Wednesday 17 September 2014

OUTLOOK FESTIVAL - PULA, CROATIA - 2014

A little over a week ago I flew out to Croatia to go to Outlook Festival for the first time. I've heard such good things from so many friends so I finally decided to book on and actually go. Here's what happened.

Firstly I'll say there isn't a great amount of amazing group photos from the festival. Loads of people had actual cameras rather than an iphone like myself, so anytime there was a prime photo opportunity it seemed people were just like 'take it on mine!' So instead you've got photos of random stuff I saw. BUT that being said this wouldn't be Wickedland if this post wasn't critiquing the social etiquette of strangers via sneaky photos. Lets go.

We went to the supermarket the first day we were there. They had these mental see through cans. Ideally I don't want my mind blowing on the first day of my holiday. That would be best.


Likewise, same applies. I don't need wine bottles with fruit in them. I don't want to be looking at any bottle wondering how something got into it.


The first night was pretty sick. Basically, the Festival runs from Thursday to Sunday but most people get there like Monday/ Tuesday, so they put on beach parties and stuff. The DJs were on fire this night playing loads of cool grime and other stuff, it was a wicked night.


Obviouslyyyyy


Man like Ash, man like Mitch



The next day we went for a walk about 45 minutes down the road to this abandoned navy barracks. There were all these odd massive buildings with literally nothing inside, it was really fun to look around. Right by them there was this peer we were all jumping off into the water.


It turned into a gorgeous day. The water was perfect.



We walked back up the long road in the sun, it was lovely.


This guy had his fucking terms and conditions wrote out on his back hahahaa. I saw so many shocking tattoos over the course of the week. I can't image how upset you must be if you get a bad tattoo. I can't imagine going to get a tattoo and not paying loads for it. Fuck getting one done on the cheap.


The festival kicked off with EZ on the beach, one of the few people I was really looking forward to seeing. Naturally because I am me, and I was looking forward to something he managed to cancel (phew! Nearly got to see someone I've paid to see!) but it was a fun party non the less. The forecast was so so shit before we flew out but aside from a little rain on the first evening the sun hadn't stopped shining.


Some people had fully slopped it on the first night.


This was the gang. I can't even remember who we were off to see that night. All the stages were in weird little caves and down the side of old buildings that had fell into disrepair and stuff. It was really weird. That night we went to 'The Moat' which was in like a valley between two tall walls. It was thin and long and the way the sound filled the area was really special.



Me and Jess saw Big Narstie sloooooopped out of his head to the side of the main stage on the Thursday hahaha. Peep glow stick swag, dont hate


Yeah the main stage was the spot for the first night. We saw Buraka Som Sistema (If you haven't heard of them like me you'd know one of their songs) but they were really good! Pure like fun carnival music.



This guy was coveredddd in permanent marker. We were trying to work out of it would burn him in the sun or something. I'm fucking so so glad my friends don't think shit like this is funny to pull. Imagine having mates who would fuck you up when you're drunk or asleep or whatever.


That day me and Nico went on the Hot Wuk Heatwave boat party. For anyone who doesn't know the Heatwave are a soundsystem from London that play bashment and dancehall. They're so so good at what they do, proper good music to dance and vibes to.


This girl had a gulllyyyyyy phone case.


The boat party was special man, it was my highlight of the festival. The sun was beaming, the music was wicked and we were steadily getting really smashed. It was wicked. They were throwing out whistles and horns, everyone was going wild.


Too much whining


I SAID TOO MUCH


DJISIDAJDPISPJIAS


This was Paul, he was a cool guy. We were chatting to him a bit, it was funny watching him float round the boat deck daggering girls hahaha


That night one of the stages had a great grime line up. I really wanted to see Spyro but when he was meant to be on Logan Sama was on instead. Logan standardly killed it, the crowd were going wild. I didn't really get it, loads of the set times were completely messed up all weekend. Spyro didn't play until puuuuure late that night and I missed him, even though he was floating around at this time. I've not seen him in years as well.


