- Standon Calling
Standon Calling is an annual music festival that takes place in Hertfordshire, England. It is the only music festival in the UK with a swimming pool.
History
The festival began as a birthday barbecue in 2001, and became a true festival in 2004 with a single stage and a one day lineup that included Sevenball and
Do Me Bad Things . In keeping with its origins, the ticket price included abarbecue lunch.In 2005, a second stage was secretly built in an adjacent field. Following the final act, the organiser Alex Trenchard announced "Don't go to bed!". This was the cue for performers dressed as fairies and hidden in the crowd to throw off their cloaks and lead the festival-goers to a surprise party, along a path of flares and lit by fireworks above.
The festival expanded to two days in 2006 with a full-size main stage, a Friesian cow-themed dancefloor in a former stables and a treehouse bar built into a stand of oak trees. The secret stage, revealed late on the Saturday night, was themed on
Dante's Inferno . It featured damned torsos twisting out of trees and camouflaged performers startling unsuspecting passers-by. Some festivalgoers found the theme frightening.These theatrical set-pieces involve the audience and allow them to play a part in the festival, rather than passively watching bands. This differentiates a
boutique festival from a traditional large music festival.2008 Line up
Super Furry Animals Mystery Jets The Maccabees Glasvegas Late Of The Pier Dan Le Sac Vs Scroobius Pip For the full lineup, see the [http://www.standon-calling.com festival website] .
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