Claptone performing for Starfields attendees. Source: FS

Starfields 2.0 Reviewed

With high stakes and high expectations, Starfields 2.0 returned to St Andrews for a night of revelry and music. The Stand’s Events Team reviews the evening.

Arguably few events have such a mountain of expectations and obstacles as Starfields 2.0 has had this year. Known for flying in world-class DJs and some of the best production value that a university event could possibly have, FS’s music festival offshoot always has much to live up to, even more so this year in its return to its regular venue in Lower College Lawn. Ordinarily the much-anticipated climax of Freshers Week, students flock to the event in droves – wide-eyed first years and seasoned final years alike – in order to let loose one last time before the dream of long nights and strobe lights is rapidly exchanged for essay all-nighters and the bright lights of the library. Yet with rescheduling their event to Week 2 of the Martinmas Semester out of respect for the mourning period for Queen Elizabeth II, and university Facebook groups becoming full of students reselling their tickets, Starfields needed to prove that even with these challenges, they still are one of the must-attend events of the St Andrews social calendar. And rise to the occasion they did.

On the evening of Starfields 2.0, you could feel vibrations in the cobbles of the Scores. You could hear a buzz all the way down North Street, where a long queue snaked from the entrance. The line to enter Starfields is always a runway in microcosm, with every attendee pulling out all the glitter-laden stops to put together some truly spectacular festival looks. From brightly coloured Y2K-inspired halter tops to bucket hats, open cotton shirts to lace corset tops, the Starfields crowd is a constant reminder of the event’s fashion show roots. The outfits of the attendees blended perfectly with the eclectic atmosphere curated by Starfields. The outdoor space appeared to be a particular favourite for photo-ops, with the beanbags and neon kiddie pools filled with plastic balls bringing a sense of youthful nostalgia to the evening.

Starfields attendees in the outdoor space of Lower College Lawn. Source: FS.

Our small town was shaken all evening with the bass-heavy beats of the international talent brought in by the FS team. DJ duo Belters Only, known for their upbeat and summery breakout single, ‘Make Me Feel Good’, warmed up the crowd filling the venue. Their set was followed by Endor, whose high-octane tracks, including major hit ‘Pump it Up’, further spurred on the energy of the crowd. The undoubted highlight of the evening, however, came in the form of a golden plague doctor’s mask.

Even if you don’t follow DJs and house music, you could instantly see and hear why Claptone is an internationally renowned act who has performed in some of the most iconic venues and festivals from Ibiza to Tomorrowland. Not only is the Berlin-based DJ and producer a staple in EDM, Claptone’s range extends to collabs with indie and even jazz artists such as Grammy award-winning singer Gregory Porter. Claptone’s set sent the whole marquee into a fever pitch, and it seemed like there wasn’t a single person who was standing still in the space. When compared to the Covid restrictions that necessitated the change to the smaller space of North Haugh last year, it was a completely different world. Confetti cannons, strobe lights, and projections reminded the attendees that this was the Starfields standard – regardless of cancellations and postponements.

Claptone’s set at Starfields. Source: FS.

Attendees with whom I spoke had many positive things to say about the event, especially in terms of the music, the audio-visual production, and the atmosphere. If any complaints were to be had, they tended to be towards aspects such as the organisation of the bar and the price of the tickets. Although there was a wide gulf between the scale of Starfields this and last year, one positive aspect of the event in 2021 was its several bars that served the many attendees. There was just one bar at this year’s event, and there certainly should have been something done to minimise what I affectionately refer to as the Curse of the Queue. It plagues all major events in St Andrews, but the single queue to enter Starfields and the long wait times for drinks were certainly aspects that affected the overall event experience.

As for ticket prices, which reached a significant high at £56, Starfields undoubtedly aims to provide value for money. With their visual effects, large venue, sustainability commitment, and above all the impressive acts, it’s obvious that a lot of effort is put towards the curation of the Starfields experience. It is also important to point out, however, that price points upward of 50 quid put a lot of pressure on student budgets, and alienate those who cannot pay that amount from the only music festival that St Andrews has to offer. It is an issue that, like the Curse of the Queue, affects the biggest events of the year and should be acknowledged.

