Reviewed: Lovebox 2015

An intoxicating celebration of diverse musical talent and social unity, it’s been 12 hearty years since dance mavericks Groove Armada founded the two day London festival enigma, known endearingly as Lovebox.

The capital’s spacious Victoria Park was heaving with gaggles of hip hop-loving girls sporting bedazzled eye make up and shirtless boys basking in the final dregs of the UK sunlight – and some pretty uplifting DJ sets.

After indulging in a few shameless selfies in the HTC whirling mirror installation and mincing about on a couple of fairground rides, most of the crowd flocked to the alluring Despacios tent – a seductively dark delve into the heady beats of the Belgian duo 2manydjs and electronic badman James Murphy.

Over on the main stage on Saturday, South London singer Jessie Ware mesmerized the swaying crowd with a sultry selection of her own brand of soulful electro pop before Annie Mac had everyone dancing in a feisty frenzy as the sun gradually became engulfed by a cluster of clouds. Rudimental were out in full force, resulting in the shaking of numerous hot pant-clad booties.

The Radio One tent was a merry hubbub of zany sounds and euphoric beats where everyone jigged away to joyous oblivion before grabbing the best toasted cheese sandwiches of their lives from one of the food stalls and frolicking over to the main stage in great anticipation to see headliner Snoop.

Swedish electronic gurus Little Dragon made a mass of gyrating revellers very happy indeed with their outstanding performance, which we feel was the perfect end to a weekend filled with fun, frivolity and musical badassness.

Lovebox. We continue to salute you.

Words by Mitra Wicks