OFFICIAL REVIEW

As our white van meandered up into the hills of Cumbria heading toward the most enchanted of all the realms, we knew Kiddstock England was going to be extra special. The sun was beaming and we could feel the magic of Kiddstock prickling the air as we drove through County Durham, getting ever closer to The Mystic Peaks of Thimbleberry Farm.

The vibe was of organised chaos tinged with eccentricity on site on Friday night, crew and production staff bustling about putting the final touches to the five arenas for the following day. Tents were erected, decor was hung, oversized dragonflies mounted, equipment checked and everyone involved could feel the anticipation for the next day's events steadily building.

The sun sparkled even brighter the next morning as over 2000 wellie-wearing ravers cascaded through the gates of Thimbleberry from lands near and far. Greeted by a giant shimmering dragonfly, clubbers old and young, from far and wide were all bewitched with Kiddstock fever.







The party started good and early kicking off at 11am in the main Kiddfectious arena with an opening set from Neal Thomas, followed by a storming tech-inspired set from the lovely Amber D. The pace was picked up considerably by Phil York and Dark by Design then Dozer quite literally shook Ground Zero to its core with a powerful hardstyle onslaught.

One of the standout sets of the event followed Dozer with a distinct change in vibe - a journey back to the roots of rave, guided by the legendary Ratpack.
Tantalising both old-skool and new-skool ravers alike, dance history's first ever DJ/MC duo really got the party started. While Lipmaster Mark dropped classics such as 'On a Ragga Tip' alongside old skool mash ups of Calvin Harris and Kings of Leon, MC Evenson Allen got every loved-up face in the whole arena singing and chanting to create a party atmosphere like no other.

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Meanwhile, the day’s festivities were well on track in the Clinic Barn courtesy of All Stars boys the Technicians and the North Wales Clinic boys. The open air mini arena hosted by Mayhem was quite literally bouncing from 11am, filling the southern side of the previously placid hillside full of the nastiest and naughtiest hard beats.

Kiddstock England endeavoured to showcase a slightly different spin on music policy for 2009, with the addition of the quirky Kissdafunk vs Skiddle House Party tent, which was almost like being in your Nan’s front room albeit for the grass underfoot and the presence of Rob Tissera and friends DJing above the mantlepiece! Kicking out funky and deep house grooves, the House Party did exactly what it said on the tin.

With Em Extreme demonstrating her softer side opening the proceedings, warming up the fireplace for the host himself Alex Kidd and his Essential Mix set, the vibe was distinctly blissed out in the House Party tent. Leeds legend Mister Tissera then graced the decks serving up a healthy portion of the true Kissdafunk sound to the 'front room' of hedonists.

There was no mistaking the Bitch v Mode tent..The bass from the uber cool electro sounds reverberated across the entire valley from a sound system that quite literally pushed you back out into the sunshine! Any unsuspecting passers-by were entranced by the beats within, causing a radius around the tent filled full of animated dancing, happy faces and wonderful weirdness.





Back in the main arena, Kiddstock favourites Kutski, A*S*Y*S and Mark E.G had no hesitation in ripping the roof off, taking us through an adventure in twisted hard dance and hardstyle to devour the senses. These fellas know how to work the Kiddstock crowd and following a driving hard techno and schranz set from Mark E.G, the crowd could have been forgiven going for a lie down to recover!
There's no rest for the Kiddstock wicked though, and it was time for a special announcement from The Kidd.

Literally 12 hours before the gates to the Mystic Peaks were opened, we received notification from Jam, Daniele Mondello's management that due to illness Daniele would not be well enough to fly over and perform.
This of course presented a huge decision to be faced with at such a critical point, literally hours before we were due to kick off with our biggest gig of the year.
Who could we possibly book and get to site in time to replace such an artist as Daniele Mondello?
With some quick thinking, snappy decision making and a stroke of luck we managed to find a replacement in the form of Q-Dance maestro - Pavo.

So now over to the boss in the main arena to break the news and introduce our surprise guest! Pavo of course didn't disappoint and brought with him from Holland a generous slice of the Q-Dance sound to our little hillside rave.

With an orange moon replacing the sun in the sky, the Kiddstock sparkle certainly didn't go anywhere. As the Organ Donors took over the healm in the main arena, the striking green lasers kissed the fingertips of every reveller in there.





Next up, the King of Kiddstock takes to the stage. Opening with his now infamous crash re-edit of La Roux's 'In For The Kill', Alex conjures trick after trick whipping the arena into one mass stomping frenzy.



