crew to nasty tasting water and often overflowing toilets, the frayed edges of the 2023 edition of Maui Waui gave me the impression of an overstretched management team somehow managing to just about pull off the impossible.
I worry about how long, as a growing festival, they will be able to continue with this approach and keep pulling it off. It is incredibly hard to hold a party of this scale in a field, especially on such a comparatively small budget, and perhaps these sacrifices on the practical end are worthwhile to achieve quite the incredible environment and lineup Maui has. I’d sure as hell not want it becoming more professional, but losing what makes it special in the process.
One notable improvement over last year however was a substantially less frantic atmosphere. While last year a portion of the crowd went a little wild, things were substantially more relaxed this year. People were still fun and exciting, but the slight edge the festival was picking up has now turned back into pure good vibes. Perhaps this is because people have now got the post-pandemic urge to go hard out their systems, or perhaps Maui is genuinely just attracting the right sort.
While the bad toilets (some were admittedly much worse than others- the arena wasn’t awful), and nasty tasting water (it was tested to be safe, but the chemicals to make it so and copper pipes it passed through added a strong flavour) may put some people off, Maui Waui is still one of the best festivals in the business. It features an enormous lineup of quality artists, spread out over a beautiful and intricately decorated site, offers an enormous amount of ways for both kids and adults to get involved, and has some of the best crowds around.
Despite the issues I have touched on, I would still strongly recommend Maui Waui, especially to the more hardcore festival-goer and rate it among the best music festivals in the country. If you are willing to put up with a few slightly rough edges, Maui Waui is an enormous amount of fun.
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