The next night we were mainly at the mainstage. Shout to Nico keeping it 1,000,000 in the money drop


Jo Leigh got the bindis out for everyone. 



This is Imogen. We were in a masssive group of probably 30/40 people all together and there weren't many people whose company I enjoyed as much as Imogens. She was pure good to chat to, we enjoyed a few great chin wags.


I watched The Four Owls (a UK hip hop group) on Saturday night. I was amazed at how far they've come, and this whole sound for this matter. My teen years were literally devoted to UK hip hop and the likes of Jehst, Taskforce, Braintax, Mystro and so on. I never thought that a little underground sound could come this far. These High Focus lot are playing main stages at festivals in other countries and actually killing it, it's wicked to see.


DJ Premier headlined the main stage that night. I've never seen him before and he didn't disappoint. It was so good, just non stop bangers, loads of Gang starr stuff.


You know when you do like 50 metres swimming and you get a badge to sew on to your swimming towel? If you whine a black girl properly she will pull a braid out and award it to you like a badge of honour. Sew it onto your soul.


The next morning me and Nico had another boat party, the Kurupt FM one! That's my cousin Kristian warming up the boat party, pretty cool innit!


If you don't know these guys are like a parody of an old school garage pirate radio crew. They've got a little mockumentary series on BBC3. They're so funny, I know so many people like them. We met them after the party was finished. Pure fan boy shit asking for photos and that.


If you don't know about Chabuddy G watch the video below loooool



This guy had a shirt that was entirely made up of tiny page 3 photos. Official merchandise too. Pretty cool haha


Nico made out like the food at Outlook was sick. I was pretty excited because the idea of eating festival food for a week upset me. For the most part it was pretty true, we kind of figured out the decent spots early on and stuck to them. Every now and again though when we were out of the way we would take a punt on something. This was a 'chicken burger'. Look at this tragic little piece of shit. I literally couldn't eat it, it was disgusting.


I love this photo of Nico. What an outfit. It kind of happened by accident too just on the way back from the beach haha.


This was the amphitheatre in the actual city of Pula. After the festival was all finished a load of our group still had another day and night left before our flights back. We ventured into the city for a look around and for dinner. 


The meal was so nice. It's not often a party of 20+ young people go and do something so nice and civilised, it felt really rare and special. The food was so good after a week of eating pizzas and burgers and that, it was so welcome.

I had a moment of reflection at the dinner table. I was away in my own little world just thinking about how the week had gone. I'm sure if you're a follower of my blog you'll know I tend to spend my social time at home around the same few people. Healthy or not, that's kind of how I like it. I knew when I booked Outlook that I would be a little out of my comfort zone and around a lot of people who don't necessarily think or act like me and I had reservations over it. The last time I can remember having this feeling was when I was 18 going off to Uni.

All that disappeared in the first day. it was such a welcoming, big group and they all made me feel completely welcome despite me being some what of a tag along. So many of the group are people I've known for a fair few years now and I'm fond of but I've never really had or admittedly took the time to get to know. They were always just people I work with in nightclubs in some respect, or lads from school who lived near me growing up, or girls who I know as friends of friends. It was such a great week and I feel like I came away with some genuine new friends. I'm going to look forward to seeing all these people a lot more, I didn't stop laughing all week.


After dinner we went to this ice cream parlour Imogen had told us about. She had been there last year and said these guys juggle ice cream and throw it about and shit. We had our doubts but it was every bit as mental as she made out.

 

I was filming and getting gassed over what these lot were doing and the main bloke told me to come to the side of the counter to join in haha. Peep his keepy uppies before he throws the ice cream, this guy is too much.

 

  He kept making these ridiculous structures for the girls haha




That's it! There was so, so much I missed out because I was too busy being pissed out of my little nut and just enjoying it, I forgot to take loads of pictures. A girl called Jess who was with us has got loads of awesome photos and videos so I'm gonna raid her camera when she gets back and post those up. One thing I can say is that Outlook is every bit as good as every makes out, I can see why people go year after year.


No comments: