When the headliners finish their sets the festival doesn't shut down. In fact for most Standon Calling festival-goers the party's only just beginning. Here're 11 things to do at Standon Calling after it gets dark.
1. Dance In The Cowshed
Probably the most infamous of Standon Calling's late-night venues, this year The Cowshed's coming over all favela-flavoured with Latin-infused beats from Asadinho, Gilles Peterson, Norman Jay and more. Our on-site nightclub has seen some sights over the years, but remember #whathappensinthecowshed
2. Dance In Another Shed
If you approached most festivals and asked if you could set up an actual shed as a party place and then kit it out with a Funktion One soundsystem that takes up approximately a third of the floor space you'd get a polite no. Unfortunately we were asked by Topside, the first DJs to ever set finger tips to a turntable at Standon Calling, so we felt we couldn't say no. (Plus they have loads of dirt on us that we don't want to go public). So, when they asked this year if they could have a crashed plane embedded in the roof to help recreate the feeling of the film 'Alive', what else could we do but shrug our shoulders, smile faintly and say 'sure'? If only that was it. Topside (never ones to work too hard) vacate the shed on Saturday evening and Cat Lovers take over. They plan to stuff Topshed full of tranvestites and turn it into a mini Studio 54 complete with dressing up box and a Pop Art photo booth. What's the matter with these people? Don't they understand it's merely a shed? Still at least the sides come off, allowing the party to spread its wings.
3. Drink
All our bars are open until 5am, so you might as well take enthusiastic advantage of it. We do!
4. Unleash Your Inner Melon
Possibly the friendlist party place we have. You seem to love 'em, the people in charge of our sound seem to hate 'em, but if you're looking for the one place that'll still be open when it shouldn't it'll more than likely be The Beefy Melons Temple of Love And Gratitude. With a DJ policy that's 'enlightened' to put it politely, expect to hear everything from Lionel Ritchie to Shellac via a few tracks with some of the filthiest lyrics they can find. This year they're upping their game in fitting with the theme. So they're starting the day with Mexican Wrestling Aerobics and ending it with (erm) Mexican Wrestling Aerobics. In their own words: “We don’t stop partying until we are being carted off by the boss. Your last bastion of hope in a world that has forgotten the old gods.”
5. Party In Your Tent
Experienced festival-goers know that some of the most memorable partying always goes on in the tents. And of course the bigger the tent, the bigger the party. We still have a few boutique camping tents up for grabs. If you're going to party in your tent, there's really no better way to do it.
6. Get On The Mic
Every festival needs a place where the people who've grown increasingly libated while they watch the bands on stage can step up and show that they can just as well. Fortunately, Happy Hookahs supplies just such a solution with their open-mic stage. If it's 4am and you feel like a sing-along, this is the place to be.
7. Watch A Movie
In the witching hour some people prefer nothing more at Standon Calling than curling up with a good flick. Autumn Shift have shown late-night movies tying in with the theme for the past few years at Standon Calling and will do so again this year.
8. Dance Next To A Swimming Pool
Each night come midnight These Days take over The Groove Garden, which is situated right next to our swimming pool. Making their Standon Calling debut they say they'll provide: 'A diverse platter of groove-laden house and disco music which doesn't take itself too seriously.'
9. Seek Sustinence From A Toastie
Food is a firm part of the Standon Calling experience, but if for whatever reason you forget to sample the array of artisan eateries on display during the day and you find yourself a bit hungry at 4am fret not, help is to hand in the form of Lucy's Tasty Toasties.
10. Dance To A Silent Disco Next To An Ice Cream Truck
By day, The Robin Collective will serve upi edible ice cream tattoos and other experimental food fun from a converted ice cream truck, while at night, their truck transforms into a silent disco!
11. Discover Some Weird Secret Area
We have a habit of creating areas so secret even the majority of the festival organisers don't know about them. There's nothing like stumbling on an area you never knew existed at 3am on the last night of the festival. This year is likely to be no exception. This just came in on an email from festival organiser Alex Trenchard: 'I want to do something which isn't marked on the map...basically secret pop-up gigs, fire breathing shows, still brainstorming it.' Look out for it...you'll probably find it before we do.
