Farewell to Field Maneuvers (kind of)

And just like that, Field Maneuvers is over… in its current form, anyway, as FM’s founders keep reassuring us. For the last 11 years, the electronic music festival has flown the flag for underground music from all over the world, bringing its brilliantly queer, defiantly DIY spirit to the dancefloor.

FM’s carefully curated stages – Laika, Sputnik and the FM Tent – The Pack It Inn pub and the ambient area, which hordes of punters flock to once the lights come up, all contribute to the festival’s intimate, inclusive atmosphere. Unlike many of its more corporate-leaning counterparts, FM isn’t interested in growing for the sake of it, but the festival still wants – and needs – to change things up. As 21 festivals have been forced to cancel this year, it’s time for the Field Maneuvers team to regroup and restrategise in the face of increased costs. Rest assured: the party will be back next year. We just don’t quite know what it’ll look like yet.

One thing’s for certain: we can always count on FM to remain a refreshingly independent festival, decked out with slamming Funktion-One soundsystems and a top notch line-up.

This year, the likes of LCY, Djrum, Manix and Josey Rebelle all flocked down to play at the secret Norfolk location, alongside takeovers from local legends Dalston Superstore, South Asian music collective Dialled In, fellow festival Kallida and loads more (if you can believe it).

Enough banging on from us, though. We asked Field Maneuvers’ nearest and dearest to reminisce about the last decade-plus of fun, and what makes their favourite festival that much more special than the others.

DJ, long standing member of the Field Maneuvers family and Low End Dreams takeover curator

Three highlights from the festival…
1. Seeing the takeover I’d been planning for so long come together exactly as I’d dreamed it would. Jeneen, Jurango, Djrum and LCY all absolutely nailed it and I was honoured to play in their midst. I also got to road test one of my new tunes to a packed out Sputnik on an immense soundsystem, which was a real moment for me.

2. Playing B2B with my brother Calan in the Pack It Inn as Vaquita was cute and very vibey.

3. Stand-out sets from this year: Deena Abdelwahed, Nick Höppner and Lewis Lowe.

An anecdote from putting this iteration of Field Maneuvers together…
When we were walking around the field during the build, looking for any holes that could cause ankle twisting, we came across one and bent down to mark it with a flag. There was a tiny little toad in there who came out and gave us a hard time. We decided the hole was small enough and left him be.

Best visuals…
The moon really stole the show but the two massive lasers dancing across the whole site all night come close second.

Favourite non-musical moment…
Drinking tinnies and projecting Double Jeopardy onto the side of our caravan during the build. And I saw a kingfisher on the lake!

Drink of choice…
Strongbow original. People scoff but then all come bleating when I’m still enjoying my cold n’ crisp cider and they’re all sick of their own horrible drinks.

What makes FM so special…
The people. I just can’t get over how fun and nice the crowd is and I kept banging on about it during the festival. From a DJ perspective, the receptiveness of the crowd really spurs you on to play your best and to feel free to play music you may not have the courage to play elsewhere.

One half of Local Group and Laser Dome takeover curator

Three highlights from the festival…
1. Manix, aka Marc Mac (aka Marc Clair), who’s been a big Local Group inspiration. His 2013 return album Living in the Past was the soundtrack to many drives up to Field Maneuvers, and our forthcoming EP on Maximum Airtime pays homage to his fusion of hardcore energy with funk and soul’s spirit. Getting to have him play was a dream come true. Our whole takeover was a highlight though: massive love to West Norwood Cassette Library, Decibella, Angel D’lite and Chris Liberator.

2. The Superstore outdoor takeover is consistently the perfect start to Sunday, a queer blast of frenetic fun to elevate your spirit for the final push. Seb Odyssey’s deep house lured us out of our tent, and we didn’t leave the lakeside until Michelle Manetti showed off her singing abilities on the mic to close her set and take things inside.

3. Later on, the bigger tents were so busy that the universe seemed to be pushing us to explore the smaller venues. Dream Software B2B Auratekh and mi-el in The Packet Inn, the pub, both nailed the more intimate vibe.

Greatest outfit…
DJ Priya’s super fast, bassy, choppy breaks in Laika were complimented by a whole crew wearing lit-up lampshades on their heads.

An anecdote from one of your sets…
Halfway through playing, the sound engineer leaned over to adjust something, and the turntable I was mixing on went off. I thought he’d accidentally unplugged it, but the entire tent had plunged into darkness. There’d been a power cut due to the generator going down. Rather than people leaving, the dancers started a singalong and we could see bubbles rising up from a group whose outfits had their own lights attached. It felt fittingly FM, and everything kicked off with a surge of energy when the lasers fired back up.

