Audio Farm launches One Tribe festival - a five-day 'spiritually and musically conscious' extravaganza in the Cheshire countryside
THEY’RE best known for high octane electronic nights in venues such as Islington Mill, Sound Control and Antwerp Mansion, but Manchester independent music promoters, Audio Farm, will be taking their soundscapes somewhere a little different this summer - to the grounds of a grand 200-year-old country house in Cheshire.
Cholmondeley Castle, which borders the Cheshire village of Malpas, will play host to One Tribe: a five-day music and arts extravaganza, spanning pop-up parties to fire breathers and a line-up spread over six stages. What’s more, all profits go to The Green Paw Project - a charity which helps vulnerable animals worldwide - with the aim of raising £50,000 to build an animal sanctuary in Malawi.
Whilst the debut festival is Audio Farm’s brainchild, it is backed by over 30 heavyweight collectives - including Freerotation, Illuminaughty, Soul:ution, Meat Free, Unity Sessions, Wormfood, 303 Liverpool and Hit & Run - all of whom will host stages throughout five non-stop days.
Designed ‘for the spiritually and musically conscious’, One Tribe was created as a ‘revolutionary response to the commercial beasts that currently monopolise the UK festival scene’ and has ‘been lovingly nurtured from the home-grown seeds of small, intimate Manchester house parties.’ With its spectacular backdrop and ethical ‘no trace’ policy, the independent non-profit event promises to be ‘a spiritually healing, musically diverse experience that is as positive for the world as it for the festival-goer.’
Six stages will host a plethora of musical genres - from world tribal, folk, jazz, funk, reggae and acoustic to drum & bass, house, techno and psytrance - with the likes of Detroit techno originator Juan Atkins and Move D. Other highlights include Lone, Psychemagik, DJ Bone, Boddika, Slam, Marcus Intalex, DJ Hype, Calibre, Sonic Species, E-Clip, Fabio & Moon and Gaudi along with live performances spanning Radioactive Man, Wild Marmalade, Mobius Loop and Henge to Olive Tree Dance, Turbans and Afriquio. Several drumming collectives, meanwhile, will form the festival’s ‘beating heart.’
One Tribe isn’t just for adults, however, with a bumper selection of fun classes and games tailored for curious minds. There’s also a family-friendly camping area and elements like arts and crafts workshops plus acres of ground to explore - roamed by over 75 circus performers - which should entertain young and old alike.
Spirituality is another One Tribe staple. Forested areas will be used as a retreat for yoga, meditation and holistic therapies; with the yurts and tipis of the Healing Space offering alternative remedies like reiki, gong baths, shamanic practices and massage. The Speakers’ Keep promises an assortment of fascinating talks and lectures spanning animal welfare to physics and philosophy and, come evening, festival-goers can gather round the fire for unplugged music jams. Bring your instrument and join in.
Need a kip after all that? There’s even a communal sleeping area called the Land of Nod.
With capacity for up to 2500 people, One Tribe offers various camping and transport options. Tickets start at £50, with 100% of profits going to The Green Paw Project. The money fundraised will be used to build a Malawi wildlife sanctuary in September - which will help in the rescue and rehabilitation of wildlife such as leopards, monkeys and antelopes etc - alongside aiding fight against the poaching of animals like elephants through front line defence work in national parks.
One Tribe Festival Director, Ste Chesters, said: “If you are a local to Malpas, a lover of diverse world music, love art and culture, have a family, want to avoid corporate festivals whilst giving profits made from your ticket money to charity, then this August come and be part of One Tribe as we grow, learn and push back our horizons. One Love, One Tribe.”
