Disguised amidst weary Kent foliage on the outskirts of the picturesque coursing canals of Cambridge,
Lounge On The Farm is perhaps the UK festival circuit's greatest secret. Pub-priced bars dish out gelid ciders, bare shoulders roast in mid-July sunlight and if
last year's experience is anything to go by, the soundtrack to this particular summer weekend, this year taking place from 8th-10th July, will probably mirror your most played come Autumn. For a vague indication, Dam Mantle, Gold Panda, Lulu and the Lampshades, Summer Camp and These New Puritans were all present and correct last time around. Further persuasion comes in the truly unique factor that the main arena usually inhabits cattle, whilst the Bandstand is encircled by verdurous crops out of a dodgy M. Night Shyamalan movie. And the fact that this year's headliners include far from shy, but nonetheless retiring Mike Skinner and
The Streets, Ian McCulloch's
Echo And The Bunnymen and
Ellie Goulding signals a statement of intent from the festival's organisers. Big headliners and a bigger capacity than previous editions (this year 10,000 revellers are to descend on Merton Farm), Lounge On The Farm finally looks intent on asserting itself as a lynchpin of the boutique festival scene.
For more info on this year's festival, the official site can be found
here.