Best visuals…
avva.studios’ twisted style in the main room during HAAi and Jennifer Cardini was reliably amazing. But nothing could beat the natural majesty of the supermoon while on mushrooms.

Favourite non-musical moment…
Aside from the music, Field Maneuvers is a big reunion of friends that has grown in size since it first started. There’s always someone else to bump into and head off on a side quest with.

Drink of choice…
If FM ever makes a coat of arms, it needs to feature the boxless bag of red wine.

What makes FM so special…
The people and their independent spirit. This starts at the top, with Henry, Ele, Leon, Iona, and everyone else who has a hand in organising it, and is infused through all the volunteers, the DJs, and the dancers.

Field Maneuvers directors

Three highlights from the festival…
1. TAAHLIAH’s hard and fast pop extravaganza for the Dalston Superstore takeover.
2. Hardcore legend Manix playing his first ever set as Manix for the Local Group takeover.
3. Josey Rebelle and Ben Sims’ first-ever B2B. And the whole of iona’s Low End Dreams takeover.

Greatest outfit…
When packing down their tent last year, our gogo dancers Slopulence found a frog adorned with the remnants of a feather boa. This year, they honoured that moment by dressing as drag frogs on Saturday.

An anecdote from putting this iteration of Field Maneuvers together…
When we asked avva.studio to share some previews of their visuals for Sunday night, they told us that we simply wouldn’t understand their vision unless we had a ​“deep knowledge of Warhammer”. We still don’t, but their Games Workshop visuals slapped.

Best visuals…
The blue supermoon shining down on the lake, swans and Sasha Frovola’s Floris Pellucidum floating installation, courtesy of Bad Art.

Favourite non-musical moment…
We had the honour of hosting Henry Morris aka The Secret Tory in the pub, regaling us about the time he convinced his 200k followers that he was a Tory MP. Spoiler alert: he’s actually one of our organisers. And arm wrestling with U‑Haul Dyke Rescue.

Drink of choice…
Mongroni. It’s like a Negroni with a Monster top. Monster, if you are reading this we are still open to sponsorship.

What makes FM so special…
Our crowd. You can book the DJs and make sure you have the best sound systems, but if the ravers aren’t coming correct then it’s no good.

A hint at what’s next…
Give us a week to sleep and we’ll figure it out.

Words of wisdom to leave us with…
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

DJ and resident Field Maneuvers superfan

Three highlights from the festival…
1. The glorious, sunny, silly and camp AF shenanigans at the Superstore takeover during FAFF’s set! The sloppiest of fry ups were SERVED.
2. Local Group’s set just before mine, euphoric breakbeat whoppers. Phwoaaar. THC’s Thumping slammers, DJ Priya’s high speed mind-melters and Stevie Cox’s sexy rollers were also musical highlights of mine.
3. Bumping into my Field Maneuvers family every five minutes under that crazy moon.

Best visuals…
Sputnik Lazers will win everytime, everywhere, forever. Emotional strobes, almost too much smoke and the best sound ever. Transports me to my happy place.

Favourite non-musical moment…
Falling asleep blissfully snuggled up on Sunday night feeling full of love.

Drink of choice…
Espresso Martini, obvs.

What makes FM so special…
The people! The queers! The old school ravers! The solace of the ambient tent, and the ravetastic UK hedonism of Sputnik! The crowd at Field Maneuvers is my favourite I’ve ever experienced worldwide.

Has played every year since 2014 and hosts the festival’s Machine takeover

Three highlights from the festival…
1. Mark Archer Electro and ​’80s soul set at Field Maneuvers in 2015.
2. DJ Storm drum and bass set in 2017.
3. My B2Bs with Josey Rebelle this year, DJ Bone last year, Sandrien in 2019 and Billy Nasty in 2018. Plus my annual dub sets since 2015.

Greatest outfit…
Mark Archer in full B‑Boy regalia in 2015.

An anecdote from one of your sets…
My first ever set for Tasha’s Neighbourhood takeover in 2014. I was planning to arrive an hour before the set and leave an hour after, but ended up having big fun and staying for about 36 hours.

Best visuals…
These aren’t visuals, but I love the rave-flavoured flyers, and Ellie Foreman Peck’s sketches of the residents a few years back were excellent. I posted mine on socials and have seen it used for a tattoo more than once.

Drink of choice…
Alcohol-free beer.

What makes FM so special…
It’s always felt like an extended friends and family BBQ mixed with an intimate ​’90s outdoor rave. I’ve met so many great people there, had truly amazing times, and made lifelong friends in those fields.