Photos by Patrick Boere

Good old New Years Eve… An incredibly hyped up time of year that quite regularly, for me at least, fails to meet high expectations. Determined to kick off 2020 the right way, my sights turned to Origin Fields. Boasting a killer lineup with the likes of Tyler, The Creator, Golden Features, RL Grime, Ella Mai and Chris Lake, hopes were set high yet again.

… And I wasn’t let down.

A quick and smooth entry led us straight into the new venue of Wellington Square which was packed to the brim, with three stages, a silent disco, a miniature theme park and an abundance of bars and food trucks. The nostalgia was felt as people hopped on to the Cliff Hanger and Nitro rides! Everything you could need to get pumped for the New Year was provided and ready to go.

Starting the night off with a bang, Snakehips at the Paradise Stage provided a synthesis of electronic, rap and occasional R&B with ‘All My Friends’ and ‘Don’t Leave’ going down a treat. They also provided some fun throwbacks including none other than ‘Crank That’ by Soulja Boy. It was obvious everyone was excited and ready for the night ahead.

Ella Mai commanded the attention of the audience, taking us all on a ‘Trip’, with her voice sounding simply incredible live as the sun set behind her. Quickly stepping back around to the Paradise Stage, we manage to catch the end of Chris Lake’s set. The talented DJ showed off all of his experience, with ‘I Want You’ going down as a crowd favourite.

Having never heard of them before, I was curious to check out the dutch producers Thijs, Nik and Martijn, collectively known as Noisa. Clearly experienced in performing and entertaining, Noisa easily entranced the audience with their electronic masterpieces. Gunna, aka the King of Drip, also garnered a large audience, though I only managed to catch the start of his set from a distance.

Not to fear if neither act tickled your fancy, Origin Fields had everyone’s needs covered, with the silent disco presented by Club Humble supplying a fun, reliable way to pass time between acts. Who doesn’t love a silent disco?

Back at the main stage, lyrical genius Skepta drew in a massive audience of devoted fans. The grime king provided hit after hit and time seemed to fly by as the two-hour countdown drew closer. Skepta kept the energy high as he bounced up and down around the stage to all of his greatest hits, including ‘Greaze Mode’ and ‘Energy’.

To stay at Sunset Stage for Tyler, The Creator, or to duck over to the Paradise Stage for Golden Features? A constant struggle, especially at a sold-out event, is trying to get from stage to stage. Finding your way around thousands of people, in the dark, in a venue packed in (with exciting things, but packed in nevertheless) is not an easy task.

Having seen Golden Features at Falls Festival earlier in the year, the decision was made to stay for Tyler, The Creator. His new, innovative and unique album IGOR released in 2019 was extremely fun to hear live, the crowd particularly enjoyed ‘EARFQUAKE’ and ‘I THINK’. Throwbacks to popular hits from his previous albums, with ‘See You Again’ and ‘Who Dat Boy’ were also loved by the excited crowd. Tyler’s weird and wacky personality totally shone through as he donned a fluorescent green suit and the same blonde bob featured in his video clip for ‘EARFQUAKE’. The entire set was an absolute win.

Just twenty-five minutes left until midnight. New York based RL Grime took to the stage ready to blast us all into the new decade. With a huge timer off to the side of the stage counting us all down, the excitement was at an all-time high. The Sunset Stage looked like it was on fire and was absolutely full of Grime’s devoted fans with every song of his going off, particularly ‘UCLA’ and ‘I Wanna Know’.

Overall, the night was a total success. Having been to plenty of poorly-organised events, there was no doubt that a huge amount of thought and effort has been put into Origin Fields. A brilliant way to enter into the new year, all of the acts pulled out the big guns in ensuring everyone had an incredible time. Though the event was sold out and it was difficult at times to get around, this is to be expected at almost any festival and did not put a damper on the night.

To all of those who have never considered Origin Fields an event they would like to go to, I would absolutely encourage you to give it a shot!