Lovebox is a three-day[1] music festival. In 2018 the event moved to Gunnersbury Park, London. The move came after Tower Hamlets turned down its application to continue in Victoria Park and Lambeth residents objected to its move to Brockwell Park. The 2019 event had a capacity of 50,000.[2]
The event has been running since 2002 and was founded by DJs Groove Armada. During this time, Lovebox has also hosted events in Newcastle, Dublin and Ibiza as well as numerous parties and club nights.[3]
Origins and history
Groove Armada began Lovebox as a resident club night at London venue 93 Feet East in 2002.[4]
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In 2003 to celebrate the first anniversary of the night, the pair hosted the first outdoor Lovebox event. The one-day event was held at the end of June 2003, on Clapham Common with a capacity of 10,000. Tickets for the event sold out in two days. The event consisted of one live main stage, three smaller dance stages plus bars and food stalls.[3]
In 2004, the event was repeated with an expanded capacity of 20,000. The event sold out within three days. Lovebox also hosted a sister festival on Newcastle Racecourse followed by an after party.[5]
In 2005, Lovebox moved to Victoria Park in Tower Hamlets. The festival expanded to two days and a capacity of 25,000. The event was co-headlined by Groove Armada and Mylo and featured four dance tents, two cabaret arenas, a 1900s Spiegel tent and a funfair.[5]
From 2007 until 2008, Lovebox hosted a sister event in Dublin.
By 2009, Lovebox had increased to a capacity of 50,000 and a 40-acre (160,000m2) site.[3]
For 2010, the festival was expanded to a three-day event,[3] notable however for the fact that Groove Armada were missing from the lineup.
Since 2014, Lovebox has been reduced back to a two-day event.[1]
In 2014, Lovebox launched After Dark, a series of parties held after both the Friday and Saturday nights of the festival across a selection of East London club spaces, including Oval Space, The Laundry and Village Underground. Acts that have performed at After Dark include Bonobo, Modeselektor, Shy FX, Soul Clap and Scuba.
Festival culture
Despite starting out as a predominantly dance festival, Lovebox has since expanded to include a wide variety of musical genres including hip hop, indie, rock, grime, world and pop, as well as circus performers, cabaret and fringe acts. In 2009 the festival hosted seven stages, supported by various partnerships from brands including Gaymers Cider, Relentless and Rizla.[3]
Lovebox is also known for being a very creative-led event, with stages and areas being elaborately built and dressed. The 2009 festival site featured a tree house, a bowling alley, a vintage fashion fair and a healing and massage area as well as several themed bars and eating areas.[3]
In 2014, Secret Productions, co-organisers of Secret Garden Party and co-founders of Wilderness, joined Lovebox.[6] Ever since, the site has also hosted art installations, a roller disco, walkabout acts and themed bars.
Being based in central London, yet still encompassing many of the features of country-set events such as Glastonbury and Secret Garden Party, Lovebox has developed a reputation for being an “urban-based-yet-rural-feeling, multi-dimensional festival – without the camping or the endless tramping about.”[7]
Lovebox Festival has won a selection of awards. In 2006, it won Virtual Festivals Party People Award for Dance Music.[8] In 2008 Lovebox won the UK Festival Award for Best Medium-Sized Festival.[9]
Previous events
Lovebox 2002
Resident club night at 93 Feet East, hosted by Groove Armada.