As the other arenas were drawing to a close, everyone still left partying made sure they didn't miss out on what has now become somewhat of a Kiddstock phenomenon - Alex Kidd playing back to back with the Organ Donors. After last year's impromptu, totally unrehearsed and massively memorable '08 b2b set which closed the event, it could only ever have been these three nutters to close Kiddstock England '09.
With their slightly crazed yet undoubtedly genius talents behind the decks, they finished off the proceedings with true Kiddstock party spirit. A highlight for many was the Donor's scratch and sampling show over 70's classic Chic 'Good Times'.

Indeed they were.

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Images Courtesy of Lauren Close and Arsames. Check their DSI profiles for further work.

tHe-MyStErY-LaY-dEe
Arsames

Don't forget to subscribe to the Sound of Kiddstock podcast for sets recorded live at the event!

kiddfectious.com

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Kiddfectious Recordings have launched their first album with an official soundtrack to their festival experience Kiddstock.
Kiddstock The Album: The Sound of Kiddstock is the official album for the UK's only dedicated hard dance festival.

Kiddstock has grown from a hush hush rave on the top of a hill to becoming one of the most exciting and innovative festival experiences in hard dance. The album features the three artists who have weaved their way into Kiddstock and Kiddfectious folklore, head honcho Alex Kidd, remix guru A*S*Y*S and Kiddfectious's Original All-Star Kidd Kaos.

The album is packed full of the hardest, techiest sounds on the planet with a plethora of unheard and unreleased material alongside tracks that have been killing it on the dancefloor for this devastating trio.

You can get your hands on a copy at any of the following:
- HMV stores nationwide
- KF 24/7 online shop (kf247.bigcartel.com
- Selected independant outlets (please see www.kiddfectious.com for further details)

Also available at:
- play.com
- amazon.co.uk

///TRACKLISTING///

Disc One - Alex Kidd
1 - Enchanted Intro
2 - Ryeland - Emotional Intelligence
3 - Patrick Plaice & Frank Ellrich - Sticky Tape
4 - Fei Fei - Ender (DJ Preach remix)
5 - Kutski vs BRK 3 - 4th Dimension
6 - Kidd Kaos vs SMG - Schranz Mezcla
7 - Neal Thomas - Pyrotechno
8 - Alex Kidd vs Kidd Kaos - Kiddstock Theme 2009 (BK remix)
9 - DB Shreddaz - Saeue (Chuck E & Jon The Baptist remix)
10 - Lisa Lashes vs Alex Kidd & Kidd Kaos - New Religion
11 - T.A.T.A.N.K.A Project - DJs Life
12 - Amber D - Amber’s Theme (Alex Kidd & Kidd Kaos remix)
13 - Tuneboy - Regeneration
14 - Alex Kidd vs Kidd Kaos - Ground Zero Theme
15 - Zany - Scrambled Part 1
16 - D-Block & S-tefan - Music Made Addict
17 - Headhunterz - Saifam Mash-Up (Alex Kidd’s Schranz Tool Edit)
18 - Kutski vs Bioweapon - One (Endymion remix).

Disc Two - A*S*Y*S
1 - LCK - Dirt
2 - Scot Project - The Future Is Now - (Kamui mix)
3 - Ralph Novell - Shadows Of The Past (Mark Sherry vs James Allen remix)
4 - Dr. Wills & Vandall - Tech Ho (DJ Scot Project remix),
5 - DJ Choose Presents Scificon - Knald
6 - Shinobi - Club Massacre
7 - Kamui - Thrill Kill (A*S*Y*S remix)
8 - Kamui - Electro Slut (A*S*Y*S remix)
9 - Alex Kidd vs Kidd Kaos - Kiddstock Theme 2009 (A*S*Y*S remix),
10 - Public Domain - Operation Blade (A*S*Y*S remix)
11 - Organ Donors – Tranceplant (Neil Thomas remix)
12 - FJ Project - Heartbeat 2009
13 - Evanti - What You See Is What You Want
14 - Robbie Magura - Love Music
15 - ASYS & The Engineer - Acid Headcracker 2009 ,
16 - Zany vs Pitcher - Guardian Angel.

