UNITED KINGDOM: THE BRITISH SCHEDULE OF SUMMER MUSIC FESTIVALS KICKS OFF WITH TRIBAL GATHERING

Record ID: 393318

  • Title: UNITED KINGDOM: THE BRITISH SCHEDULE OF SUMMER MUSIC FESTIVALS KICKS OFF WITH TRIBAL GATHERING
  • Date: 24th May 1997
  • Summary: ANOTHER FAIRGROUND RIDE DODGEM CARS SKATEBOARDER PERFORMING PEOPLE WEARING UNUSUAL OUTFITS PEOPLE DANCING
  • Embargoed: 8th June 1997 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: LUTON HOO, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Topics: Entertainment
  • Reuters ID: LVA5A0WZKH0ELA1XO8WU1K8490V1
  • Story Text: More than thirty-five thousand ravers enjoyed twenty hours of music at the Tribal Gathering, Britain's most important dance festival last weekend (May 24-25).

    The event has grown from its origins as an illegal party in the Eighties to become a major commercial event, although the introduction of the controversial Criminal Justice Act outlawing outdoor raves caused its cancellation in 1994.

    Last year's Tribal Gathering was also threatened when organisers were refused a license just ten days before the event took place. After a national petition and a fierce debate in the media it was reprieved on condition that a suitable venue was found.

    The festival's saviour was a country estate owner known only as "Mrs Phillips", a figure shrouded in secrecy by the festival organisers. The Mean Fiddler's spokesman Melvin Benn would only reveal that she was an Austrian lady with an enlightened European attitude to youth culture, who rather enjoys the event herself.

    Once again this year her private park was transformed: nine "Earth"-themed marquees were erected, a full-scale funfair was brought in and a host of food and clothing stalls were doing a brisk trade all night.

    The highlight of the Tribal Gathering '97 was a rare appearance by the grandfathers of techno, Kraftwerk, who treated fans to their first live performance in nearly a decade.

    Their groundbreaking work with electronic music in the Seventies has been continued by a new generation of bands and new-generation technology, to create a cultural movement that has united young people from all over the world in their love of dance.

    Orbital, Fluke, and Daft Punk were amongst the live performers, whilst renowned disc jockeys such as Peter Tong, Paul Okenfold and DJ Shadow kept the crowds happy with every type of dance music from techno to jungle to house.

    Paul and Phil Hartnoll, aka Orbital, compared the role of computers in making electronic music to that of the electric guitar in rock 'n' roll. Their improvisational sound, without lyrics, has won them chart hits, a Brit award last year and their music was chosen for this year's remake of "The Saint", which stars Val Kilmer.

    Fluke chose the Tribal Gathering to perform their new single, "Absurd", following up last year's hit "Atombomb".

    "Absurd" will feature on the group's new album, "Risotto" which is due out next month, and Fluke are due to perform at several European festivals during the summer.

    Fluke's Mike Tournier credits Kraftwerk as the seminal influence on the dance movement, citing Detroit's house music as the next logical step during the eighties, which in turn brought about Britain's own interpretation of dance music which is enjoying success all over the world.

    Now the Tribal Gathering is set to reach an even wider audience, when a two-hour music special, "Tribal Gathering '97 - Day, Night, Dawn" is to be broadcast internationally later this summer.
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