Plus performances from: A Love From Outer Space, A-Trak, Amplify Dot, Andrew Weatherall, Andreya Triana, Annie Mac, Antics, Art Department, Artwork, Auntie Flo, B-Traits, Ben Seagren, Benoit & Sergio (Live), Bicep, Big Deal, Bipolar Sunshine, Bobby Champs, Breach, Buttoned Down Disco, Camo & Krooked, Charlie Wilson, Chloe Howl, Cottam, Dan Beaumont, Danny Byrd, Darren Grayson, Dauwd, David Rodigan MBE, Death on the Balcony, Derrick Carter, Disclosure (DJ set), DISTRIKT, DJ Harvey, DJ Kramer, DJ Yoda, Dolan Bergin, Dre Skull, Duke Dumont, Eric Duncan, Factory Floor, Fear of Men, Flying Lotus, Force of Nature, Frankie Knuckles, Fred V & Grafix, Ghostpoet, Gold Panda, Greenmoney, Hannah Holland, Heidi, High Contrast, Horse Meat Disco, Idjut Boys, Idles, Infinity Ink, IntroducingLive, Iration Steppas, James Hillard, Jamie Jones, Jayo & Andy George, Jazzie B, Jim Stanton, Jodie Harsh, John Newman, John Talabot, Jon Hopkins, Jonny Woo & Friends, Josef Salvat, Julio Bashmore, Kenny "Dope" Gonzalez, Kim Ann Foxman, Kindness (DJ set), Krankbrother, Kris Di Angelis, Kwabs, Le Carousel, Lee Foss, London Elektricity, Luke Howard, Lulu James, Lung, Mark Ashley Dupe, Mark Ronson, Matt Kramer, Mausi, Mele, Metrik, Mia Dora, Miss Kittin (Live), Moko, Monki, Moxie, Mykki Blanco, No Artificial Colours, NU:Logic, Oddisee, Olivier St Louis, Owlle, Paul Geddes, Paul Kalkbrenner, PBR Streetgang, Prins-Thomas, Purity Ring, Quadron, Rainy-Milo, Redlight, Richy Ahmed, Roscius, Rudi Zygadlo, S.P.Y., Sam & The Womp, SBTRKT (DJ set), Scruffizer, Sean Johnston, Seb Chew, Severino, Sid Batham, Simon Shackleton, Solomun, Splashh, Subb-An, Tayo, The Correspondents, The Gaslamp Killer, The Lovely Jonjo's, The Portillo Moment, The Revenge, Toddla T Sound, Unit 7, Venum Sound, Voyeur, Wiley and Zebra Katz.
Plus performances from: A$AP Rocky, Katy B, Soul II Soul, Breach, David Rodigan, Bipolar Sunshine, Jess Glynne, Annie Mac, Sub Focus live, Moderat live, Theo Parrish live, Crystal Fighters, Bonobo live, Kenny Dope, Adam Beyer, Duke Dumont, Joey Bada$$, Woodkid, The Horrors, DJ EZ, Shy FX & Stamina MC, Joy Orbison, Paul Woolford, Benji B, The Gaslamp Killer, Woodkid, BANKS, Mount Kimbie, Dimitri from Paris, Hercules & Love Affair, The Martinez Brothers, Craig Charles, Norman Jay, Tensnake, Soul Clap, Scuba, Ben Pearce, Monki, Route 94, Kiesza, Cyril Hahn, Roosevelt, Mirror Signal, Bondax live, Klangkarussell, Soul Clap, Throwing Snow, Elli Ingram, Hannah Wants and Special Request.
Lovebox 2015
Headliners: Rudimental, Snoop Dogg Plus performances from: Gabriel Antoinette, Rebelution, Cypress Hill, Mark Ronson, David Rodigan, Ella Eyre, Ivy & Gold, Karen Harding, Skepta, MK, Hercules & Love Affair, Redlight, Shadow Child, Catz 'N Dogz, Friend Within, Bontan, 99 Souls, SG Lewis, Action Bronson, Shy FX & Stamina MC, Goldie, Preditah, My Nu Leng, Novelist, Little Simz, Siobhan Bell, Groove Armada, Acid Mondays, PBR Streetgang, Brodanse, Kaytranada, Dusky, Boddika, B. Traits, Jimmy Edgar, Dolan Bergin, Gilles Peterson & Earl Zinger, XXXY, Max Graef, Alex Wolfenden, B2B, Negghead, Kiwi, Marc Roberts, Flying Sorcerer, 22 Tracks, Chris P Cuts, Alexander Nut, Krystal Klear, Ossie, Hannah Faith, The Love Below, Kasra V, Hot Chip, Jozeff, Jessie Ware, Annie Mac, Raury, Lion Babe, Craig Charles, Little Dragon, Bonobo, Flight Facilities, Danny Brown, Vaults, Kiko Bun, Rag'n'Bone Man, April Towers, Kerri Chandler, Scuba, Joy Orbison, Ben UFO, Heidi, Kim Ann Foxman, Soul Clap, Krankbrother, Jackmaster, Matador, Yousef, Marc Maya, De La Swing, Squarepusher, Flume, Nils Frahm, Special Request, Maribou State, Howling, Dornik, Greg Wilson, Craig Richards, Pedestrian, Jazzie B, Horse Meat Disco, Pete Herbet, PBR Streetgang, Peak & Swift (Renate), Psychemagik, Felix Dickinson and Bobby Pleasure (20/20 Vision).[10]
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