Disc Three - Kidd Kaos
1 - Kidd Kaos - Kiddstock Intro
2 - Ryeland - It's Alright (Feat Paris)
3 - Ryeland & Kidd Kaos - Inspired The Anthem
4 - Organ Donors & Kidd Kaos – Silence
5 - Kidd Kaos & T3kn1que - Hot-Wired
6 - Audiotek & Kidd Kaos - Reality Check
7 - Kidd Kaos - I Am Digital
8 - Kidd Kaos – Music Expansion
9 - Kidd Kaos – Kaos Factory
10 - Kidd Kaos & Brian Eddie – Syncronisation
11 - Scot Project - Future Is Now (Kidd Kaos remix)
12 - BK - Revolution (Alex Kidd & Kidd Kaos remix)
13 - Kidd Kaos – Like I Said (2009 Religious re-edit)
14 - Dr Willis & Dark by Design - God of Abraham (Kidd Kaos remix)
15 - Kidd Kaos - Music Is My Weapon
16 - Kidd Kaos & Amber D - Eternal Requiem
17 - Kidd Kaos & Joe E - Control Interference
18 - Brian Eddie & Kidd Kaos - Devastating
19 - Amber D & Kidd Kaos - Love Demon
20 - Alex Kidd vs Kidd Kaos - Kiddstock Theme 2009.

Like it :P

You would, more your pics than mine :p

errrm actually that wasnt the reason, but it is now though :P lOl

All the pics are stunning guys....love em!!
Really captured the vibe perfectly. :)

xx

Lol, it was awesome fun this year at Kiddstock :) Did you get my email? I've not heard owt back yet :/

:))) x x x

LOVE THE PICS! LOVVED KIDDSTOCK, :D X

sorry but 2 b brutally honest i dnt think it was the best kiddstock yet! i still think last years was far better than the 2 i went 2 this year (wales and england)

wales i thought the music was top notch, every1 fukin smashed it!!! i just wish i had stayed 4 evil activities, but by the end of the prophets set my legs were strugglin 2 hold my body up :s sadly i felt it was a bit confined, with nowhere 2 really walk around or sit down and did u see the state of the mens toilets?!?!

it was really nice 2 b bk at thimbelbery farm, as its an amazin location and perfect 4 an underground festival!! but i dnt think the music was anywhere near as good as last year (when i ddnt want 2 b late cos i wanted 2 see every dj playin in the main room) or wales (where every1 played an absolutly belting set) and 4 the majority of the time most of the other sound systems sounded a lot louder and better than the main arena!!

plus there was the fact that yet again the ppl i was lookin 4ward 2 seein most never happened! kidd kaos got told the wrong time 2 b there, missed his set and ended up playin in a barn instead of the main stage, which hw seemed quite gutted about 2! then there was danielle mondello, who 'had the flu' and as much as a good dj as pavo is. the 1 thing the nite missed was sum quality Italian hardstyle! but well done 2 neil thomas 4 fillin in with sum awesome tunes mixes and beat jugglin and Dozer 4 an amazin set and what i gave set of the nite! pitty this was the only hour of full on hardstyle appart from Hustler b2b Korruper in the barn, which was fukin pumpin!!!

sorry 4 the bit of a rant but i was lookin 4ward 2 it since i went last year and just felt a bit let down!!

i got in a terrible state right at the begining so can really comment on this years to much but my fave was the first one...it was totally crazy the bar was a transit van with a pasting board in front and well there was some crazy things being raffeled off in one tent!!!

plz mr kidd neva eva stop kiddstock at thimbleberry its been the highlight of my year for 3 years now and already looking forward to the next one :)

You've gotta hold ya hands up and say congratulations to Alex & the Kiddstock team though on this. There are many promoters out there that would've just saved the money and not tried to find a replacement with such little time as people would be going to the event regardless but to get someone of the stature of Pavo and such short notice is a credit to the team.

Thanks Gav. It really was a case of 11pm the night before making some very rapid decisions and phone calls! After last years mishap with Tatanka, we knew that we had to find a worthy replacement. We were exceptionally happy that Pavo was able to step in.
Daniele was actually very ill indeed and had more than just 'the flu'. We have a statement from Jam explaining the situation. Daniele was very disappointed to have missed Kiddstock as he was looking forward to making his NE debut.

This isn't quite accurate hun!
At the end of the day, when you have 80+ artists playing at a site so remote (an hour from all main airports, train stations etc) theres a lot of thinking on feet to be done as there are always issues with artists arriving on time! We did our absolute utmost to accomodate all artists that were unable to play their originally scheduled times.

Dont be sorry darl, your comments are appreciated. I'm sorry that you felt let down. What we tried to do this year was give Kiddstock four different identities and vibes. Of course Wales was very different to Thimbleberry. If events dont evolve and develop, they become stagnant. As amazing as both 07 and 08 were, no two events will ever be the same..nor should they be.

xx

Which email darlin??? My Outlooks was playing up last week while I was off (mainly due to me trying to be clever and messing with it!) Might not have recieved babe.

xx

That reads quality. Top work all round

Lol, sorry, that was meant for Kamy :) x x x