GuilFest returned to Stoke Park, Guildford with a broad and consistently good line-up covering pop, rock, dance music, acoustic, tribute acts and local artists.
The festival is family-friendly, with plenty happening around the site for children, but it still feels like a music festival rather than just a family day out. There were people of all ages in the crowds, from committed fans waiting for one particular artist to families happy to stop at whichever stage sounded interesting.
The genres changed constantly, but the high spirits were the same at every stage I visited. Even in 34 degree weather…
Saturday
My Saturday started with Rozalla on the G Live Stage. Best known for the dance anthem ‘Everybody’s Free (To Feel Good)’, she provided an early dose of rave nostalgia to the crowd, who absolutely ate it up. Dance music was a fun start to the day and nobody seemed concerned about pacing themselves. I was very happy to sing and dance along. She also brought out the talented Resolution Dance Company who added to the incredible energy in stage and seemed to be loving every minute.
From there, I headed to the Hurtwood House Main Stage for a DJ set from Mel Blatt, best known as a founding member of All Saints. She kept spotting people dancing in the audience, pointing them out and encouraging them to continue. It was a simple bit of crowd interaction, but it made the large Main Stage field feel much more personal. Being publicly congratulated for dancing also encouraged everyone nearby to put in a little more effort.
Tiffany followed on the Main Stage. Although ‘I Think We’re Alone Now’ was naturally included, the set wasn’t built entirely around nostalgia. Her more recent music has taken a rockier direction, and she played several songs from those releases. Even her biggest hit had been reworked by the band, with heavier guitars giving it a sound that fitted neatly alongside the newer material. Her vocal style has matured with the music. The familiar character of her voice was still there, but it sounded richer and well suited to the rock direction she has taken.
Then came Dutty Moonshine Big Band, a returning GuilFest favourite who combine live brass, rap and electronic music into something difficult to describe without simply listing everything happening onstage. Plenty of people in the crowd clearly knew what to expect. I did not, and I had never seen anything quite like them. Their stage presence was completely captivating. There was constantly something happening and they knew exactly how to work the crowd. It was loud, theatrical and enormous fun. They were easily one of my highlights of the weekend.
I then ran over to the G Live Stage to catch Echobelly, arriving just after their set had already started. The band came out of the British indie scene in the 1990s, and there were some very committed fans in the audience. Their stage presence was relaxed, allowing the familiar indie-rock songs to be clear. I was impressed by the audience’s response and dedication to singing every lyric.
Going straight from Dutty Moonshine Big Band to Echobelly was quite a change, but that is one of the best things about GuilFest. You can leave a full brass-and-bass spectacle and be watching a classic indie rock band a moment kater. Festival coverage is all about cardio (and sweat management).
My Saturday finished back at the Main Stage with Sophie Ellis-Bextor. What a performance.
After beginning her career in indie band theaudience, she found her own lane with a mix of pop, disco and dance music. And clearly it went down well. I could hear people at the barrier saying “it’s Sophie, it’s Sophie!” as she crossed the stage towards them. She joked about the joys and uncertainties of ageing as a pop star, saying in your forties and fifties, she joked, the map starts to look more like a question mark. Her advice was to find simple joy, keep good friends around and wear sequins.
She spoke about being grateful that ‘Murder on the Dancefloor’ had taken off again, while also acknowledging that the renewed attention had left her stretched thin and needing to take some time for herself. That honesty seemed to really resonate with the audience and added another layer to an already loveable performance.
Sunday
Sunday started on the Main Stage with Monique Togara, a local singer-songwriter whose music blends R&B, Afro and house. She has an incredible voice and was completely at home on the stage. She brought out ‘bestie’ Nia Chennai and their energy was so well matched, it was a joy to watch. Can’t wait to catch another performance.
The South were next on my route. Featuring former members of The Beautiful South and fronted by Alison Wheeler, they arrived with a catalogue of songs that were eagerly awaited. The songs still sounded timeless, and the GuilFest crowd were constantly singing along.
I later caught Heather Small’s unforgettable set on the Main Stage. Best known as the unmistakable voice of M People, as well as for her solo hit ‘Proud’, she was an absolute force of nature from the moment she stepped out. She seemed determined never to stop moving, constantly jumping while delivering an enormous amount of energy. Her voice remained strong even while she was moving around at full speed (I was in awe the whole time). She pointed out friends in the crowd and made sure that everyone was dancing and having a good time.
Next up for me was running across to the G Live Stage to catch The Dolly Show. There is something incredibly fun about hurrying across a field because you urgently need to see a Dolly Parton tribute act, but that is festival life. Performed by Kelly O’Brien, The Dolly Show is a warm and affectionate tribute built around Dolly Parton’s songs, humour and unmistakable style. O’Brien was a true entertainer and had the audience with her from the start. It was not just a case of putting on a wig and working through the hits. She understood the personality and show(wo)manship needed to carry the whole performance, and the audience loved it.
After that, I headed to the Rock Cave Stage for Riot Weekend, a local band playing alt-rock with a pop-punk edge. The stage was inside a small tent, with the band right up close to the audience. There was none of the distance you get at the larger outdoor stages, and their fun riffs worked particularly well in such a tight space. It was loud and good fun. You were close enough to see every reaction from the band and the people around them, which suited the energy of the music.
From there, I caught the end of CORA Quartet in the Acoustic Lounge. CORA are a group of friends performing close a cappella arrangements, and that friendship came through in the way they sang together. Their voices were gorgeous and blended beautifully. Their harmonies were natural, as though singing together was simply something they enjoyed doing. I only wish I’d caught more of it!
Enjoying the calm atmosphere, I stayed at the Acoustic Lounge for my final performance of the weekend by Laura L Page, a Surrey singer-songwriter whose music draws on indie folk, rock and pop. The tent was very chilled, with people sitting on the grass and swaying along to her performance and lovely voice. After two days of running between stages, it was a welcome chance to sit down and just enjoy great music.
Across the weekend I saw rave and dance-pop, DJ sets, indie rock, brass-driven electronic music, acoustic harmonies, pop-punk, tribute acts and local singer-songwriters. It was great because it never felt disjointed. The stages all had their own atmosphere, from the bustling Main Stage field to the intimacy of the Rock Cave and the much calmer Acoustic Lounge, and the mood was welcoming wherever I went.