Reviewed: ABODE In The Park

ABODE is a vortex that shows no signs of stopping. After a jam packed Summer that saw them packing out Sankeys in Ibiza every Sunday, 5 stellar releases on their record label, resident DJs touring the club and festival circuit all over Europe, and line ups that would make most punters drool from the mouth, they decided to organise a final send off to the season with a festival in Finsbury Park, London. Enter Abode In The Park…and if their first one’s anything to go by, we’re looking at a staple in the calendar.

13,000 of you organised ravers danced, pied and mashed it on 24th September 2017 and with good reason. 5 brilliantly programmed tents: Abode, Do Not Sleep, Solardo Sessions, Sankeys and The Box drew you in like flies to a light. Personally, I was gunning for Alexis Raphael, Darius Syrossian, Infinity Ink (Live), Yousef, Steve Lawler and Richy Ahmed on the day but every crew to their own right, and who doesn’t like a little game of wonder and discover on the day itself!

Abode In The Park’s magical recipe is centred around classic house anthems and hard-hitting tech house, baked at 200 degrees, sprinkled with vocals, with a heavy portion of bass for good measure…that can shake rooms more than 2 miles away.

2 miles+ from #FinsburyPark and bass from #AbodeInThePark is making our kitchen thud. Must be *great* for those nearer 😬 @haringeycouncil

— Polly Faber (@Pollylwh) September 24, 2017

And by great, she’s referring to the wobbles travelling from the gigantic speakers in every tent, through the ground and into our chests…in rushing waves…obviously.

Here’s just a flavour of beauts I discovered on the day.

The Sankeys tent was a nostalgic throwback to my Manchester days. In true likeness to the original warehouse I used to rave at during many weekends which have now all blurred into the general smoke of good times. Whenever I walked past there was a queue to get in. Inside was a steaming sweatbox but does it really matter when you’ve got Alexis Raphael, SecondCity and Steve Lawler throwing down the beats?

The Box tent was a complete contrast to the Sankeys tent. With a glass ceiling, plant chandeliers and a nice breeze throughout I felt that this was the best place to dance it out. It doesn’t get better than having the sun on your back and the wind to cool you down. Late Replies and Lance Morgan smashed it here. These guys know how to deliver and every time I see them in London the crowd let loose in a big way. Ones to watch!

It’s hard to choose a musical highlight at the festival as there were so many great acts but it has to be Richy Ahmed’s closing set in the Abode Tent. Watching a master of his trade clean, rinse and destroy the crowd was unreal. The tent and AV production were much bigger than I was expecting. A metaphor for the whole festival in my mind.

@RichyAhmed b2b @wAFFdj final track @melladee_ – ‘Take It’ @AbodeRecords ⛺️ #AbodeInThePark #Festival #AbodeLondon 😎🙌🔥💯

A post shared by Joseph Hypogeum (@jdent2612) on Sep 25, 2017 at 11:52pm PDT

One thing that really stands out about Abode In The Park is the sense of family not only amongst the organisers and resident DJs but also amongst the people they work with. Walking around backstage it seemed like everyone had known each other for years. But there weren’t just people on the bill mooching about. There were plenty of up and coming artists on the scene who had just decided to take a day off and chill in the park with their mates to good music. This sense of camaraderie and relaxation is contagious and why I think so many crews congregated down to the festival on the day. They wanted to be part of it too!

From an event at Studio 338 in Greenwich to a wildly successful sell out festival in 3 years. Who knows what the future holds for Abode but it can only be good things!