Love Supreme Festival – review
Love Supreme is the perfect jazz escape on England’s South Coast, as Emilia Gill explains:
The 30 degree sun lay a scenic backdrop for the funkiest festival of the summer. Nestled amongst old county houses in rural Glynde, the festival’s tall helter skelter and ferris wheel shone bright as the rides became laden with people. Love Supreme has spent the last six years creating a legendary reputation for itself, especially among its metro seaside attendees. Previous headliners included the likes of Corinne Bailey Rae, Giles Peterson and Van Morrison, and this year lived up to such expectation.
Tom Misch kicked off the afternoon at Main Stage. His popularity did not go unnoticed as swarms of people gathered to hear his acoustic sounds, which were intertwined with his unique electronic finish. George Clinton and the Funkadelics followed, and gave a dose of alternative funk/jazz, with a rock twang, but their performance received a slightly less warm reception, with their slightly off note performance and outfits alike.
The sun began to set behind main stage just as crowds formed for the headline act, the kings of disco, Earth, Wind and Fire… and they delivered one of the most one the most magical sets I’ve seen. Matched in white and silver tuxedos, old and new members joined to dance in synchrony, lighting up the stage. Hands grabbed other in the hot crowd and danced disco to an extended version of ‘Boogie Wonderland’. The jazz, sax and soul singing echoed through to the festivals walls, with young and old fans belting back their timeless classics. The set officially ended with disco anthem ‘September’, but the crowd chanted loud enough to get an encore from the band, who radiated energy throughout the whole performance. The evening concluded by drifting in an out of the late open tents, catching the last of the global jazz and funk sets.
Love Supreme functions for all, and there’s not many festivals left that still cater to teens and the elderly on one patch. Walk just back from the main stages to find 60 somethings drinking rose from their cool boxes and slouched in their camping chairs, or step into the big top to be crushed amongst the young, drinking to stay cool with their sunglasses firmly set over their intoxicated eyes.
Love Supreme feels welcoming, and there is a collective appreciation for its laid back atmosphere and steady pace. It’s exactly where you’d want to be on a warm summer’s day, taking pride in it’s accessibility (10 mins walk from a station), and affordability (day tickets starting at about £60). Definitely a festival to catch whilst it’s still small (ish) and easy to navigate.
Would recommend to anyone seeking a good old dance, happy crowd and vibrant atmosphere.
For info on the 2019 festival, head over to Facebook.
Review by Emilia Gill. Earth Wind and Fire pic courtesy of Love Supreme’s Facebook page.