Overall, Starfields 2.0 was put under a microscope this year and certainly expected to deliver. With their usual flair for the eye-catching, intense, and unforgettable, the FS team rose to the challenge and presented an event that for one night, and one night only, transported its attendees back in time to the carefree golden days of Freshers Week.

Comments

comments

86 thoughts on “Starfields 2.0 Reviewed

  1. I’ll immediately take hold of your rss as I can’t to find your e-mail subscription hyperlink or e-newsletter service. Do you have any? Kindly allow me recognize so that I could subscribe. Thanks.

  2. I feel this is one of the such a lot significant information for me. And i’m satisfied reading your article. However want to commentary on few basic things, The site style is ideal, the articles is really nice : D. Excellent task, cheers

  3. Hi there very cool web site!! Guy .. Beautiful .. Amazing .. I will bookmark your blog and take the feeds additionally…I am glad to find a lot of helpful information here in the submit, we need work out more strategies in this regard, thank you for sharing.

  4. You could certainly see your enthusiasm in the work you write. The world hopes for more passionate writers like you who are not afraid to say how they believe. Always follow your heart.

  5. There are actually lots of particulars like that to take into consideration. That is a nice level to deliver up. I offer the thoughts above as normal inspiration however clearly there are questions like the one you bring up where crucial factor might be working in honest good faith. I don?t know if best practices have emerged around issues like that, however I am certain that your job is clearly identified as a good game. Both boys and girls really feel the impression of only a second?s pleasure, for the rest of their lives.

  6. The things i have usually told men and women is that while looking for a good on the net electronics store, there are a few aspects that you have to think about. First and foremost, you would like to make sure to choose a reputable and also reliable retailer that has got great assessments and rankings from other individuals and business sector experts. This will make sure that you are handling a well-known store that can offer good program and aid to the patrons. Thank you for sharing your thinking on this site.

  7. I was suggested this web site by my cousin. I’m not sure whether this post is written by him as no one else know such detailed about my trouble. You’re amazing! Thanks!

  8. The next time I read a blog, I hope that it doesnt disappoint me as much as this one. I mean, I know it was my choice to read, but I actually thought youd have something interesting to say. All I hear is a bunch of whining about something that you could fix if you werent too busy looking for attention.

  9. What i do not understood is if truth be told how you are now not really much more smartly-appreciated than you might be now. You are very intelligent. You know thus significantly on the subject of this topic, made me personally imagine it from numerous varied angles. Its like women and men don’t seem to be interested until it is something to do with Woman gaga! Your personal stuffs nice. Always deal with it up!

  10. The next time I read a blog, I hope that it doesnt disappoint me as much as this one. I mean, I know it was my choice to read, but I actually thought youd have something interesting to say. All I hear is a bunch of whining about something that you could fix if you werent too busy looking for attention.

  11. Great article. It is unfortunate that over the last one decade, the travel industry has already been able to to handle terrorism, SARS, tsunamis, bird flu, swine flu, and the first ever true global tough economy. Through all this the industry has proven to be effective, resilient as well as dynamic, discovering new approaches to deal with difficulty. There are generally fresh challenges and the possiblility to which the field must once again adapt and react.

  12. Pingback: Leandro Farland
  13. I wish to express my thanks to the writer for bailing me out of this particular problem. Right after surfing throughout the the web and obtaining suggestions which were not beneficial, I believed my entire life was over. Being alive minus the strategies to the problems you have sorted out through the article is a critical case, and the ones that could have adversely affected my entire career if I had not come across your web site. That skills and kindness in maneuvering all things was helpful. I’m not sure what I would have done if I hadn’t come across such a subject like this. I’m able to now look ahead to my future. Thanks a lot so much for the expert and result oriented guide. I will not hesitate to suggest your site to anyone who wants and needs guidance on this subject.

  14. Pingback: Commitment
  15. Pingback: Hot Plates
  16. Pingback: fue
  17. Pingback: GPA Calculation

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

THE STAND