This is hugely underserved, and everyone who I know who has come to Hull, irrelevant of how they thought to start, has left with a really great impression of the city. Whilst I am not saying that Hull does not have it's problems, it is no different from any other city that I have visited, but we have some wonderful sights and events. We Hullonians are generally hugely proud of the city that either raised us, or which we call home. One of these is the Freedom Festival, which is developing quite a reputation, and which brings mainstream groups together with local bands and cultural and comedy shows, all for free!
This year saw the Saturdays, Fyfe Dangerfield, the Wanted, Alesha Dixon, and McFly coming to play, along with small scale, local groups. Last year saw Florence and the Machine closing the event. This year it was a local group call the Foals, who were fantastic, and I hope will have the same successes as Florence.
Whilst I had no real interest in the Saturdays or McFly (unfortunately I think that I have grown out of them!) but I would really recommend the Foals and the Wanted who played fantastic sets.
Another new event this year was a couple of French groups who specialise in street art. Unfortunately I missed the first one - Transe Express, although I think I may have seen the last three leaving. Three performers on stilts, one a wicked witched, commanding two dragons. All three must have been about 12 feet off the ground, and walking on stilts, across wet cobbles, smeared with the detritus of 36 hour drinking and partying, all the time interacting with the crowd.
The other group, Plasticiens Volante were amazing. I have never seen anything like it. It commenced with a parade of giant inflatable sea creatures through the streets of Hull, to the accompanyment of flares, before being brought through the trees to act out a story in the centre or the park. That they managed to get the 20 foot long inflatable dragon through the trees was amazing in itself. They then acted out an entire scene in the middle of the park, surrounded by a couple of thousand people. One of the most amazing things has got to be how tiny the lil French people controlling the inflatable monsters were. I was waiting to see them float away, which considering the fireworks that were about to go off was probably a really good thing.
The whole evening was magically, and the fireworks that they set off to finish the night were spectacular. Given that they were sponsored by the local telephone company I was really glad I paid my last bills.
If you can get to Hull in or around the start of September I would really recommend this as an event! And it is all free.
I couldn't get close enough to get any photos of the stage, but here are some shots of Transe Express (if that is who they were) and Plasticien Volante!
No comments:
Post a Comment